Higher White Tor

A walk to remove the excesses of Christmas and what a walk we had, fantastic blue sky, crisp and a great route. This has to be one of my favourite walks on Dartmoor and you can add more onto this walk if the days are longer heading on towards Rough Tor and back via Beardown…

Cadover Bridge, Shaugh Bridge and Wigford Down

A walk out of necessity to get out of the house, there wasn’t a lot of colour out there today however the walk from Cadover to Shaugh Bridge and back is one of my favourites. Ironically, looking back, the same walk was done in glorious sunshine at the same time last year

Bellever Tor

It was a lovely November day, cold on the tops but lovely and sunny with superb views all round. Bellever Tor was the choice today and a great walk it was.

Dodd

Our last walk in The Lakes before the long drive home to Plymouth, a decision was made to attempt a bit of a bogey hill for us in Dodd. Previously we had attempted an ascent and been monsooned off the hill by heavy rain!! We started out in sun knowing by tea rain was due…

Wansfell

Staying in Troutbeck it would have been daft of us not to have a walk up to Wansfell via Nanny Lane, the weather looked as though it would cover the tops in low cloud, however as we reached the summit it cleared enough to give us some views.

Sallows and Sour Howes

After a couple of damp days in the Lake District we finally woke to a clear day and the prospect of a fantastic day in the fells. The weather turned out to be better than it should have been and warm for late October and these two little fells provided a fabulous walk. These two…

Arnison Crag

We have come to The Lakes in autumn for a week to sample the changing colours and weather at this time of year, with that there will hopefully be less bracken than in the summer as well!! We were staying in Troutbeck, so whilst waiting for the house to be ready, we popped over the…

A circuit of Avon Reservoir

A birthday walk around Avon Dam which didn’t quite go as planned. The ford which was marked on the map even after a long period of dry weather was 12 inches deep which meant boots off and wading was in order!! Still an area I’ve never been to before and its better than sitting in…

Pew Tor

Time for a no rush, easy walk from Pork Hill car park, with some lovely scenery but nothing too strenuous for a Sunday afternoon! Some new hills collected, shame that the sun only came out at the end but it at least meant that the ice cream van got some custom!

Great Crag and Grange Fell

I have to say I wasn’t expecting much from this walk from Watendlath. The road up here is narrow but once at the end a little oasis opens up with high ground all around. Both these two fells have many lumps on their summit vying for the highest point but it is the views that…

High Rigg

An evening walk up a smaller fell but giving it a bit of respect. Rather than just and up and back from the church at the bottom of the hill we decided to park in a layby beside the A591 and walk along the base before ascending from the church as normal. Weather was warm…

Coniston Old Man

I think it’s fair to say that the Old Man was the first mountain I knew the name of. I don’t know why but it was. So this was a bit of a pilgrimage for me and parking at the end of Walna Scar road I was excited. We set off in good sun but…

Little Mell Fell

A much derided little fell this one, however for me it has its place. For those of us that have to drive hundreds of miles to get to The Lakes, fells such as Little Mell have something that loftier mountains cannot offer and that’s a quick walk to stretch the legs whilst bagging a Wainwright…

Penn Beacon and Shell Top

Day off work and time for a walk, decision made on an ascent of Penn Beacon and adding on Shell Top for good measure. A good track from Quick Bridge takes you to open moorland just beyond the Lee Moor clay pits, before heading up steeply. Once on top the views are good especially over…

Great Mis Tor

Time a quick walk somewhere in the Princetown area and we plumped this time for Great Mis Tor, not too far and with the easy track no need for map reading. For some reason each time I’ve been up on this tor it has never been overly warm, again today despite it being July a…

All around the mast

The mast on North Hessary Tor has to be one of the most recognisable landmarks in any of our National Parks, it certainly is on Dartmoor. This walk is an easy 4 mile circuit with only one real climb up to the mast itself, with the majority of the rest of the walk on old…

Yes Tor and High Willhays

When you start walking hills and mountains, it is always the highest places that draw you in. South of the Peak District the highest is High Willhays and today was the day for us to attempt an ascent. The weather did its best to put us off but we made it round without too many…

Down Tor Stone Row

A day off work and a chance to get out for a walk, not too far from home but this is a first visit to the stone row behind Down Tor and its a fine example of its type. Another chance to climb my first ever tor of Down Tor and one of my favourites.…

Eylesbarrow Tin Mine

A lovely day and time for a quick walk to Ditsworthy Warren house and back via the Eylesbarrow tin mine track. As it was such a nice day there was time for a well earned ice cream from Cadover Bridge!

Padstow

Day out in Padstow meant fish and chips and a chance to walk off the calories! Stepper Point is a lovely walk from Padstow and the lookout station at the point were nice enough to invite us in and show the boys all the radars!

All around Nun’s Cross

We took advantage of a glorious spring day to get out for our first visit to Nun’s Cross before heading over to Plym Ford and back via Eylesbarrow. The views across Fox Tor mires to the distant North Dartmoor hills are fantastic on this route although it helps to have a bit of blue in…

East Dart Waterfall

Another walk that I have wanted to do for a while and one that didn’t disappoint. Pick a warm spring day after a little rain (not too much otherwise you cannot cross the waterfall) and there’s not a finer walk on Dartmoor. Starting in Postbridge, using the roadside parking opposite the pub, its an easy…

Longaford Tor and the West Dart Weir

I’d been wanting to do this walk for a while so despite the dreary start to the weather we set off from Two Bridges heading for Crocken Tor and along the ridge to Longaford Tor before dropping to the West Dart Weir and back along the Devonport Leat. its a fantastic walk not too difficult…

Sheeps Tor

Grabbed the opportunity today to nip out for a quick walk up to Sheeps Tor. Parking at Norsworthy Bridge and walking part way round Burrator and heading up the steep side of Sheeps Tor. Not a great deal of mileage involved but the steepness meant a few pauses for breath were required! Then it was…

Beardown Tor

A day off from work and a good chance to get out and about. Starting from the car park near the Two Bridges hotel we headed for Beardown Tor and Lydford Tor following part of the Devonport leat. However looping back via Cowsic Bridge brought with it some issues with very boggy ground, between us…

Cadover Bridge to Shaugh Bridge and back

Pre-Christmas walk to banish the December blues and take advantage of a batch of glorious sunshine! This walk follows the clay pipe route out through the North Wood heading for Shaugh Bridge before crossing the Plym and heading up the track to the top above The Dewerstone. The return is back across Wigford Down with…

Bellever Tor

A lovely circular walk which tops out on two tors, the views from Bellever Tor are superb, especially northwards towards Longaford and the Beardown Tors. There’s also the added bonus of a pint back in Postbridge and a chance to see the famous clapper bridge.

The Langdale Pikes

Talk of the Lake District and walking mountains and inevitably The Langdale Pikes will come up eventually. For a large number of visitors that head to The Lakes only to stay around Lake Windermere then The Langdale Pikes sit high dominating the view to the north of the Lake. Starting up Stickle Ghyll we headed…

Catbells

Catbells is a classic walk in the Lake District, arguably the most popular fell in this particular part of England. It attracts families, those on route to higher places and those out to bag a Wainwright! The views back to Keswick grab the attention however the vistas into the Newland valley in the opposite direction…

Silver How

If your in and around the Grasmere area of the Lake District, then Silver How is a superb walk for those not wanting to head out to loftier heights such as the Fairfield Horseshoe. This route also makes a nice round loop giving good views especially from the summit. The walk could easily be extended…

Avon Reservoir and Dam

This is lovely family walk, with a good tarmac path 95% of the way following the course of the River Avon as it heads downstream from the Avon Reservoir. The weather was warm and sunny and a paddle in the river was needed to cool off with a picnic!!

Drizzlecombe and Higher Hartor Tor

A lovely walk taking in a film set, a Bronze Age settlement, a couple of tors and an old tin mine! Shame the sun couldn’t shine. This is a cracking place, the history in the area is well worth seeing, especially Drizzlecombe

Scafell Pike and Great End

When you look at climbing mountains inevitably you will look to the highest and want to climb it. Scafell Pike is that such a mountain in England. This route was out from Seathwaite Farm and up to Styhead Tarn and then via the Corridor Route to the summit and back over the boulder field to…

Latrigg

Cooler walk than yesterday when we were on Barrow (here), unfortunately the warm sunshine is replaced by cloudy, hazier conditions. The views to Derwent Water however are just as good from this glorious viewpoint and the layering of fells to the south is superb. This has to be the best view in the Lake District…

Barrow

Family walk up a cracking little fell near to our base in Braithwaite. The views down to Derwent Water were spectacular, especially on the way down, and it was a fine way to spend a couple of hours. Topped off with a nice pint in the pub to finish.

Hallin Fell

We had spent a week near Fort William in Scotland and the long drive back to Plymouth required a stop off and some leg stretching. This fell, not too far from the M6, provided a perfect walk before tea in Windermere. We could have picked any of the Mell Fells or perhaps Gowbarrow Fell but…

Crinkle Crags and Bowfell

Second walk of this holiday and a classic one at that. Wainwright claims the mile of walking across the Crinkles to be the finest ridge mile in Lakeland. That’ll do for me, with the bonus of Bowfell at the far end and a fantastic descent by The Band. The walk was a tough one, and…

Loughrigg Fell

After getting a taster for Lakeland fell walking last summer with our Helvellyn walk (here), this was our second Wainwright and a much more sedate family friendly walk and the boys first attempt at a fell. Rain threatened later in the walk as we reached the summit but thankfully stayed away, although it did cool…

Helvellyn via Striding Edge

Our first major walk in the Lake District and one of the classics to boot, The weather was tricky across Striding Edge due to the drizzle and as a result we used a mix of staying to the ridge line and dropping occasionally to the path just below. Once the cloud cleared a bit on the summit the views were superb.