The Lake District may have only been a National Park since 1951, however the area has been attracting not just walkers but poets and novelists alike for much, much longer.
The majestic landscapes and dramatic routes transport visitors over fells, dales, and of course those magnificent lakes. This trip is designed to take in some of the most memorable summits the area has to offer.
In just four and a half days we set out to explore and conquer, leaving the inimitable Scafell Pike to the very end. Basing ourselves in Keswick there’s easy access to some of the most cherished routes such as Striding Edge, many leading us right the way back down to end the day enjoying typical Cumbrian hospitality, be it around a roaring fire or over a refreshing drink.
Arrive in Keswick on day one of the tour to meet your leader at 2pm at the George Hotel where we will be staying all week. We strike out from the hotel for a relaxed and easy introduction to the lakes by climbing Cat Bells. At 451 metres (1,480 ft) it is one of the most popular fells in the area and a great way to stretch the legs.
In the words of the writer 'It is one of the great favourites, a family fell where grandmothers and infants can climb the heights together, a place beloved.”
A great introduction to our week in the fells.
Accommodation: The George The George
A short transfer of 10 minutes to the northern side of Skiddaw where we climb the fell from the north eastern route, having a picnic on the top before descending in the afternoon back into Keswick for a well-deserved pint and dinner in the town. The walk is known for its 360 views towards the Irish Sea, Scotland, the Cheviots in the North East and into Yorkshire. It is the first of our big days on the fells and a wonderful long-distance walk.
Accommodation: The George
As we climb up the stony path and steps where we can enjoy beautiful views of the Skiddaw and over to the centre of the Lake District (Scafell, Great Gable) After the summit, we head back down towards Thirlmere in a loop with time for a well-deserved stop in a local pub.
Accommodation: The George
A day of dual ascents: Pillar and Great Gable. We transfer to the Honister Slate mine and attack the fells from the northern side, reaching Pillar first. Great Gable, one of the most well-known fells in the lakes, gets its name from its pyramid shape when viewed from Wasdale Head (it is dome-shaped from most other directions) From Great Gable we enjoy great views of Scafell (our goal for the next day) and the rest of the Northern Lakes. We head back to the Honister Slate mine, where we can visit the amazing underground mines and amphitheatres (prior booking required) before heading back to Keswick.
Accommodation: The George
Our final day and the big one, Scafell and Scafell Pike where, for a fleeting second, we will be the highest people in England. We head from the Seathwaite carpark up the corridor route and onto the summit plateau, before looping back down to celebrate a job well done. We dine together in Keswick in the evening after a wonderful week in the majestic Lake District.
Accommodation: The George
Our trip ends after breakfast. Farewells and transfer back to Penrith station if required.
This single-centre holiday is based at the following hotel. If you'd like to extend your stay here, or upgrade your room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or email sales@headwater.com
Our aim is to provide holidays that are unbeatable for choice and flexibility. We've listed our most popular travel options below, however you aren't limited to these - we can tailor-make virtually any holiday to suit.
To find out more about the travel options available call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or email sales@headwater.com
Here at Headwater we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can continue to develop, and where necessary improve, our services and ensure our holidays continue to be the best they can be. As this is a relatively new holiday, we don't yet have any customer reviews available from our customers, but here are the comments that have been received from previous Exodus travellers.
Chris Berry and Suzy Slaughter are two of the best guides I have had on a trip to date. They both worked so well together and looked after our large group of 14 so very well. Chris was so full of interesting local knowledge and Suzys organisational skills were spot on while always ensuring everyone was enjoying themselves. Both took our safety and level of walking very seriously and we had a lot of laughs and fun throughout the trip. So lovely to eat together in the evenings and the walks were just incredible and gave us a great insight into the Lake District region. Would fully recommend this trip particularly with these incredible pair guiding us through our holiday. Nothing was too much trouble for them and the sandwich lunches were brilliant. The only criticism perhaps would be the current hotel uses need to be more flexible with their breakfast timing as 8.30am was too late on some days as we didn’t get back to 7-7.30pm which ate into the evenings.
My first Exodus trip. Very pleased indeed. Sparky and knowledgeable leaders, great programme which was physically testing but do-able, and above all - wonderful group with excellent chemistry. Had enormous fun and made new friends. Only caveat - weather in the Lakes this week was simply stunning - sunscreen more important than waterproofs - so everything does seem rather marvellous just now! But seriously, I’m confident it would have been pretty much as good in any conditions.
My first Exodus trip. Very pleased indeed. Sparky and knowledgeable leaders, great programme which was physically testing but do-able, and above all - wonderful group with excellent chemistry. Had enormous fun and made new friends. Only caveat - weather in the Lakes this week was simply stunning - sunscreen more important than waterproofs - so everything does seem rather marvellous just now! But seriously, I’m confident it would have been pretty much as good in any conditions.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 5 night guided walking holiday includes:
All breakfasts
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
How to book:
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.
We do not currently have departure dates and prices available on-line. The season may have ended for this tour, or we are still in the process of adding these details to our website. Please contact us for further details.
This holiday is operated by our sister company, Exodus
5 nights The George in Keswick
4-and-a-half-day centre-based walking
Group normally 5 to 16, plus leader. Min age 16 yrs.
Altitude max. 978m
Moderate/challenging walks, with qualified mountain leader
