Walking Britain Lake District Walk
Cat Bells & High Spy from Grange
Maps | |||
| Ordnance Survey Explorer OL4 | Sheet Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Explorer OL4 | Digital Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Ordnance Survey Landranger 90 | Sheet Map | 1:50k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Landranger 90 | Digital Map | 1:50k | BUY |
It is recommended you take a map. The preferred scale is 1:25k. | |||
Walk Route Description
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This Lake District walk combines some of the best scenery in Lakeland with views of many of the highest fells including Scafell Pike, Helvellyn and Skiddaw. As a bonus the beautiful valleys of Newlands and Borrowdale are also seen.
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The walk starts from the village of Grange just off the B5289 from Keswick to Seatoller. Limited parking (Grid ref. NY253174) is available in the village or off the main valley road a short distance away. Head west through the village towards Manesty and Swinside. Passing the Borrowdale Gates Hotel on your right stay on the lane until just after Manesty.
Turn left and begin the climb, ignoring the path that forks off to the right. This path leads you quickly up to Hause Gate (Grid ref. 244192) and a path 'cross-roads'. Turn right and make your way to the summit of Cat Bells from where a grand view can be enjoyed.
Return to Hause Gate and continue south on a clear path to climb onto Maiden Moor. Nearing the top of the first ascent look out for the viewpoint on your left that offers an excellent view of Derwentwater. Reaching flatter ground the main path heads in a beeline across the moor. A better option is to bear right and follow a less distinct path that stays on the western edge of the moor offering views into Newlands and across to the fells of the Grasmoor massif.
The edge path eventually joins the main path again and continues across rougher ground to reach the large beehive cairn that marks the summit of High Spy. From here descend towards Dalehead Tarn picking up a path on your left (Grid ref. 232155) that leads down towards Rigghead Quarries.
Descending quickly through the remains of the quarries and mines you will notice many entrances to the mine workings. These should only be explored by those with suitable experience. The path descends to cross Tongue Gill on stepping stones. Keeping left you join the path from Seatoller and continue past Castle Crag to descend to the banks of the River Derwent. Turn north alongside the river joining a broader track to reach a lane. Turn right along the lane and within a couple of minutes you will be back at the start.
Other walks nearby
Walk 1444 Great Gable from Borrowdale Youth Hostel - hard - 12.0 miles/19.5 km
Walk 1108 Ashness Bridge & Grange Fell from Borrowdale - moderate - 9.0 miles/14.6 km
Walk 2525 Standing Crag & Dock Tarn from Watendlath - moderate - 7.0 miles/11.4 km
Walk 2526 Standing Crag, Ullscarf & Borrowdale - mod/hard - 10.0 miles/16.3 km
Walk 1693 Grange & Watendlath from Rosthwaite - easy/mod - 7.6 miles/12.4 km
Walk 1187 Robinson & Hindscarth from Newlands - mod/hard - 6.5 miles/10.6 km
Walk 2036 Catbells from Gutherscale (Route A) - easy/mod - 4.0 miles/6.5 km
Walk 3525 Catbells from Gutherscale (Route B) - easy/mod - 4.0 miles/6.5 km
Walk 3119 Catbells, Dale Head & Hindscarth - The Newlands Horseshoe - mod/hard - 12.0 miles/19.5 km
Walk 1245 Castle Crag & Grange from Seatoller - easy/mod - 6.0 miles/9.8 km
Recommended Books & eBooks
Great Mountain Days in the Lake District
An inspirational guidebook to 50 challenging walks on the high fells of the Lake District. The graded circular routes, between 4 and 14 miles in length, cover classic Lakeland summits like Fairfield, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Blencathra, to the lesser-known High Spy, King's How and Brund Fell.
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Hadrian's Wall Path
Hadrians Wall Path guidebook to walk the 84 mile National Trail. Described in both directions, the main description is west to east between Bowness-on-Solway and Wallsend, Newcastle, with extensions to Maryport and South Shields. With extensive historical information related to this World Heritage site and separate 1:25,000 OS map booklet included.
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The National Trails
This inspirational guidebook looks at each of the UK's 19 National Trails, with information that allows ease of comparison and contrast, inspiring you to find out more and to take up a long-distance challenge. Some Trails are short and easy, others much longer, many have strong themes - they may follow a coastline, or traverse ranges of hills.
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