Looking for a walk to do in the lake district, but with the limited daylight available at the moment (and the fact I get bored walking…) I’m thinking short and sweet is the way to go. Looking for good bang for buck. Plenty of elevation and great views, without the all-day epic distances and getting lost in the dark.

Tried Google, but I’m confronted with hundreds of options…

Most Lakes walks are short and sweet!

Haystacks from Buttermere
Crinkle Crags/Bowfell from top of Wrynose Pass
Great Gable and back from top of Honister Pass

All short and easy enough to blast up, all have top notch views.

+1 for Great Gable from Honister;
Glaramara from Rosthwaite in Borrowdale;
Sickle tarn/Harrison Stickle/Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale, followed by pints in the ODG! (top short day)

Whereabouts are you staying?

You have your answer

Whereabouts are you staying?

Would be driving there, so location not really important. Though Northern lakes is easier.

Blencathra from Scales. Would be short and sweet.

As would Hight Street from the end of the Haweswater Road.

Conditions allowing of course. Lots of options for making these options longer if needed.

Edit, I suspect Haweswater will have a tad more water in it that this http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1486370

Fairfield horseshoe.

North lakes- coledale horseshoe, hindscarth/dale head from Littletown, Helvellyn via the edges, all good.

From Seathwaite (Borrowdale) Up Grains Gill returning via Styhead pass to Sethwaite farm

When you say winter walk, do you mean on snow and ice?

I have a concern that you lack of hill geography knowledge is a sign of little experience…

When you say winter walk, do you mean on snow and ice?

Not at all. I mean something relatively easy…

Relativly easy? I guess Lonscale terrace,(behind Latrigg) or the Allerdale ramble from Grange would be ideal

Easy? Cat bells, maiden moor, high spy, returning via dale head tarn?

Relatively easy within reason. Just looking for a good walk, with some decent effort involved, great views, and not too long. Definitely not going out with crampons and ice axes and stuff, and I don’t have a good head for heights at the best of times. But you know, something memorable.

With those parameters.

Cats Bells is a good shout. Unless there’s a snow based Apocalypse. Combine it with a shoreside stroll of Derwent.

Definitely not going out with crampons and ice axes and stuff, and I don’t have a good head for heights at the best of times. But you know, something memorable.

One of the lake shores then!

+1 blencathra from scales. Straight up straight down. Parking area at grid ref 349271. Walk straight up by whatever route, upto scales tarn and turn left or straight up scales fell. return down halls fell ridge. The only ridge to avoid is Sharpe edge.

In descending order of effort/challenge/height

Blencathra as above but go up Halls Fell Ridge as great direct route to summit – v easy access

Lingmoor horseshoe – start from Elterwater. Great views up to summit. Down into Langadale and walk back down valley. Less height but descent length and great views.

Tilberthwaite round starting either Hodge Close or Tilberthwaite and obvious loops on OS map. Take in visit to Hodge Close and Cathedral Caves (and the Three Shires). Low level walk if weather is bad but old quarries are interesting to visit

If snow and ice without crampons/axe etc you don’t really want to be exposed or on steep ground.
Cat Bells, Maiden Moor, High Spy is a decent walk with great views and no imminent danger – drop down to Rosthwaite and get the bus back to Keswick for a deserved portion of Cow Pie 😀
Langdale Pikes shouldn’t be too bad – the path to to Stickle Tarn is bloody steep though but is well paved.
Central position, cracking views to Bowfell and Crinkle Crags.
Bowfell straight up via The Band, and descend via Ore Gap, Angle Tarn and Rossett Gill should be good too – def avoid Climbers Traverse – a slip here would be very bad news.
Coniston Old Man is a great walk in the snow – well, we did it years ago without items mentioned and it was fine. As mentioned avoid the likes of Striding Edge and Sharp Edge if iced-up – death is inevitable 😉
Kentmere Horseshoe shouldn’t present too many problems either and you’ll get a decent height gain too.

HTH – reminds me I still haven’t used my crampons and ice axe in 2 years (or done that winter skills course!)

I don’t have a good head for heights at the best of times

I’m surprised Halls Fell Ridge has been recommended in this case. OK, it’s no Sharp Edge but it’s no stroll in the park either.

Lots of options there. Thanks. Out of curiosity, how would Halls Fell Ridge compare to Striding Edge. Just generally. I might well do it later in the year, but Striding Edge is about on the limit of my comfort zone. Not so much Striding Edge itself, but the final Scramble to the top. There’s a real sense of perspective and scale from up there!

. Out of curiosity, how would Halls Fell Ridge compare to Striding Edge

doesn’t compare, there’s a little scrambling bit at the very top barely grade 1. Sharp edge is equiv to striding edge, sharp edge is a touch above as the rock is as slippy as f##k in the wet. As said above, Halls fell ridge is a better ascent than the others , so you could descend to scales tarn with views of sharp edge

Ah well, if you think you’d be happy on Striding Edge, then yes, Halls Fell is OK (easier). Coming down it earlier this year with my old knees groaning it felt quite tough though. It had been a long day. As for Sharp Edge in the wet, I would leave well alone. I think it has a much more serious feel to it than Striding which, apart from the little chimney you have to down climb is pretty straightforward.

Yeah, looking at the various walking guides, Sharp Edge seems to be a bit of a white knuckler for wimps like me. With some of them though it’s hard to tell. They’ll be described as a nice walk, and they look nice enough from the bottom….it’s no until you get up there, when you’re looking 1000ft below, and then back up to some precarious rocky crag, thinking we’ve got to go up there?!

Funnily enough, the Chimney on Striding Edge I didn’t find too bad. Done it twice now, and it’s a bit of a shock the first time, but it’s kind of enclosed. You can concentrate on that few feet of climbing. It’s when you start start scrambling to the top and it’s so open, getting higher and steeper, and even Striding Edge looks to be becoming increasingly distant – puts the willies right up me.

Jack’s Rake on Pavey Ark is only a Grade 1 scramble too but there’s a bit on there that gets the ol’ twitcher going. Did that about 5 years ago in the summer – a lady fell from the same exposed bit I didn’t like a few weeks later 😕 Don’t do that!

Jack’s Rake on Pavey Ark is only a Grade 1 scramble too but there’s a bit on there that gets the ol’ twitcher going.

There is indeed and unfortunately the best holds put you out on the left overlooking the yawning chasm below as opposed to burying yourself in the depths of the rake.