The Lakes Trail

The Lakes Trail (5 Days)

Veiw from Canny Hill

We set out from the center at 10am after a introduction to everyone and the horses over tea and biscuits. We’ll have a short try out in the school to make sure your happy and safe with the horses. We then set out over Canny Hill, a local bridleway heading to Newby Bridge where we cross the main road through to Simpson ground plantation where there are some fantastic cantering! We then go over Cartmel fells to Masons Arms for lunch, which looks over the Winster Valley and is a famous eating house with fantastic ales. We then head up the Winster Valley through fields and tracks (more fantastic canters!) to Ings. This is where we stay overnight at the Hill Bed and Breakfast with dinner at the Water Mill another famous pub for food and beer! The horses will stay over night with our close friends the Buckleys, an international showjumping yard and family run business.

A view of Kentmere Hall

We set off on our second day out of the back of the yard at Ings over the fell to Kentmere historic village. At the end of the valley is Kentmere Hall, a stunning 14th century, tunnel-vaulted pele tower with five-foot thick walls. The turrets, one of the original windows and the spiral staircase remain. We then head up Garburn pass, a steep ancient byway that drops dramatically into trout beck valley. We the stop for lunch at the Mortal Man Inn, originally a small ale house but has now developed into a residential pub.

Veiw from Jenkins Crag

After lunch we set out over Robin Lane to Jenkins Crag, a famous view point overlooking Windermere Lake. We then drop into Ambleside and head to Ridle on the old Coffin Route to Grasmere. This route takes you past Rydal Mount, Wordsworth final house, coming out Dove Cottage, Wordsworths earlier house, where he lived with his sister. We then stop at an overnight stay in Grasmere.

We set off from Grasmere round the back of Grasmere Lake over Red Bank, via a bridleway. This leads us to Elterwater, the heart of the Great Langdale Valley. We head over another byway into Little Langdale stopping for lunch at the Three Shires Inn. After lunch, we set off across a ford over the river Brathay following the old quarry roads through to Hodge Close, a huge slate quarry in the middle of the Lakes.

Hodge Close Quarry is sheer-sided and unfenced, with an original worked depth from ground level of about 100m (300 feet). The 150 feet drop is popular with abseilers, while the 150 feet deep flooded workings below the surface are popular with divers. Many divers have lost their lives in the quarry as a result of getting lost in underwater caves.

We then head through the Tilberthwaite valley into

View of Yewtree farm and Tilberthwaite Valley

This is a scenic ride over Walna Scar, a 2000 ft pass on an ancient byway, that once was the main connection between Dunnerdale and Coniston. Fantastic views of Scafell Pike and Bowfell can be seen at the summat, and to the west on a clear day you can get a stunning panoramic view of the Isle of Man and even Scotland! We then drop into Dunnerdale for lunch at the‘Newfield Inn’ at Seathwaite. From the pub we climb out on another ancient road that brings us via ‘Broughton Mills’ and ‘Broughton Moor Forest’. After the steady climb over Walna Scar, the forest offers a chance to burn off your lunch with a few brisk canters! We then stay overnight at Torver at the Wilsons Arms and link back with our normal two day ride.

Out of Tover we take the old coffin road into Woodland Valley and head out over Lowick Common. We stop over for lunch at a very nice ‘Horse Friendly’ pub the – Royal Oak at SparkBridge where the food is great and the hospitality excellent.  The afternoon is usually spent with a steady return to Bigland.