Walking
Your first fells in the Lake District
Six summits to build confidence, in the order we'd walk them.
By VacationGuide Editors · · 8 min read
Six summits to build confidence, in the order we'd walk them. The order below keeps the walking sensible, the queues short and the best meal of the day in the right place.
Start where the crowds aren't. The Lake District rewards an early morning — the light is better, the photographs are emptier and you'll have the pick of tables at lunch. May, June and September — long light and fewer school-holiday crowds.
Getting around is the part most people over-plan. Rail to Oxenholme or Windermere; a car helps for the quieter valleys. Once you're there, most of what follows is within a comfortable walk, and where it isn't, we've said so.
Book the two or three things that genuinely sell out, and leave the rest loose. British weather makes a mockery of rigid schedules, so keep one indoor option per day in your back pocket — a museum, a long lunch, a spa hour.
Planning the wider trip? Our The Lake District destination guide covers where to stay, eat and spend your days.
Ready to go? Build a day-by-day plan for the Lake District.
Plan a trip to the Lake DistrictFrequently asked questions
- Which fell should you climb first in the Lake District?
- Catbells. It is short, the path is obvious, and the summit view over Derwentwater is out of all proportion to the effort — the ideal confidence-builder before longer days.
- How fit do you need to be for your first fells?
- If you can walk for three hours on hilly ground you can manage every route in this guide. Build up over a few days rather than starting with a Scafell Pike attempt.
- What kit do you actually need?
- Boots with ankle support, full waterproofs, a paper map and compass, food and water. Lakeland weather turns fast and mobile signal is unreliable on the tops.
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