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Fairfield
Horseshoe Ambleside Cumbria
Time 4 to 5 hours Distance 17 km Map(1:25) OS Outdoor Leisure 7 Quality 7/10 Difficulty 4/10 Fun Value 7/10 Terrain high level fells Surface Tracks, mud and grass |
This is a monster walk that takes in 6 peaks that are over 600 meters and can be completed in much less than 5 hours or if you are a crazy fell runner less than an hour. It is best to start this route from Ambleside or if the parking is tight, as it mostly is start from Rydal Hall Grid Ref 363064 but this means that you have further to walk back at the end of your walk. Now starting from Ambleside walk along Rydal Road (A591) towards Scandale Bridge Grid Ref 371051 where you will find a footpath on the right-hand side of the road that runs up through Rydal Park towards Rydal Hall Grid Ref 365063. This is where you will find a private campsite a small tea shop and some small waterfalls. Once back onto the road go right up a very steep bank towards Rydal Mount. At the top of this bank take the footpath through the gate on the left, this takes a zigzagged path up the side of Nab Scar to the corner of a boundary wall Grid Ref 356071. The footpath is very well defined as it climbs up the ridge towards Lord Crag Grid Ref 355075 and on to Heron Pike 612m Grid Ref 356082. This is where you will find a path leading of to the left, DO NOT follow this path unless you want to descend to Grasmere. The route follows along the ridge wit no navigation difficulties, up to Great Rigg 766m Grid Ref 356104. From here Fairfield is only 1 and a bit km, and is in full view (weather Permitting). There are a number of shelters at the summit of Fairfield, which make it a good place for a break. The way off the summit is towards Hart Crag 822m Grid Ref 368112 but care must be taken because it is very easy to get disoriented and walk off in another direction. Again there is a well defined path to follow towards Dove Crag 797m Grid Ref 374104, where you pick up a dry stone wall which will lead you to High Pike 656m Grid Ref 374088, and down the ridge to Low Pike 508m Grid Ref 373078. The foot path now leads you through a number of enclosed fields towards High Sweden Bridge and on the way you will encounter a slightly difficult rock step at High Brock Crags Grid Ref 375070. Any strange metal turrets and plates you see in the ground are part of the Thirlmere viaduct, which supplies water to Manchester. Head straight down the footpath to Low Sweden Bridge Grid Ref 374055, where the path becomes more of a track and eventually a road at Nook End Farm Grid Ref 375054 you have hit Nook Lane that will lead you directly to the Golden Rule Pub.
