The Deepdale Horseshoe from Patterdale

I've not done a proper hike for a few months due to my health and moving house, so I needed a big mooch to get me back into it all, and what better place to go than a day out in the Lake District ⛰️ Absolutely loved this hike, some bits were very steep and tough and a good bit of scrambling here and there so good boots required, but as always around here, the views were amazing and make it all worth while 👌😃 And I bagged a few more Wainwright's: Fairfield #13 - 873m St Sunday Crag #23 - 841m Hart Crag #27 - 822m Birks #124 - 622m Hartsop Above How #137 - 581m Arnison Crag #194 - 433m

Back in the hills! What a glorious day to return to the fells post-op !! ⛰️☀️

A very windy day on this horseshoe that starts from the Patterdale Hotel and traverses Thornhow End, Black Crag, Birks, St Sunday Crag, Cofa Pike (Scramble), Fairfield, Hart Crag, Hartsop above How, Hoggill Brow, Gale Crag and Bleaberry Knott. Some friends of mine recently got lost and panicked a little on the lake district fells, so i agreed a day out with them, to give them more confidence on the fells. I am currently in my "consolidation period" as a SML, so this was a good QMD for me. I can map read proficiently and also navigate with a map (different kinds) and compass. I also use various GPS navigation apps simultaneously, to pick out public rights of way, permissive footpaths and open street maps. I also carry a SatmapActive 20 which is very accurate. Using all these tools on this walk i explained to my group about route finding, not being scared of going off path to see if an historical path is still visible, whether a green path without a black path underneath was visible on the ground and what it meant if there was no path, and lots of other useful information, including locating oneself, and being able to identify features nearby and various peaks. It was a long day, but i think my group gained more confidence for the future, which is a win win. This route is different to my other St Sunday Crag route, given this one visits Birks and also heads back to Patterdale via public rights of way via Beckstones, Crookbeck and Rooking.

The best thing about having a week day off is getting to have a quiet day in the hills. We were blessed with blue skies and one of the most amazing days I've ever had in the Lakes 💙 we were meant to do another Horseshoe route but due to a road closure I quickly found this one on komoot and did the Deepdale Horseshoe from Patterdale and it did not disappoint! It took us a bit longer than expected with some amazing views we had to stop for tea and lunch so we were walking back in the dark! Would recommend doing this version and not going through the forest at the end because apparently it is a really steep incline. We did the scramble options on the way down but you can take the alternative path instead. A lot of steep ascent on the way up but loved it and walking back in the dark felt like we'd had a real adventure day! *£5 parking for the day at the Patterdale Hotel * Some scrambles on the way down would recommend good shoes and check conditions but it was really fun *I fell down 4 times on the way down due to the steep terrain and the grass being so slippy so make sure you have good tread! 🤣