Pass the school to take road through some fairly pleasant woodland to eventually reach the western end of the lake. The southern path round the lake starts off quite pleasantly but as Angler’s Crag is approached the path gets very much rockier and is quite a scramble over rocks with a bit of climbing. At the end of the lake turn left down the forestry track to Irish Bridge over Char Dub. The forestry road seems like miles and miles. A youth hostel is passed at High Gillerthwaite and then the path up to Red Pike which is clearly marked. Continue onwards and eventually reach a bridge over the river which marks the point at which the path goes up Haystacks and Buttermere Fell. Eventually reach Black Sail Hut – a very pleasant place. Climb the path behind the youth hostel to reach the path up Loft Beck which starts off reasonably OK but further up gets rougher and rougher with rocks and scrambling through some loose scree right towards the top. (nearly my nemesis on the last trip and for me the hardest part of the whole walk). Difficult navigation to pass the quarry shown as disused on the map which is very much being worked. Follow a dismantled tramway all the way down to Honister Slate mines at Honister Hause. Follow the road down for a while eventually picking up the old toll road to Seatoller. Unfortunately the pub marked on the map is closed although there is still a café there. Through the car park to pick up the path down the valley to another youth hostel and over the bridge to Rosthwaite.
Accommodation
I am booked into the Royal Oak Hotel, Rosthwaite. Single £60 single ensuite (B&B and dinner)
Click image for details or for other accommodation follow the Sherpa Van link
Signed up for this day: David Brawn, Keith Case, Nigel Williams
Some notes on the day
This was a walk of half a dozen sections. The first section along the lake sounds and looks really attractive but was rough under foot, rocky paths and really hard going. There followed a few brief minutes of luxurious walking across nice grass fields to reach the forest road which was taken for three or four miles to Black Sail Hut. This became boring and tiring. The hut itself was good of course as you could get in, make a cup of tea, buy cakes, etc – it was quite a haven. Then we set off up the dreaded Loft Beck which was really, really strenuous but eventually made it to the top. The next section was again across rocky paths across the top towards Honister mines. After a cup of tea in the visitor centre continued down the old road which again turned into a very rocky path that was quite painful underfoot. The final section which which looked like a very easy walk in was a walk along the river from Seatoller to Rosthwaite. In fact this was yet again a rocky path that caused us footache. Stayed at the Royal Oak. Interesting place – I quite liked it really. Very olde worlde. Not really a pub at all and more like a hotel and next door to a hotel which has got a bar that is more like a pub. Everybody had dinner at 7.30 and had exactly the same – a five course dinner (corn and chilli soup, steak and kidney pie, mash and peas, cheesecake, cheese and biscuits and coffee).
Accomodation
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