Walking in the Lake District

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There are many reasons why the Lake District is popular with tourists far and wide, and one of those is the sizeable amount of great walking routes. Blessed with towering mountains, steep valleys and shimmering lakes, the views alone make trekking around this part of Cumbria well worth doing. However, when faced with so much choice, knowing where to walk from your accommodation in Windermere is challenging. To help you out, we’ve picked some of the best walking routes in the Lake District.

Wainwright’s Coast To Coast:

Also known by locals and ramblers as C2C, this route starts at St. Bees on the Cumbrian coast, leading towards Robin Hood’s Bay near Whitby in North Yorkshire. Taking around 14 days, among the sights you can see include the market town of Alston, Scafell Pike, which is England’s highest mountain and Ennerdale Bridge. If you’re going the reverse route, then you might want to stay in a comfortable Lake District holiday cottage to rest your weary feet.

Jennings Adventure Ale Trail – Rydal

For the real ale connoisseurs among us, this trail is a must. Starting and finishing in Ambleside, this 30-mile route takes in pubs in Elterwater and Grasmere along the way, all of which serve ale brewed by Jennings, makers of the much-loved Cumberland Ale. Aside from beer, this route also has plenty of spectacular views of nearby lakes, tarns and becks which are bound to challenge even the most experienced walker.

Tour of Great Gable via the Passes

This part of the Lake District gave birth to rock climbing in Britain, and begins and ends in the village of Seatoller. Along the relatively short 15-mile route, you’ll pass through Ennerdale, Scarth Gap and will get awe-inspiring views of the Great Gable Mountain. This route is well worth walking if you want to walk across challenging terrain.

£7.5m pledged for new nature zones

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More than £7.5million is set to be spent on revolutionising the English countryside in a bid to save threatened birds, bees and butterflies. The Government has pledged the money to create 12 unique “nature zones” in a bid to preserve wildlife for future generations.

The project will see the creation of new wildlife havens and habitat restoration projects and will cover many hundreds of miles of countryside.

A recent Natural England audit identified 500 animals and plants that have become extinct in modern times. It also pinpointed 1,000 threatened species.

The 12 new nature zones

* One zone will see an unused industrial brownfield site turned into a heathland with flowering yellow gorse and purple heather.

* A 37-acre coastal lagoon is set to be created, where it’s hoped terns, wading birds and egrets, as well as butterflies such as the yellow-toned swallowtail, will come to call home.

* Other ideas include a network of ­“dewponds”, which will be made on hilltops. It is hoped that these ponds will act as stepping stone sanctuaries for frogs and toads, as well as rare plants and migrating birds.

A Government spokesperson said: “The new areas are seen as an effective way to turn old industrial workings, defunct quarries and other redundant parcels of land into thriving wildernesses.

“The 12 ­successful National Improvement Areas have been chosen from among 76 groups who competed for funding.”

The 12 nature zones are a major part of the Government’s “greenprint” for the countryside, which took into account more than 15,000 suggestions from the public.

Over the past two centuries, England has lost 90 per cent of its heaths and most wetland sites. Only 12 per cent of its countryside is wooded compared with 44 per cent in neighbouring European countries. This habitat destruction has led to a decline of many wildlife species, including the lapwing, which has seen numbers drop by 45% and the skylark by 53%. Farmland and woodland species have been hit hard and even the once common starling has declined by 85%.

Do you think we are doing enough to save our wildlife species in the UK?

Will you catch the Munro bagging bug?

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Have you heard of Munro bagging? Or the sister pursuit of Corbett bagging? Then there’s Graham bagging, once you have completed the Munros and Corbetts, or perhaps as an introduction to the Munros. What on earth are we talking about here?

Well, a Munro is a Scottish mountain with a summit of more than 3,000ft (914m). It was Sir Hugh Munro who first compiled his list of hills known as Munros Tables in 1891. In the last decade or so, Munro Bagging, which sees walkers heading to the top of every one of the 283 Munros, has turned into a hot Scottish pursuit.

To date the Scottish Mountaineering Council of Scotland, which is the official holder of recorded Munro “rounds”, shows that more than 4,000 walkers have “compleated” a round. (Compleat is the word used in Munro terms, rather than complete.)

Munro bagging extraordinaire

  • There are Munro baggers who have compleated a continuous round of all 283 summits, either walking or cycling between each of the Munros. Given that the geographical spread of Munros is from Ben Lomond in the southern Highlands to Ben Hope in the northern Highlands this is some feat.
  • Other Munro hikers have compleated a “winter” round. This is a tough challenge, and often dangerous, as snow usually covers the highest mountain tops in Scotland all through the winter.
  • Some people have walked a Munros round with their dog, or partner. Some have done a jig on the top of every Munro, or walked with their children. One man is aiming to be the first to walk a round with two metal replacement hips.
  • The youngest walker to be in pursuit of all the Munro is reportedly a four-year-old boy, who is walking them with his dad.
  • Other, more driven, hikers have compleated several Munro rounds. To date, the Munro Bagging record holder is Steve Fallon, who is working his way through his 15th round. Yes, you did read that correctly! Steve started out reasonably fit and now is so fit he can run numerous Munros in one day.

Why record breaker Steve likes the Munros

Steve has a simple explanation for all his Munro rounds: “I just like getting out on the Scottish hills.” He says: “Munro Bagging gives you a goal, it keeps you fit, it gets you into the outdoors and it takes you to some amazingly beautiful and dramatic places that you would otherwise never come across.”

While ticking off his 15th round of Munros, Steve is now also aiming to compleat a round of the smaller Scottish mountains called Corbetts.

What are the Corbetts?

Corbetts are Scottish mountains with a summit height of between 2,500ft  (762m) and 2999ft (913m) and there are 221 of them. Corbett bagging is a popular pursuit for people who have already completed a Munro round. In many cases the Corbetts can be a tougher challenge because they are less well-walked.

Then come the Grahams. These are Scottish hills with a summit of between 2000ft and 2499ft. These hills, whether Munros, Corbetts or Grahams, offer an ideal goal for all kinds of walkers.

First Munros for starters

There are “easier” Munros, some of which have a starting point of several hundred metres above sea level, and offer a have a well-defined trail to the top. Check out the Munro, Carn Aosad, or The Cairnwell and Glas Maol.

There are others that present a big challenge, such as the infamous ridge walk along the Aonach Eagach in Glencoe  or the Cuillin Ridge, on the Isle of Skye. Most people who attempt these lofty and remote peaks require a guide, or at least a large amount of experience.

In between, there are a host of other mountains to suit all fitness levels, desires and abilities. The daddy of them all is Ben Nevis, which is the highest mountain in all of the UK.

Walk a Munro or two in 2012

Whether you live in Scotland or further afield why not challenge yourself to walk a Munro or two in 2012? It takes most walkers many, many years to compleat a round of 283 Munros and no-one is saying you have to walk them all in record-breaking time.  We reckon that once you have walked a few you’ll be hooked by the Munro bagging bug.

Please do tell us about your Munro bagging endeavours and adventures.

Join the family camping trend

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Camping is on-trend and growing by the year. Most likely fuelled by the stay-cation, campsites across the UK are reporting increased bookings and already some sites are full for the popular school holiday weeks. The style of camping has also changed over the years. These days, families are looking for more luxuries when they choose a holiday under canvas (or nylon!) with their children and the camping equipment manufacturers have been happy to meet this demand.

Camping – or as some like to call it, Glamping – offers a cheap and healthy holiday option for families. Once you have purchased the family tent, bedding and the basic cooking utensils your holiday equipment is yours to use as many times a year or on as many annual holidays as you desire.

And if camping memories from your childhood include leaking, saggy tents, damp sleeping bags and cold porridge you’ll be delighted to discover that modern day camping is all about being warm, dry, comfortable and well fed.

Impressive range of modern camping kit

* Tents from single pods to family tents the size of a semi-detached house

* Sleeping bags for couples, men, women and kids

* Blow up mattresses, pillows, camping beds

* Heaters, fridges, gas cookers, carpet, larders

* Wine glasses, matching crockery and cutlery

* Solar heated showers, wind up radios, mobile phone chargers

The list of glamping luxuries is endless.

Where to go camping this Easter or Summer

As camping demands rise, so a couple of handy guides ot campsites have been published.

Scotland Camping with Kids

Cool Camping

Dog-friendly Camping and caravan Sites

And camping websites to check out :

Camping and Caravan Club

Scottish Camping

Tell us where you plan to go camping this year.

National Trust head fears for ‘over cosseted generation’

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The chief at the National Trust has blasted a 21st century of “cosseted upbringings” and reckons that we could be damaging our children’s health by denying them the “sheer joy” of being outdoors.

Dame Fiona Reynolds warns that our over protection of children due to safety fears could have a long-term affect on the health and well-being of Brits.

Figures have shown that children are now three times more likely to injure themselves by falling out of bed than from a tree. Meanwhile, the chance for children to roam unsupervised in the outdoors has dropped by  worrying 90% since the 1970s.

Added to this, a report in 2009 for Natural England showed that only 10% of children experience woodland play, as opposed to 40% of their parents’ generation.

Dame Fiona is reported in the Times newspaper as saying: “The world has become a very different place, and people have become very anxious about the risks – real or perceived. It’s a matter of knowing where the risks are, but not trying to wipe them away.

“Children are missing out on the sheer joy and physical and mental well-being of being able to play outside and experience nature in all its messiness.”

New get kids outdoors campaign

Now the National Trust is launching a campaign in the hope of giving children a greater chance to play outdoors.

Dame Fiona said: “It’s about wanting to give children a sense of freedom to discover. The campaign will help children to get outdoors and connect them with nature, including things that can be done at trust properties, to try to stimulate a nation of nature-lovers.”

Do you let your kids play outdoors? Are you worried about their safety in the countryside, as well as the towns and cities? What can we do about this?

The Delight of a Croatian Hike

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Even with your eyes closed, a walk in Croatia is a treat for the senses. The warm sun on your skin, and the scents of lavender fields and pine forests suggest you might be in the Mediterranean, whilst the sound of the sea lapping at the harbour wall and masts clinking together in the marina too could be hard to place. Opening your eyes to the clearest turquoise waters surrounding the terracotta roofed stone buildings clinging to the steep hillsides, is perhaps when you realise, you’re on the spectacular Dalmatian Coast.

2The combination of rocky and tree-covered hilly landscape is a paradise for walkers of all abilities. There are easier day walks right through to week long hikes, all with jaw-dropping views. If you’re keen to try a walking holiday for the first time, or are travelling with someone that hasn’t done a huge amount of walking before, head to the coast of Croatia. For starters it is beautiful, and impossible not to love. Furthermore, there is a wealth of shorter day-long excursions for walkers. Try hopping on a ferry to hop around the Dalmatian coast’s islands. To the south, the island of Hvar has fresh water springs, olive groves, and fruit orchards to explore. There is a great walk up to the hillside castle that gives you fantastic views down over the town of Hvar and out to sea. If you prefer some culture with your walks, Hvar town has historic buildings and meandering streets around its harbour. At the end of a long day’s exploring, Hvar town has a wide choice of restaurants to choose from, serving typically Mediterranean cuisine, fresh produce and fantastic wines.

If you are feeling more adventurous, try heading up to the Plitvička Jezera National Park. This is further inland, and provides not only lush green and rocky mountainous landscapes, but also lakes and waterfalls. Whilst the park is fairly remote, there are traditional looking towns dotted along main road routes. Homes are, for the most part, wooden, almost Alpine in style. Another highly recommended spot is Paklenica, on the southern slopes of the Velebit mountain range which dominate central Croatia. There you will find two river canyons (Mala Paklenica and Velika Paklenica), neither of which have water running through them any more, making for fantastic walks. The canyon base trail has sheer cliffs rising to over 700m dramatically on either side. There are pretty streams to follow, beautiful valleys, plateaus and pine forests.

1If you are considering a healthy hiking holiday, look no further than Croatia. Besides offering you the perfect setting for any walk or hike, Croatia holidays have beaches, historic towns, spas, and delicious foods and wines to compliment!

BIO:

This is an article supplied by Top Travel Blogs, help from travellers to travellers!

Girls.. A guide to outdoors Leap Year proposals

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Today is February 29 – and traditionally this is the one day every four years when a women can ask a man to marry her. Yes, yes, we know that in these modern times girls are free to ask their men to marry them anytime should they so wish, but February 29 is still that special day. And if you do plan to get down on one knee girls, you’re surely going to propose in a fun and unusual way? Aren’t you?

A woodland proposal

It was fours years ago to the day that Jenny got down on one knee beside a huge, but very special tree, to ask her man to marry her. The tree, in a location that Jenny isn’t keen to reveal, is set amid fabulous countryside – and it was the place of her first “proper kiss” with Jim.

The couple, who had been romancing for three years, were wed in the summer of 2008, following Jenny’s romantic Leap year’s Day proposal.

Jenny says: “Everyone has a special place, somewhere where they met or where they had their first kiss or dance. Well our special place is beneath a beech tree on a favourite walk near our home.

“We have done the walk loads of times and we always stop for a kiss by the tree… but in 2008 on February 29 I surprised Jim with the big question. As we kissed I got down on one knee and asked him to marry me. He said: ‘Yes’ immediately, fortunately!

“To be honest I’m not sure who was the most surprised, Jim or the dogs!”

Great locations for a Leap Year’s Day Proposal

At SimplyHike, we reckon that proposing outdoors in a special location could easily be the way to your man’s heart.

On a hilltop: Imagine his surprise after hiking to the top of your favourite hill if you then produce a bottle of Champers from your rucksack and get down on one knee to say: “Will you marry me?”

Heart of England: Head to the Cotswolds hills in west-central England, which are often referred to as the Heart of England. Choose your favourite location amid an area 25 miles by 90 miles to pop that special question. Make sure you’re close to a wonderful country pub for that post-proposal celebration.

Beach bonus: A walk along a windswept beach is always romantic… so why not draw a big heart in the sand, pull your loved one into the middle and get down on one knee. We know he’ll “sea” sense when you ask the question: “Will you marry me!”

Rude move: Okay, so this one is a bit forward but if you’ve been thinking about a baby, and you think that marriage should come first (just), then why not take your bloke to legendary naked “fertility” giant carved into the chalk of a steep Dorset hillside? Folklore has it that women who sleep somewhere on top of the 180ft-long club-wielding Cerne Abbas giant will” blessed with fecundity.” You might be jumping the gun a little but he’s hardly going to say no to marriage when you have gone to so much trouble!

* Do you have any suggestions for romantic outdoors leap year proposal locations?

Families just wanna have fun on holiday

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First there was the staycation – and now a fast-growing trend is the “playcation”. In 2012, almost four in 10 British families say they are planning a holiday that includes some kind of sport or activity.

Family fun: Gorge walking with Highway2Adventure

Family fun: Gorge walking with Highway2Adventure

This encouraging statistic is brought to us by a Gocompare.com study, which also revealed that one of the main reasons for taking a more active holiday is to “spend time with family”.

Many parents believe that children aren’t particularly thrilled with a lie-by-the-pool style vacation (nor are the parents, we expect), and instead they want to try holidays with their children that include hiking, cycling, canoeing and other adrenaline sports such as gorge walking, coasteering and land yachting.

One Scottish adventure instructor, Mike McLaggan, has seen a rise in the number of families taking part in adventure activities as the main focus of their holiday.

Mike, of Angus-based Highway 2 Adventure, says: “We have many more enquiries for activities for both children and adults while holidaying in Scotland.

“Parents want to spend time with their kids having fun and an activity, such as mountain biking, gorge walking, kayaking, or coasteering is something that suits the whole family.

“It’s great that so many families are planning adventure holidays as a way of getting together and trying something different.”

Two styles of family activity holidays

While some parents choose accommodation to suit their budget and desires and then sign up to a number of outdoors activities with one of many outdoor adventure activity providers during their holiday, others find that it is more convenient to book an accommodation-and-activity break as one package.

Isles more fun: The Scottish island of Arran is a fantastic place to head for family adventures. Stay at any one of the many hotels, B&Bs, self-catering lodges or campsites and take advantage Arran Adventure for a wide range of activities such as gorge walking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and archery. The Isle of Raasay, off the Isle of Skye, also boasts an outdoor centre, called, you guessed it, Raasay Outdoor Centre. There is accommodation on-site and a wide range of activities, including sailing, cycling, walking, kayaking and mountain biking. Or stay at one of the other hotels on the island.

Adventure zone: There are lots of activities to discover in the grounds of three UK outdoor centres, one at Culmington Manor, Shropshire, another at Abernant Lake Hotel, Wales, and a third in Scotland at Lockerbie Manor, Dumfries and Galloway. The choice for adventurous families differs from one centre to the next but you’re assured a holiday of fun and adventure. See Manor Adventure

Wet and wilder: Acorn Family Holidays have a huge campsite at Tan Troed, south Wales. It’s located one mile from Llangorse Lake, and offers lots of watersports fun such as such as sailing, kayaking, canoeing and raft building. Land activities on-site include a high ropes course, climbing and abseil towers, archery ranges and two challenge courses.

Skye wins Scottish Campsite of the Year

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Skye Camping and Caravanning Club Site (pictured) has been named as the AA’s Scottish Campsite of the Year for 2012. The Club Site, which is located in Edinbane on the Isle of Skye, received an excellent four pennant rating to secure its position. And the good news does not finish there as Bellingham Club Site, in Northumberland, has been upgraded to five pennants. Meanwhile, Eskdale, Teversal and Troutbeck Club Sites also achieved AA five pennant ratings. It takes the total number of Club Franchise Sites with AA five premier pennants to four.

AA Inspector, Ewan Ross, visited Skye back in July and wrote in his report, “It’s a peaceful site and an ideal base to visit many tourist attractions in the area. It would be remiss not to comment on the quality of the amenity block in particular and site facilities in general, all of which reflect the owners’ attitude towards achieving excellent standards to meet customer expectations.”

The Club’s Franchisees, Nicky Sellier and David Weller, were delighted by the news and said, “We strive to provide exceptional customer service and it’s encouraging to receive such a recognised title. We hope this award will encourage campers to visit our site – it’s located on the shore of Loch Greshornish and offers beautiful views, yet it is still close to many local attractions for all to enjoy.” Cheddar and Corfe Castle Franchise Sites also achieved AA four star pennant ratings.

AA-rated accommodation is assessed under a set of common quality standards agreed by the AA and the UK tourist authorities (VisitEngland, VisitScotland, VisitWales and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board).

The Camping and Caravanning Club – www.campingandcaravanningclub.co.uk – is 110-years-old and is the largest and oldest club in the world for all forms of camping. It has 109 award-winning sites throughout the UK and, through a partnership with the Forestry Commission, now runs and manages a further 20 Forest Holidays Caravan & Camping Touring Sites.

How to buy the right tent for you

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Tunnel, pop up, festival, family, lightweight, lighter weight, cabin, dome, bivi and two-man through to nine-man. The range of tents grows ever greater as each summer goes by. But rather like choosing a car, bike or new home, there is most likely a tent that will suit you perfectly.

A guide to matching campers with their tent

Weekend festival dudes: The last thing you want is tent hassle during a fun festival weekend. All festival goers require is a tent that’s easy to carry from public transport or the boot of the car, quick to put up, waterproof and mud-resistant. If it’s brightly patterned or coloured then all the better because re-finding your tent in a field of hundreds of other tents when you have had a couple of beers and your head is dizzy from all the dancing could be the difference between a night’s sleep and a night spent searching for your tent.

The perfect tent solution: Pop-up tents or festival tents.

Family, comfort and joy: This type of family likes to pack the car (or mini bus!) full to the brim. Add in two or three children, a dog, a parent or two and perhaps friends. At the campsite, luxury is important. Blow-up mattresses, cosy sleeping bags, pillows, a sink, a larder, solar powered showers, fridges, carpet. In other words, a camping holiday is a home-from-home affair.

The perfect tent solution: A family tent that sleeps up to nine people with a living space and separate bedrooms for parents, kids and hanger-ons. Tunnel family tents make a great choice.

Family + head room: If the worst thing for you about camping is not being able to stand up then you’ll want to choose your tent carefully. If your camping location is likely to be open to the wind and rain then you should also think about the structure of your tent. If you also need a living area and bedrooms…

The perfect tent solution: A dome tent construction offers great internal space and holds strong in wind and bad weather. Or choose the equally sturdy cabin-style tent.

Go wild: This is wild in the sense of the wilderness. Some people like to get away from it all and head off with only a backpack, a lightweight tent, a small stove and some dried camping food.

The perfect tent solution: A one or two-man lightweight tent that packs up small but still offers strength (in case of wind) and is highly waterproof (in case of rain).

Wild and very light: If you’re planning on a long, multi-day camping trip that includes many miles of walking carrying all your clothes, equipment and accommodation then….

The perfect tent solution: Choose a one-man bivi bags. These tents-come-shelters offer protection from the elements but also cut weight and volume to an absolute minimum.

Wild and high: Mountain goats require a lightweight tent that can also cope in extreme conditions.

The perfect tent solution: A mountain tent is a five-season expedition tent that is designed to offer safety and comfort. The geodesic tent design ensures strength and stability against the strongest winds.