Set in the heart of the Lake District, Grasmere has superb access to some classic Lake District peaks. There are wonderful walks in all directions with the Langdales, Helvellyn and the Fairfield Horseshoe all nearby. We can walk out to Helm Crag (aka the Lion and the Lamb), Easedale Tarn, Sergeant Man and High Raise.

Day 1: Arrive at Glenthorne Guest House in time for tea and cakes at 4pm. Holiday briefing followed by dinner.

Day 2: Steel Fell, Calf Crag and Helm Crag
Todays walk is a perfect introduction to the wonderful fells in the Grasmere area. Our route to Steel fell starts as a gentle rise along country lanes and well defined tracks. After crossing through the open fell gate, our quiet route to the top of the first fell gains height gradually, always on a good path and the reward is a spectacular view towards the Helvellyn range and the Northern fells. We continue more easily over rough ground to Calf Crag named by the Viking settlers who saw the fell as a satellite or calf to the neighbouring higher top known as High Raise. From here to Helm Crag the path is a joy to follow and progress is much easier. At Helm Crag, we visit the distinctive rock formations of the Lion and the Lamb and the Howitzer. A steep descent from Helm Crag returns us to Grasmere with the opportunity to explore this beautiful Lakeland village and maybe sample a slice of the famous Grasmere ginger bread or visit the Wordsworth family graves in the churchyard. Distance : 14km ( 9 miles ) Ascent : 705m ( 2313ft )

Day 3: Half of the Fairfield Horseshoe – Ambleside, Scandale pass, Dove Crag, High Pike, Low Pike, Rydal, Grasmere
We begin our walk by taking the short bus ride to Ambleside at the head of Lake Windermere. This busy market town has many outdoor shops, cafes and other shops to explore. Our route out of Ambleside leads us along the Scandale Pass, one of the prettiest passes in Lakeland. We climb gradually higher with the Scandale beck and waterfalls as company, eventually emerging out onto the broad ridge of Red Screes to Dove Crag. We visit the tiny Scandale tarn and venture off route to Little Hart crag to view the cliffs of Dove crag and spot the cave of the Priest hole hidden among the dramatic crags. We soon arrive at Dove Crag, a fine view point to view Brothers water and Ullswater further in the distance. We are now on the famous Fairfield Horseshoe challenge walk and we follow the route over High Pike and Low Pike fells, before descending to Rydal, close to the waterfalls of Rydal beck. Our return to Grasmere follows a broad well defined track and passes by Dove cottage home of the poet William Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy. Distance : 16.5km ( 10.2 miles ) Ascent : 894m ( 2933 ft )

Day 4: Grasmere, Rydal Cave, Loughrigg Terrace, Elterwater and Chapel Stile villages, Lang How and Silver How
We again walk from our accommodation to the shoreline of Grasmere lake and walk along leafy minor roads and tracks at the side of Grasmere and on to Rydal water. A quick visit to Rydal cave is well worth making and exploring. We then follow a delightful path known as Loughrigg terrace underneath the fell it is named after. We traverse over a low pass and descend to pretty Elterwater with its quaint cottages and a chance to enjoy a coffee by the river. We then follow the river bank to Chapel stile and ascend back into the fells via old slate quarry workings and waterfalls. The stream, Megs gill is crossed and our route continues to the prominent top of Lang How and then on to its more visited neighbouring fell, Silver How. The fells here and adjacent hills are complex ground to navigate but are a real treat to explore away from the higher tops of Langdale and Grasmere. Our descent to Grasmere follows a lesser known footpath over the fell, across Wray gill and passing by Allan Bank a historic grade II listed villa owned by the National Trust. Distance : 13km ( 9 miles ) Ascent : 700m ( 2296ft )

Day 5: The Fairfield Round – Grasmere, Seat Sandal, Grisedale Tarn, Fairfield, Great Rigg, Stone Arthur, Grasmere.
This is a challenging walk but a real gem with the highlight of climbing Fairfield a superb mountain in a wonderful setting at the head of the valley. The distance travelled is shorter than some of the other mountain days but the height gain is significant.
We leave Grasmere via the road but soon find ourselves traversing the fell slopes of Seat Sandal. The lovely path gains height steadily, few people walk this way to the top of the fell. We descend to Grisedale tarn and after enjoying a well deserved break by the water, we begin the steep ascent to Fairfield. Although very steep, the path skillfuly zig zags upwards and after all the hard work the summit shelter provides a great place for lunch and to take in the extensive views of the fells in all directions. Well worth the climb! From here we descend over Great Rigg and head towards Stone Arthur which has a rocky outcrop close to the summit known as Arthur’s Chair after legendary associations with King Arthur. The view down towards Grasmere is particularly stunning and before long we are back in Grasmere and our accommodation. Distance : 12.16km (7.5 miles ) Ascent : 1004m ( 3293ft )

Day 6: Easdale Tarn
The walk to Easdale Tarn should not be missed and it offers a stunning half day excursion amongst the fells. It is particularly memorable after heavy rain as the stream and waterfall known as Sour Milk Gill, which is followed to the tarn, become an impressive torrent of white water and foam crashing down the hillside. After visiting the tarn we descend back over the moorland to Grasmere via Stythwaite steps footbridge and the Easdale valley. Distance : 9.37 Km ( 6 miles ) Ascent : 283m ( 928ft )

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£1100 in a single ensuite / £1200 in a double as single ensuite Price includes: 5 nights' full board accommodation; guided walks each day with a fully qualified mountain leader Not included: travel to Grasmere; insurance; personal expenses

Walks of  7 to 12 miles on a mixture of paths and rough ground with considerable ascents/ descents on most days. The pace will be moderate and you should be able to maintain the pace for the duration of the day, including all uphill sections, but there will still be time to stop and enjoy the surroundings. A very good level of fitness will be required for our challenging walks. You must feel comfortable walking in a high mountain environment, in a variety of weather conditions. On a few days there are possibly short sections of basic scrambling over rocks and boulder fields which your guide will help you with as needed. There are no narrow ridges to negotiate only broad mountain ridges with easy rocky steps to ascend and descend. Terrain underfoot can be rocky and loose so good footwear with ankle support is essential. Given the varied nature of these challenging walks please contact us if you wish to discuss the walks further.

Glenthorne Guest House is a lovely venue, set back from the village of Grasmere in its own tranquil grounds. There is plenty of space to relax both inside and out and it is only a few minutes' walk from the village centre. As well as being a guesthouse, it is also a Quaker centre with a calm and welcoming atmosphere. It has been a popular destination for Her on a Hill for many years and a firm favourite with customers.

Your guide for this holiday is Rachel Bolton. Rachel is a qualified Mountain Leader, a member of the Mountain Training Association and the British Mountaineering Council. She holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Education and worked with children as a teacher and headteacher for nearly 30 years. She is also a qualified Alexander Technique teacher. Rachel is passionate about being in the outdoors walking, scrambling, winter mountaineering and climbing. She is currently working towards her Winter Mountain Leader qualification.

Address: Glenthorne Guest House, Easedale Rd, Grasmere, Cumbria LA22 9QH By car: The guesthouse has a large car park off a minor road a couple of minutes from the centre of Grasmere. By public transport: The nearest train station is Windermere and from here there is a regular bus service to Grasmere. The accommodation is around 7 minutes' walk from the nearest bus stop.