A Hike up Wansfell Pike

A friend asked if I wanted to go for a hike on New Year's Eve, as I've been thinking that we need to do more walks I said yes! I checked a few circular walks on Walk the Lakes and chose one over Wansfell Pike.  With the route printed off and stored on my phone I arranged to meet my friend at NT Townend in Troutbeck (parking in Ambleside is tricky and expensive!). Then we aimed to join the route part way round and do it backwards:

There were plenty of excuses to pause and take photographs from intriguing goat hinges or glimpses of Windermere:

Eventually we realised that somewhere we had missed part of the route but with obvious tracks, signs and stiles to show that we were on an official route to the summit:

There were quite a few people coming down from the summit as we ascended but not many heading up the same way as us. It was quite a rocky, stepped path but the views from the top were worth it:

It was very windy on the top so we were glad of our bobble hats:

The descent down was much steeper and slippery than the way up. It was also a lot busier as this was the closest path to Ambleside:

It was a good hike all on its own which we rewarded ourselves with a cafe pit stop!

Suitably refreshed we took the return route home through Skelghyll Wood:

There was a pretty steep ascent through the woods so we were glad to pause a while on Jenkin Crag:

It was reassuring to pass signposts along the way to show that we were heading in the right direction:

Having been advised about the nice pub in Troutbeck we extended our walk by 1/2 a mile to get to an absolutely heaving Mortal Man for a refreshing drink before heading home:

A great walk which has given us the bug for more Lake District walks so watch this space...