STAGE Langdale to Keswick 15 miles / 24 km - 6.5 to 7.5 hours walking Striding out along Mickleden Valley

Latrigg er Greta Riv

Braithwaite Castlerigg Portinscale *Stone Circle Keswick

Stair Derwent Water Falls Littletown *

This stage gives you a real Look out for ... Lodore* High Seat Falls taste of Lakeland’s rugged Grange The distinctively craggy volcanic rock R

i and scenic splendour, and of central Lakeland. v e r the walking is consequently harder for a time. Secluded The Stake Pass watershed. Water D Watendlath flows south into Morecambe Bay

e Grange Mickleden and Langstrath

r Tarn w and north into the Solway Firth. e valleys sandwich this stage’s n t Blea highest point at the top of Fellow explorers on the excellent Rosthwaite Tarn Stake Pass (about 480 (St Bees to metres). Under the bluff of Robin Hoods Bay) which also goes Gallery the rough, by Beck. Force The jetty sometimes wet paths by The more elevated Ramble at Hawes End * Langstrath and or Cat Bells paths west of Derwent k c Stonethwaite Becks Water. e B converge. The trail follows h t Brandlehow Park on the lakeshore - a r the crystal-clear waters of t the first property s g the River Derwent as it n acquired by the in a Britain’s smallest bird L meanders through lovely 1902. of prey, the Merlin flies Borrowdale and finally the low and fast over wooded western shore of remote moorland Derwent Water towards Tips searching for small High birds, lizards Keswick at its northern end. Take a compass bearing at the top Raise of Stake Pass if visibility is poor. or mice Stake Pass Langdale Stickle Use the old bridge into Stonethwaite Angle Pikes Tarn hamlet if refreshment is needed. Tarn Dungeon Ghyll The Borrowdale Show takes place in Mickleden Pike mid-September. Great Using the Derwent Water Launch Crinkle Langdale service would save some time and Crags effort.

The beautiful Common Herdwick Sheep Spotted Orchid (above left) can be seen in Exclusive to , Herdwicks damp meadows and thrive on the poor upland grass of verges the Lakeland . One of Britain’s hardiest sheep they are renowned as a ‘hefting’ breed, instinctively staying close to the area where they were raised or ‘hefted’. The coarse fleece of the Herdwick cannot be dyed, however, sheep of various ages yield wool in a rich variety of subtle shades of grey and black which is used to produce an unusual and hard wearing ‘tweed-like’ weave.

Brandlehow Bay, looking across Small Mountain The brightly Derwent Water towards Keswick. Ringlet, a true alpine coloured and can be butterfly found in Kingfisher seen in the distance boggy areas, never hovers briefly Walkers enjoy a welcome break below 700ft and only in before diving at the cafe by Grange bridge the Lake District and Scotland into the water in pursuit of small fish

STAGE 3 Langdale to Keswick

DATE Youth Hostel Association, Keswick