Buses in the Lake District: a walkers guide Contents 1 Key routes 2 Popular mountains by bus 3 If you get stuck... The information below was originally route is thus a useful one to end your compiled for visitors to Ambleside, but walk on. will still be useful if you are staying in Windermere or Keswick. It is based on * There are 555s from Grasmere to 2013 summer and 2012-3 winter Ambleside (and Bowness) even later timetables, which can often be picked – as late as 11pm in the summer, up on the buses themselves, or if not making it perfect for ending walks on at the Tourist Offices in Windermere, long summer evenings. Keswick or Bowness. (In Ambleside there is a kind of tourist office next to Open topped buses also operate the Salutation Hotel.) Currently the every 20 minutes during the day in timetable is a booklet called "The summer between Bowness, Lakes Connection", but it changes its Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere format from year to year. until about 6pm. In winter there are hourly buses from Bowness to The bus stop in Ambleside is in Ambleside only Kelsick Road, a small square just off the main high street. In Keswick, the * Another key route is the 78 from bus stops are outside Booths Keswick to Seatoller: half hourly supermarket: the same is true of Monday to Saturday, roughly hourly on Windermere, where the stop is also Sundays, this has late buses back from by the railway station Seatoller (6pm in summer) which connect easily with the 555 from Buses marked with a * operate year Keswick, making walking in round: the others are only summer Borrowdale very easy by bus from routes. Ambleside. There are often open topped buses on this route in summer. On longer journeys (eg to Keswick and beyond) you can reduce costs by The 77A goes from Keswick via the asking for a day ticket, giving you foot of Catbells to Seatoller, up over unlimited bus travel in the Lake the Honister Pass, to Buttermere District. There are also four day and back via the Whinlatter pass to tickets. Keswick four times a day in summer: its sister bus, the 77, does the route in Key routes reverse. Last bus back from Buttermere is a slightly early 5.15pm, * The trunk route in the Lake District and from the Honster pass 5.30pm, is the hourly 555 from Windermere connecting with the 555 at Keswick for and Ambleside to Keswick (556 the return to Ambleside. when going to or from Lancaster). The * The 516 bus also runs from last bus back from Keswick is after 7pm in the summer months. This Ambleside to Old Dungeon Ghyll in Langdale daily, though last buses back are only 4.15pm Monday to Friday (as late as 6pm on summer Threkeld to Keswick daily, with the last weekend days, however). Langdale is bus connecting for Ambleside the thus a better place to start a walk than 18.49 Monday to Saturday and 17.43 finish it from a bus point of view: an on Sunday in summer. alternative if you want to stay out later is to finish your walk in Grasmere. * The very useful boats around Derwentwater should also not be * Coniston is also served by regular forgotten: they bring Catbells, buses from Ambleside on the 505 Newlands Valley and Grange within route, with last buses back at 6pm on range, and connect quite well with the Monday to Saturday in summer, and Keswick buses: it takes no more than 5pm on Sundays. There is enough 10 minutes to walk from the boat time between the first and last buses landing stage to the bus stop in to do the whole Coniston circuit if you Kewsick outside Booths. don’t dawdle too much. Popular peaks by bus There is also a Kentmere Rambler bus from Ambleside on summer SCAFELL PIKE Buses enable you to Sundays and Bank Holidays only, go up Scafell Pike by one route and opening up this remote valley, which down another, which is impossible by has minimal parking, to walkers: last car. Catch the 9.00 bus from Langdale, bus back is 5pm. you will be starting up Mickleden at 9.30am. In summer you then have For Patterdale, you need the until 6.30pm to get down to Seatoller Kirkstone Rambler from Windermere: this runs daily in July HELVELLYN etc Late buses from and August, and at weekends from Grasmere mean it is easiest, though March to October, but from Ambleside less exciting, to climb Helvellyn from involves a slightly awkward change, this side (you can use the bus to walk getting the bus to Windermere and the whole ridge, for example, from changing: however, last buses are a Thirlspot, via the Stake Pass, up onto reasonable 5.15pm from Patterdale Helvellyn and down to Grasmere). But to climb it from the more interesting * For the foot of Skiddaw, the 554 Patterdale side means a slightly from Keswick to Carlisle is useful, awkward change of buses in serving Mirehouse and the Ravenstone Windermere. So as not to be in a rush Hotel (for Ullock Pike). There are only on the way back, use this bus for the three buses a day, but one at 10.35 way out, and then descend into from Keswick connects well enough Grasmere in the evening. This with the 9.28 bus from Ambleside, and technique can also be used for a there is a 16.58 bus back to Keswick. number of interesting Patterdale ascents, for example onto the Fairfield * The X5 from Keswick to Workington range, or St Sunday Crag, with serves Braithwaite, at the foot of descents to Ambleside. Grisedale Pike every hour, and buses on this route run well into the evening, SKIDDAW You can climb this from with the last bus connecting to Keswick, or use the 554 bus to Carlisle Ambleside at 19.05 Mon to Sat. to Mirehouse or the Ravenstone Hotel for Dodd or Ullock Pike. This enables * In the other direction, the X5 goes you to go up one of the more hourly from Keswick to Threkeld the interesting routes up the front or north foot of Blencathra and on to Penrith: side of the mountain, and then down buses run well into the evening from the conventional route (which is dull in BUTTERMERE The Buttermere peaks ascent, but easy in descent), bringing can be reached via the 77/77A routes you directly down to Keswick. Another described above, but you might be idea might be bus 74 which serves the pressed to get down in time for the Mirehouse Osprey Centre six times a last bus. A creative alternative is to do day at weekends April to August and a route from Buttermere to Seatoller daily in school holidays, and it would (eg Red Pike, High Stile, High also not be that expensive to take a Raise, Honister Pass and down), taxi from Keswick to a point on the which has later buses, or from base of Skiddaw. Buttermere or the Honistor pass to Derwentwater. Eg you can walk from BLENCATHRA The X5 Penrith bus the top of the Honister Pass up onto from Keswick passes Threkeld at the Dale Head, then High Spy, Maiden base of the mountain, and connections Moor, Catbells and get the well with the 555. For variation, it is Derwentwater boat back to Keswick. possible to walk back from the base of One could also walk from Buttermere Blencathra over Latrigg to Keswick: a up onto Wandope, Eel Crag, and very nice gentle finish to the day then down Grisedale Pike to Braithwaite and Keswick, or via Sail LANGDALE PIKES If the bus back and Barrow to Keswick, or via Causey from Old Dungeon Ghyll is too early, Pike to Hawes End boat to Keswick. then try walking from Harrison Stickle, across Sergeant Man, and CATBELLS RANGE: easily reached by either down over Blea Rigg to Derwentwater boat to Hawes End, but Grasmere, or even down Far a variation is to get the boat to High Easedale, or along the lovely ridge Brandlehow, and walk up onto High beyond. Finishing on Helm Crag, this is Spy or Maiden Moor and back along a favourite walk of mine. Another idea the ridge. The 77/77A bus also passes is to take the bus to Old Dungeon the foot of Catbells and Grange. Ghyll, and walk back across Lingmoor to Elterwater (for lunch/tea) and then BORROWDALE Grange Fell and on over Loughrigg to Ambleside. other favourites are easily reached via There is a lovely path too from near the Seatoller bus. A creative Chapel Stile up onto Silver Howe and alternative is to get the 555 bus to down to Grasmere. Thirlspot, and then walk up over the wild central fells and down to BOWFELL and CRINKLE CRAGS are Borrowdale – eg to Watendladth or a trifle problematic by bus: unless you to Walla Scar. Another favourite walk walk from Bowfell via Esk Hause to of mine is to get the bus to Seatoller you have no alternative to be Rosthwaite, walk over the pass to down in time for the last bus from Watendladth, and then on via the Dungeon Ghyll, which leaves at an Surprise View to Walla Scar, and even vaguely practical time only on down to Castelrigg or Keswick to get summer weekends the 555 bus home. Another really interesting walk is from Rosthwaite OLD MAN OF CONISTON The via the Greenup Edge pass, to Far Coniston Rambler gives you enough Easedale and down to Grasmere.