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This is an end-to end walk facilitated by the regular bus services between Ambleside and Grasmere. I started the route at the junction of the B5287 out of Grasmere and the main road, crossing over to walk up the minor road for 200m before the track towards the Stone Arthur footpath heads up the narrow and steep valley.
And a steep beginning it is too. The tracks across the open slope bear leftish, directly up the slopes on the north side of the valley heading directly to the high ground marked at around 500m elevation at Stone Arthur. So, just over a mile away from the main road and the height gain is already significant, and unrelenting as the rise towards Great Rigg continues.
The top of this first Hewitt allows the ranges and ridges of this central area to open out in front of you. Notably, the familiar Seat Sandal is just over to the northeast, but my attention focused at this point on the task ahead, the continuing climb up to Fairfield and the views across the ridge to Hart Crag and my route down on the eastern ridge above the Rydal Beck valley.
Heading east from the top of Fairfield, the elevation change is relatively minor and the views of the drop-offs to the left and right as you head down a bit, and then up a bit to Hart Crag, are outstanding. Rather more of a descent now as the route continues southeast to the nearby peak of Dove Crag. Then the long descent towards Ambleside, magnificently over High Pike and Low Pike, occasionally requiring some nimble footwork around the craggy outcrops and down to the valley sides above Scandale Beck.
The Beck is crossed a kilometre outside Ambleside at Low Sweden Bridge, and shortly the coffee and cake temptations of Ambleside are reached via the minor road from Nook End Farm. As always in good clear weather, a great round, made better by the end-to-end approach. You just need to use those fresh legs to drive up the initial steep climb.
