My love affair with the Lake District Fells....and Wainwrights for pre-schoolers.

Regular visitors here may have noticed the occasional hill-walking related post - especially during the mid-winter months when the prospect of receiving frostbitten testicles whilst grayling fishing sometimes becomes too daunting to consider. At such times, I often head to the hills for a day of exercise and fresh air that can be found an hour up the M6 in the Lake District National Park.

Such excursions are all too infrequent these days, but it's only a few years ago that I would be up there most winter weekends - and plenty of summer ones too - hiking, rambling and scrambling over the tops and merrily bagging the famous 'Wainwrights' as I went. There is something about wandering out over the lonely fell tops that restores the spirit in a way that even fly fishing can't; the silence is tangible, the purity of the air a shock to the lungs, and the exhilarating feeling of striding out over a lofty ridge is more than reward enough for a hard week's slog at work.

The arrival of our little lad in 2006 severely curtailed activities until he reached about 6 months old and could be strapped into this child-carrier-rucksack-thingie that we had bought; we could tentatively set out on short walks once more. This was ok for a while - range and ascent were limited only by my ability to transport an increasingly chubby toddler for more than a couple of hours at a time. By the time has was about 2 ½ years old, my shoulders had given up the ghost....and with the little man unable to walk more than about half a mile without exploding into fatigue-induced tantrums, and a brand new baby soon to arrive, that was pretty much that.

I’m glad to report though, that we are now able to venture into the hills once more. Evie is old enough to occupy the carrier and George at 3 ½ yrs is of the age where anywhere outdoors – especially where climbing, water and rocks are involved – is just one big adventure play area. We were unsure at first as to how he would cope with the effort required in walking up a hill, but we needn’t have worried; our first outing up Hallin Fell proved successful – a short ascent of little over 160m proved well within his capabilities and the look of excitement on his face as he careered around on the windy summit collecting fox moth caterpillars, was a joy to behold.

And so has begun our quest for the ‘little Wainwrights’. - the ones which we ignored before in favour of long and majestic ridge walks. Based on the criteria that the total ascent should be no more than 250m, and that distance from the parking spot needs to be kept to a minimum, we have come up with a list of pre-schooler friendly peaks which under normal circumstances could be scaled in minutes, but with a little person in tow, become epic expeditions lasting half a day and involving collection of creepy crawlies, throwing stones into puddles and diving head first into springy patches of heather.

So if you’re in a similar position and need a good dose of fresh air, then try the routes below. They are the shortest, easiest routes to Wainwright fell tops that I can find, and well within the capabilities of a 3-4 yr old:

1. Hallin Fell from top of Howtown zig-zags.
2. Holme Fell from Hodge Close.
3. High Rigg from St John's church.
4. Latrigg from Applethwaite Road.
5. Black Crag from Hollin Bank.
6. Little Mell Fell from The Hause.
7. Binsey from Binsey Cottage.
8. Knott Rigg from Newlands Hause.
9. Castle Crag from Rosthwaite.
10. Souther Fell from Beckside Road.

Below are a few photos from recent outings:

On the way up Holme Fell.

At the top, the ceremonial stone placing.

Scrambling at grade 'junior'.

Baby gets to come along too....

The top of High Rigg.

Wet but happy, my little mountaineer!