š„¾ Laura the Explorer: Take me to the Lakes
Rolling fells, mountain views, and a nice dose of nostalgia.
Iād move to the Lakes if I could. Maybe one day. Thereās just something about the moment you cross into the national park that soothes your soul, cleanses your mind, and calms your body.
Yep, even if youāre half way up a Wainwright gasping for air catching your breath, I promiseā¦
ā°ļø Wainwright wandering
Wainwrights are the 214 fells outlined by Alfred Wainwright in his seven volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells, published between 1955 and 1966. Theyāre all mountains, are all situated in the Lake District, and all bar one stand at a height of over 1000ft.
āWainwright baggingā has become a pretty popular phenomenon as of late, with the popularity of outdoor Instagram influencers growing, as well as the likes of people providing walking guides or reviews of the fells on YouTube.
So whatās the buzz?
Well, besides the phenomenal sense of achievement for people who like ticking things off their to do list - to which this ambition adds 214 items, woohoo! - the monumental task of climbing over 118,000ft and 320 miles (yes, really) is pretty exciting to anyone with an eye for adventure, or an appreciation for the natural landscape of Northern England.
Seriously, the views are something elseā¦
Now Iāve conquered a few fells in my time, but Iām still in the middle of my journey in Alfredās footsteps. If there are a few things Iāve learned though, they would beā¦
š Prepare for all eventualities
Wainwright wanderers head out into a whole variety of terrain. From the rough, rolling fells, to thick woodland, stony paths or boulder fields, those Wainwrights are going to test your perseverance, footing, and most of all your preparation.
Mountain rescue teams are dotted all over the Lake District for a reason - and operate on a charitable basis, so drop them a few pennies if you can! That being said, theyāre hopefully a service youāll never need, and you can help yourself by heading out prepared.
Plan your route, check the weather, and prepare for the fact it might change whilst youāre out and about. The Lakes are a mountainous region and the weather can be unpredictable and change rapidly, especially in winter months.
As the basics, take a good, supportive rucksack, waterproofs, and sturdy, comfortable, waterproof footwear. Make sure you have plenty of water, and a decent stash of food for your trip - Iād at the very least never head out without something sugary, but thatās partially on personal preference at this point.
š¶āāļø Easy like Sunday Morning
Nope, Iām not about to tell you to head out on a Sunday. Although, letās be real, Sunday walks are a beautiful way to round off the week.
No, Iām about to tell you to start small - baby steps.
Some of the more challenging or higher routes are going to challenge even the most confident of fell walkers or runners, so itās advisable to start off with a smaller fell like Latrigg (near Keswick) to find your feet.
I found this out the hard way when at the young, naĆÆve, and overconfident age of eighteen I set out to climb Scafell Pike (yes, the highest of all the Wainwrights, and the second highest mountain in the UK) with barely any recent experience or training, and no clue what I was getting myself in for.
It took me longer to descend than it took me to get up there in the first place.
Safe to say, youāve never seen disco legs like it.
š„° Soak up the benefits
So, youāve got your kit, youāve checked the weather, planned your route, and youāre pretty gosh-darn confident you can meander up the trail youāve chosen on the day youāve chosen to do so.
Well, congratulations! Itās time to soak up those benefits of Wainwright wandering.
The. Views.
Yes, I mentioned them before. Yes, Iām mentioning them again. Theyāre beyond beautiful and theyāre a real key motivator to hitting those summits - and, of course, donāt forget about the view points along the way!The satisfaction of the summit!
Thereās no better feeling than finally hitting the summit after the last slog - whether itās the scrambly route up to Scafell Pike, or just a long stretch of fell with a horizon you canāt quite see until the last minute.The mental reset.
This one should probably be a post in and of itself, and maybe one day it will be, but for now itās the final - and arguably most important - point. The feeling of being out there in the wilds of the Lakes, whether alone, with a partner, or with your friends or family, is so relaxing. Take a quiet moment just to appreciate being away from the buzz of your normal life, and breathe.
And on that note? brb - Iām off to the Lakes.
Want more tips for getting out and about safely? Check out Adventure Smart.
Want a smart, easy way to navigate around the mountains on your smartphone? Check out All Trails.
Want to share a favourite Wainwright or Lake District walk recommendation? Or feeling inspired to get out into the hills? Head straight to the comments!