LAKE DISTRICT NATIONAL PARK (EASTER HOLIDAY)

Join us for a superb Easter weekend of amazing hiking in England's most mountainous and beautiful national park.

Number of nights - 3.

£369 for a bed in a shared twin room. For solo travellers (which is most people in the group) we will assign you a room buddy of the same gender.

£455 for a private single room.

£489 for a private double room (single occupancy).

With the most breathtaking natural landscapes and the highest mountains in England, there really is no other national park in the country to compare to the Lake District. Nowhere else can offer quite so much opportunity for outdoor adventure with the finest hiking options.

It is hard to imagine a more lovely place to spend the Easter holiday weekend. Delightful villages, craggy mountains, babbling streams, mossy woodland and beautiful wildflowers all add to the magic of this region at this time of year.

Our wonderful three star hotel is located high in the Cumbrian Fells, while the countryside setting ensures peace and quiet. It is the perfect place from which to hike and explore in the Lake District. We have visited the delightful Shap Wells Hotel a number of times as we love it's secluded valley and woodlands full of wildlife including native red squirrels in the grounds. You are virtually guaranteed to see them in the morning!

The rooms offer all the necessary comforts in a warm, relaxing, family run environment. This is a charming country hotel with a mile-long drive along a private road with breathtaking, rugged scenery in every direction. A pretty waterfall and trickling stream running by the front door will leave you with no doubts in your mind that this is a wonderful place in which to get away from it all. Evening meals are included and will be served at the hotel's restaurant.

We will have at least 2 hikes to choose from each day exploring the highlights of the local area. The Lake District boasts stunning views, picturesque villages and hikes which offer a mixture of rugged mountains, ancient woodlands, fields, riverside and lakeside walking.

On our last visit we have enjoyed many gorgeous hikes and the following are just some of the endless possibilities:

Place Fell & Ullswater from Patterdale (approx. 9 miles)

This is a great introduction to fell walking in the Lake District. Although the ascent to the summit of Place Fell (657m) is not too strenuous, the views across to many high peaks and along Ullswater are dramatic and extensive. The final section along the shores of Ullswater has been described in one walking guide book as the loveliest walk in the Lake District!

Watendlath, Borrowdale & Castle Crag from Derwent Water (approx. 10 miles).

This is an exceptionally beautiful hike and a personal favourite. Borrowdale is considered by many to be the most scenic valley in the Lake District and the ascent of Castle Crag adds a little adventure and superb views. There can be very few hikes as varied as this one and a couple of tea rooms in delightful villages along the way allow us to enjoy some light refreshment. Although we do not aim for any high summits there will be extensive views on a clear day. There are also a number of ascents (some long) but the only really steep ascent (up Castle Crag) is relatively short.

Blencathra and Atkinsons Pike via Hall's Fell (approx. 8 miles).

This is a superb route for hikers wanting to reach a significant Lakeland summit (Blencathra 868m) via an adventurous route but not wanting an overly strenuous day out. Starting from the village of Threlkeld this hike tackles the ascent of Blencathra via the steep and rocky hike/scramble up the cockrel's-comb rocky edge of Hall's Fell. The summits and ridges on this hike will offer superb and far reaching views across the Lake District and also the Vale of Eden. On a clear day the view from the summit of Blencathra is hard to beat and the overall route is wonderfully satisfying and somewhat adventurous. A head for heights is necessary.

Dove Crag, Hart Crag, Fairfield and St Sunday Crag from Brotherswater (approx. 12 miles)

This route offers superb fell walking territory from start to finish. Some ascents are steep and the terrain is somewhat challenging taking in several peaks. It is definitely a varied option with far reaching views of mountains and lakes. From the top of Fairfield (873m) we might be rewarded with views of Ullswater, Windermere, Striding Edge and Helvellyn.

The walk starts by heading up from Brotherswater, over Dove Crag and Hart Crag to the summit of Fairfield, the highest point of our hike. From there the excitement really begins as we enjoy a bit of scrambling over Corfa Pike and onwards over the ridge of St Sunday Crag. We then start our descent back down to our car park at Cow Bridge.

Kendal, Scout Scar and Cunswick Fell (approx. 7 miles)

This is a walk in the limestone country that lies on the south eastern fringes of the Lake District. From lovey market town of Kendal the route heads up out of the town and continues by way of field and moorland paths to the edge of the escarpment of Scout Scar, a superb viewpoint looking westwards towards the central Lakeland mountains. We then continue along a fine scenic path along the edge of the escarpment which leads onto Cunswick Fell and then over Kendal Fell before descending through woods back into town where there are plenty of pubs and cafes.

High Street, Harter Fell, Branstree & Selside Pike from Haweswater (approx. 11 miles)

Don't be fooled by the unusual title. At 828 metres High Street is a serious mountain, which gets its name from an ancient Roman road that once ran across the long summit ridge. The hike begins with a challenging and rocky ascent up Rough Crag. A series of summits then offers superb and extensive views for miles around. A true Lake District classic for those who don't mind a bit of rough terrain!

The full 11 miles would make this a strenuous hike but it is possible to safely return to the carpark along a clear track which descends from the pass between Harter Fell and Branstree. Although this shorter (7 miles) option cuts out two summits, it still involves a lot of ups and downs with some rocky ground, which makes it an "energetic" day out in the mountains.

Shap Abbey (approx. 5 miles)

Shap Abbey is a key feature on this delightful walk. Gaunt and evocative ruins rise up above the banks of the lovely River Lowther. There is more of interest on this walk besides the ruin, not least a huge and mysterious monolith early in the walk, created by stone age settlers of this region. The tiny village of Keld is also very attractive and we can enjoy miles of wild moorland where skylarks trill from high above.

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We will have experienced hike leaders offering fabulous hikes of different length and difficulty each day so you can choose exactly the kind of walk you like.

Don't miss this fabulous weekend away! :D

PRICE INCLUDES:

• 3 nights quality hotel accommodation.
• 3 breakfasts.
• 3 delicious three-course evening meals.
• A choice of guided hikes. Our leaders are Mountain Leader (MLTE) trained and qualified first aiders.
• Financial protection in accordance with the Package Travel Law 1992.

Amazing value!!! :D

PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE:

• Transport expenses.
• Lunches - depending on the hike you choose we can either take a packed lunch with us or stop in a village pub.

To confirm your place on this trip please use internet banking. The account details are:

Account Name: BACKABUSH XPLORERS
Sort Code: 090127
Account Number: 22440622

The following "terms and conditions" apply to all trip reservations:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ngc5A61k76qb6HGMeTK96AVaXn0565yPS9p42IPzIy8/

Only payment secures your place. Your RSVP is not sufficient for us to hold a bed for you. Please use LAKEDISTRICT as your payment reference.

IMPORTANT NOTE: We consider safety to be our number one priority and while we never take unnecessary risks, we do recognise that any outdoor activity involves a danger of personal injury or death. Remember that you should be aware of and accept these risks as you are responsible for your own safety and you should not undertake anything beyond your abilities. It is also your responsibility to be correctly equipped for the weather and activity you have chosen to participate in.

We recommend that everyone participating in outdoor activities obtain appropriate insurance. The BMC offer excellent policies for all outdoor enthusiasts at very competitive rates: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/insurance/Landing.aspx