There’s something magical about escaping for just 24 hours and feeling like you’ve been away for a week. That’s exactly what our Lake District weekend delivered, fresh air, stunning trails, recovery sauna time, dips in glittering lakes, and plenty of time to relax over good food and drinks.
Here’s how our own whirlwind weekend in the Lakes unfolded…
🌿 Day 1 – Ullswater Round Adventure
We kicked things off at Ullswater Lake, parking up in Pooley Bridge — can’t beat £4 all day parking in a friendly local farm field. A quick warm up post travel, a good layer of suncream (because yes, the Lake District can deliver blue skies), and we were off for a 20 mile loop following the Ullswater Way.
Originally, we’d planned to take a higher route, but with the forecast warning of 35mph gusts, we played it smart and chose a slightly lower level option. It didn’t mean less adventure though, just a different kind of magic.
The trail gave us a bit of everything: soft grassy paths winding through campsites, rocky stretches that demanded concentration, and peaceful single track hugging the lake shore, shaded by trees and threaded with roots. All undulating, all beautiful.
We ran anti-clockwise from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding, our halfway point. Glenridding was buzzing with walkers, runners, and families soaking up the sunshine. We grabbed a quick drink in one of the few local shops, checked the map, and headed for the easier low level trails towards Aira Force.
From there, the climb began. The path up Gowbarrow Fell is steep but not overly technical, and every step rewards you with even better views of Ullswater glistening below. At the top, cue the photo shoot moment, we stood in awe of the valley stretched out beneath a perfect blue sky.
The final 5 miles were a mix of woodland, grass fields, and a few “are we there yet?” moments as tired legs set in. Pooley Bridge welcomed us back, busy with holidaymakers and inviting pub gardens, but we had a more pressing appointment…
💆♀️ Recovery stop: the wood fired Fellside Sauna at Another Place Hotel. £16 gets you an hour of sauna-lake dip repeat bliss, with friendly faces, hot revitalising tea at the end, changing facilities and the most refreshing lake plunge you can imagine. Legs revived, we set off for our overnight stay.
You can see the exact route map via my Strava HERE
Total distance = 20 miles
Total elevation = 2300ft
Our base for the night was the Castle Inn, Bassenthwaite — quiet, calm, and with views over the fells that made us wish we’d discovered the area sooner. After a few hours’ rest in our comfortable room with a view, we took a taxi into Keswick for dinner at The Square Orange, one of our first date spots (always worth the wait for their fresh food). We finished the night with a lakeside stroll and a final drink in a lively pub before heading back to recharge, ready for Day 2.
Day 2 – Chasing the ridge line above Derwentwater
We woke up with three options for the day.
Option one: go full chill mode — sip coffee at Lingholm Café, meander around Keswick, dip in the lake.
Option two: tackle the big one — a walk up Helvellyn.
Option three: my dream route — the full ridge line that sweeps along above Derwentwater starting up Cat Bells.
It was, without doubt, the hardest choice in terms of effort, but I woke up buzzing for it. Poor Neil didn’t stand a chance — the ridge line it was.
The weather was perfect. Blue skies, no wind, just enough warmth to make you appreciate the cool breeze on the tops. We skipped the hotel pool and sauna, grabbed a quick (but excellent) breakfast, a cooked 10/10 plate plus a couple of sausage sandwiches made up to take with us for the trail, filled our hydration flasks (Precision Hydration) and running back packs with chews and flapjack.
By 9am, we were parked up in Portinscale, ready to go.
The route starts gently – about a mile and a half of flat, easy going trail from Portinscale to the base of Cat Bells to wake the legs up before the first climb up Cat Bells. The fell was already alive with families, dogs, and fellow adventurers making the most of the sunshine. We didn’t linger at the top; the clock was ticking and the ridge line was calling.
From there, we flowed along the fells, climbing up and up Maiden Moor and our highest point High Spy, each one offering sweeping views over Derwentwater and across to the higher peaks in the distance. The steepest push was up to High Spy, and the reward was worth every step. Touching the cairn at the top was such a rewarding feeling – we had only run 5.4 miles but climbed to 2,128ft with a 15.9% grade.
At the back of the valley, we began the descent into Grange. This section was hands down the hardest of the day – the path is a mix of loose scree from the old Castlenook mining ground, demanding full focus and careful footwork. By the time we reached the bottom, we were back on solid ground and grinning with relief.
Time was running short (parent life!) so instead of climbing up to Walla Crag, we took the valley path allowing us a stunning, gentle finish that still had plenty of magic. We stopped for a quick river dip at the Grange, grabbed a much needed cold fizzy drink from the Grange Cafe, the sweetest little café, and then carried on past Lodore Hotel, hugging the lake shore back towards Keswick.
The final stretch along the lakeside path was pure joy. We rolled back into Portinscale and, because we clearly weren’t quite done, finished with a river swim to cool tired legs.
Exhausted? Yes. Happy? Absolutely. Check out the strava route HERE.
Total distance = 15 milees
Total elevation = 2647ft
We rounded off our adventure at our favourite Portinscale café, the Chalet Tea rooms — always welcoming, always delicious — before heading home, hearts full and legs well earned.
If you love the idea of a weekend where you can combine trail adventures, wild swims, and great food, did you know Georgie is now an ABTA and ATOL independent travel advisor with access to incredible offers for trips and travel anywhere in the World. LRC Travel can help you create your perfect getaway. Whether you’ve got 24 hours for a quick holiday, a racecation in mind or a week to play with, we know how to make it unforgettable. Get in touch to discuss your trip at longruncollective@gmail.com