Lowkes one

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This is a magnificent ridge walk and great for a long day's walking in good weather. I walked it from east to west, starting at Braithwaite and ending at Loweswater, and it took over 5 hours and was a strenuous walk. Basically, you start out of Braithwaite on the main route up Grisedale Pike. This starts off as a steep grassy path, then flattens out to a slightly boggy ridge which gradually gets steeper again as you head up towards the summit. Grisedale Pike (see picture below) is a distinctive cone-shape and as the path gets steeper it gets rockier. It's probably not proper scrambling, but if you're not used to the sort of steep Lakeland paths around the summits of the fells then it could be harder than expected - it's certainly not fully accessible and good boots are needed. The views from Grisedale Pike are stunning and from here on it's a relatively easy walk along a narrow ridge. The mid-point on the ridge is Hobcarton Crag. It gets very windy along here - I walked it in glorious sunshine but didn't stop on the summit as it was very windy! Beyond Hobcarton, the ridge lowers to Whiteside. Expect views down the steep corries to Crummock Water below, and then the descent off Whiteside is short and steep, but certainly doable. Once down, the walk into Loweswater is very easy. Be warned that if you're doing this by bus, it can be up to 2 hours until the next bus back to Keswick.

I thoroughly enjoyed this route, but there are a few important things to know:
- Length. Nearly all of the route is at high level, making for many miles of challenging walking. I'd only attempt this in summer and in good weather, when there's plenty of light and you can make sure you get it done long before dark.
- Terrain. Mostly OK provided you are experienced at walking in the Lakes, but the approach to Grisedale Pike is very steep and rocky.
- The ridge. It's a great ridge, but it's narrow in places. The path is usually on the southern side of the ridge but particularly between Hobcarton and Whiteside there's a steep drop down to the left. The path is easy to follow, but if you don't like steep drops then it's worth being aware of this.
- Places to stop. As it's a high mountain walk, there's nowhere to stop and get refreshments anywhere on the route. Take your own food and plenty of water, there are plenty of places to stop and admire the views!.

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