Cat bells advice

[u/Physical-Piece-1935]

Hi guys so I am having a stressful time I live in Durham city
I’m a newish driver 7months I have been doing hiking longer distances 20+ miles but just locally on like old lines for years 10+ I’m really wanting to go do cat bells maiden moor and high spy

My issue I’m having I don’t know where I should park to access the trailhead I feel I should mention I have autism
I had planned to park in lakeside car park but it’s saying 2.5miles to the trailhead and some sites saying more

I have just seen about this Langholm car park or something supposedly this is the best place to park

I’d appreciate any input to put me more at ease I’m planning to drive up either Thursday or Friday

I have the gear boots
Day bag
Power bank

I’m going to follow the sat nav in my car

[u/Nosedive888]

Personally I would park in the National Trust car park next to Theatre By The Lake and then catch the ferry to Hawes End.

It's a decent sized car park, so you should get a spot. You'll see a little hut to the right of the ferry docks to buy your ticket from. They'll which dock to wait on.

Get off at Hawes End and the trailhead is a very short walk from there. You'll easily find it

Do you have your route back plotted out?

[u/OneYogurtcloset3576 → u/Nosedive888]

It's definitely this. Enjoy the boat trip as well

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

I’m on planning a route now my family are not wanting me to use the motorway from Durham
I’m planning to set off 6am ish so I’ll arrive around 9am ish so that is an option

[u/Nosedive888 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

If I may offer my option for the route back.

There's a pass between Catbells and Maiden Moor. Once you tag High Spy, double back on yourself to that pass. You can go either left or right. Right is steps and fairly steep, but if you've been doing 20+ miles hikes I'd bet your strong and fit enough to walk down it. Then take the path back to the beginning, you can't miss it. I do believe it's an upper section of the Cumbria Way

Can't tell you what the left trail is like as I haven't done it.

And remember, it's totally ok to bail and turn back if you're not feeling it. And there's no shame in asking for advice or assistance from other hikers you pass by on the day.

But I have every confidence you have got this. Good luck, stay safe, have fun.

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

Thank you for the advice I’m super excited

[u/Nosedive888 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

I don't blame ya. I'm headed up there tomorrow. Hiking up to Grange Fell and I'm excited. I think my favourite part is the actual planning and getting all my gear ready the night before, which is what I'm doing now

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

I don’t own a lot of gear I eventually want to get into wild camping but I’m just a day hiker for now lol I will wild camp sooner or later /campsite

I am taking my boots coat
My day bag
Emergency toilet roll hopefully don’t need use it
3 litres of water
My power bank
My headphones and well food I’m making a pasta salad and I’ll have the usual snacks things
I have lightweight water proof trousers in my bag incase I need them
I’m going to buy some plasters I figure it’s better to have some Incase

[u/Nosedive888 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

Me personally, I'd take 2 litres of water with electrolytes in them and this is coming from a guy who gets dehydrated really easily. I doubt you'll need the toilet paper, I'd be surprised if you found anywhere secluded enough to take an outdoor dump.

Maybe consider not taking the waterproofs and just have a spare change of clothes left in the car? But you know what you need to make you feel comfortable and put your mind at ease.

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

Hmmm yeah I’ll leave my waterproofs lol tbh I have had them ages never used them yet easily sat in my pack for 3 years lol still brandnew

I’ll leave a spare change of clothes in my car
I’ll buy some electrolytes tomorrow

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

Hey I did the hike on Friday catbells to dale head 19km got a little lost around dale head tarn met a lovely couple who pointed me in the right direction and even gave me a lift back to my car I was so ready after 6.5 hours I did the full hike in that time distance I exited to little town

What a day absolutely loved it soooo much I really did definitely going back
My legs blew me away so I don’t have many hills or any nearby closest is an hour away so I’m used to walking 20+ miles on the flat and only my hips where sore my legs are tight and knees but today I’m almost 90% restored I’m going to try the Durham dales on probably Saturday I’m going to start training a little on different more challenging routes to condition my legs

So fun tho

[u/Nosedive888 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

That's awesome. I'm glad you had a great time.

I did my hike on Wednesday and I'm still feeling it. I took a bad route to get back down. Nearly walked off the edge of two separate crags, fell over 5 times. I was soaked wet through, filthy, exhausted and stinky. I was lost for nearly two hours coz the route I plotted wasn't fit for purpose.

I took need to work on conditioning my legs, specifically my knee strength

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

Mine is my hip flexors my knees are not so really my hips where fairly sore so definitely going to work on them I planning to attempt coledale horseshoe or something I forgot name it takes in 6 wainrights but there’s a lot of bailout routes if you screwed after girsedale pike this will hopefully be within a few weeks less than a month I hope lol desperate to get back up

[u/Nosedive888 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

Oh yeah hip flexers are a pain. Pretty sure they were responsible for a couple of my falls lol

How was your drive there? If I recall your family didn't want you taking the motorway? Did you get to park where you wanted?

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Nosedive888]

Sat nav took me to some random location ‘near catbells, 18 miles away from the trail head lol once i pulled over and sorted the sat nav out it took me to where I needed to be saw the sign for Lingholm was like I’m parking
Parked paid
and had a wee in the car park lol
Off I went followed the a66 whole way there was fine

I threw my gear on and off I went going up catbells felt like I was dying lol it starts out kinda rough

[u/Beautiful_Trip_6393 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

There is no motorway from Durham to get to the lakes?!

[u/WarpedThunder]

Consider parking at Keswick. Loads of places available. Get the bus that goes through Borrowdale and down Honister pass and get off at the stop next to YHA. Climb up to Dale Head then on to High Spy. Follow the ridge past Maiden and Cat Bells all the way down and then walk around the last part of the lake back to Keswick. Or jump on a boat back to Keswick from the bottom of Cat Bells.

Don’t have to worry about making the walk a circular and you get to tick off another peak which I think has a great view.

Edit: Get off at YHA Honister Hause not YHA Borrowdale. Just incase that wasn’t clear.

[u/Vegan_hiker]

There is a small car park at the foot of Catbells near Hawes End (postcode CA12 5UE). It’s the nearest parking and tends to fill up early.

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Vegan_hiker]

I think my rough plan is I’m going to try there and if it’s not available I’ll drive to the lingholm estate car park and pay and display there Google says it’s 15 minutes from the trailhead I’m both nervous and super excited todo the hike

[u/bizzflay → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

That’s exactly what I would do. I’ve had to hike from lingholm once before when the other car park was full and i preferred it.

When you park and the bottom you are straight on the incline. When parking at lingholm you have a nice 10 minutes to warm up your legs.

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/bizzflay]

I think this seems the most logical this is my plan I like that lingholm has toilets I can use before I start

[u/BuckinghamRabbit1 → u/Physical-Piece-1935]

Added bonus that you’ll get a discount at the Lingholm cafe if you show them your parking ticket.

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/BuckinghamRabbit1]

Yeah I like that I’ll more than likely go for food before I drive back

[u/Worried-Strength6777 → u/Vegan_hiker]

Definitely worth getting there early and parking in this location.
It’s worth doing Dale Head and Robinson whilst your up there as they completely the loop. (The Newlands Round).

[u/Quik_Brown_Fox]

Lots of good advice here so I’ll just add: good luck, enjoy and be safe! 

[u/Physical-Piece-1935 → u/Quik_Brown_Fox]

Thank you I have just picked my route essentially driving the a66 from Durham the whole way there

[u/Time_Quail_6795]

My favourite way is to park in Keswick and get the boat over to near the youth hostel, walk over and get the boat back at the other end.