About the trip
Join M2M and YHA’s Festival of Walking for a weekend of hiking in the Lake District, accompanied by Mountain Leader Rose Gare-Simmons and Wellness Coach, Simon Lamb.
Venturing through England’s largest National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site, we will explore breathtaking landscapes framed by crystal glacial lakes and rugged mountain tops!
This weekend is kindly supported by YHA’s Festival of Walking. We’re joining forces to help more people access amazing outdoor landscapes around the UK. Find out more at YHA Festival of Walking. #YHAWalks #OutdoorCitizens #M2MTogetherOutdoors
Closing date to secure your space is September 5th, 2024 at noon!
ITINERARY
Saturday
1pm – Arrive at YHA Helvellyn
2pm – Afternoon walk (3-4 hours) and mindful grounding using the breath, led by Simon Lamb
Optional cold water swim and Qi Gong
5-6pm – Return and check in to YHA Helvellyn dorm accommodation
Evening dinner (1 night included)
Sunday
Light breakfast at YHA Helvellyn (included)
Full day of walking to the summit of Helvellyn, with guided mindful reflection along the way led by Simon Lamb
Return to YHA Helvellyn, early evening departure
ROUTES
Saturday
Setting off from Helvellyn YHA, we’ll make our way up to Red Tarn to catch a view of Helvellyn before Sunday’s summit. If we’re lucky with warm weather, we can take a cold dip, followed by Qi Gong led by Simon Lamb to warm us up.
From there, we’ll walk to the summit of Birkhouse Moor to take in the beautiful views over Glenridding and Ulswater. This will be a 9km circular route mostly on good paths, with around 550m of ascent and descent.
Sunday
Helvellyn is the third highest mountain in England, well known for its breathtaking exposed ridge routes. We will take a steep gravel track to the summit, following the same path back down. We expect this route to take us all day, including Whiteside (863m) on the way up to Helvellyn (949m) and back for 12km of walking in total with an ascent and descent of around 850m.
You will be in good hands with support from qualified mountain leaders and first aid trained staff. We will arrive back down in time for a well earned cold drink before early evening departure.
*Note: both routes are subject to change depending on conditions.
ACCESS & SUITABILITY
Whether you are new to hiking, finding your feet to discover the great outdoors or already an outdoor lover looking forward to enjoying some headspace with a friendly group, we would love to welcome you for this M2M and YHA Festival of Walking weekend!
The routes on both days are unfortunately not wheelchair accessible, however we will always try to accommodate individual needs with advance notice.
You will need a good level of fitness to participate, with the ability to walk uphill for a sustained period.
Please get in touch with [email protected] if you require additional support. We will always strive to find a way.
This event is funded by the Millimetres 2 Mountains Foundation and Outdoor Citizens. Spaces are limited to 25, so register early to secure your place. Please also be mindful that we are providing accommodation for Saturday night (Sept 14th). If you are travelling a greater distance to and from the site, please be aware to book accommodation for yourself if needed on the Friday or Sunday night.
WHAT TO BRING
You will need appropriate hiking gear for both walks over the weekend. A full kit list will be shared in advance.
GETTING THERE
By car:There are plenty of free parking spaces for guests at YHA Helvellyn if you plan to drive. Helvellyn is signposted from Glenridding village, one mile past the Traveller’s Rest. The lane leading to the hostel is unsurfaced but suitable for most vehicles.
By coach: The nearest coach stop is at Penrith, 2.28 miles away. From Penrith you can take the 508 bus to Glenridding, and from there it is a 20 minute walk. On weekends and school holidays, the 508 also goes from Windermere. On weekends and school holidays, the 208 also goes twice a day from Keswick to Glenridding.
If you have any questions, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch for more details at [email protected]