After a rest day, Mum and her barn dance-injured knee were ready to lace up the boots again and head out on another mountain day. This time, we had a route recommended by my friend Jon (usually the sign of a good adventure ahead), so we set off hopeful that it would live up to expectations.

We already knew the first Fell would likely be shrouded in cloud, but that didn’t put us off an early start. We knew that we wanted to give ourselves plenty of time in case Mum’s knee wanted to take things at a gentler pace on the downhills, and also, so that we could have lots of snack breaks!

By 9am, the reservoir car park, Mardale Head, was already surprisingly busy for a March morning. Still, unlike our experience at Catbells, we managed to find a spot.

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long before we climbed straight into the cloud. After only a small amount of height gain, the views disappeared and we found ourselves wrapped in mist. Layered up against the chill, we pressed on, reassured by MWIS’s promise that the cloud would lift in time. And when it finally did, our smiles got bigger!

Our route led us up to Harter Fell (778m). There wasn’t much to see from the summit with the cloud still stubbornly holding its ground, so we settled for a quick selfie by the cairn and let that stand in for the view.

As we descended into Nan Bield Pass and began the climb up to Mardale Ill Bell (760m), the skies finally started to open up. The cloud lifted, revealing a fantastic view down to Small Water. From here I could also make out the Fells of Thornthwaite Crag (784m) and beacon, Froswick (720m), IIl Bell (757m) that I had climbed the day before from Kirkstone Pass.

When then picked up the High Street, stopping for a quick lunch at the Trig on Racecourse Hill (828m).

We then began the curve of the horseshoe, looping back along the ridge and following the path over Rampsgill Head (792m), on to Kidsty Pike (780m), and down towards Kidsty Howes (520m).

The 530m descent from Kidsty Pike down to Haweswater Reservoir was a real test on the knees and quads. By this point, the previous mountain days were definitely catching up with us, and our legs were feeling it.

Just below Kidsty Howes, we found the perfect sun trap and took the opportunity for a well-earned break. With snacks in hand, we settled in for longer than planned, reaching that familiar point of “we really should get moving… or we might as well pitch a tent and stay.”

With the mountain views surrounding us, the warmth of the sun, and a good supply of snacks, it quickly became my favourite stop of the whole trip. I could have happily sat there for hours.

We then hit the track that follows Haweswater Reservoir back to the car park at Mardale Head. It was a super scenic stretch, with views sweeping back to the mountains we’d climbed that day, as well as plenty more that I’ve already added to the list for another visit.

I’m already planning a return to the Lake District in May, but I’m completely spoilt for choice when it comes to picking the next hike. With such incredible scenery and an endless network of routes, it’s the kind of place you could spend years exploring and still never run out of new adventures.

After our final hike, we headed back to Windermere with our cups full from a week of mountain air. Tired and content, we rounded it all off with an Indian takeaway and a very early night.

We rounded off the trip the next day, visiting Fell Foot National Trust for a walk, some lunch, and most excitingly, meeting up with my friends James and Hannah for a chilly swim.

To warm up from the swim, Mum and I took the dog on a short walk around High Dam, Finsthwaite. This was the first time we used our coats for their waterproof elements. We felt incredibly lucky to have gone a week without needing them for rain.

Then, the next day we drove back home to the South West.

I just wanted to add a HUGE thank you to my Mum at the end of this blog. It was a really lovely week away, and I am so happy we got to adventure together and make new memories. Until next time!