Broad How: walking

Website design: Tom Wynne Willson Original Artwork: Jim Watson, Cumbrian-born artist and writer. Click here for details of Jim’s published work

some ideas for walks

Click here for your printable Broad How Fifty peak-baggers checklist

Neatly, there are exactly 50 ‘Wainwrights’ within a 5-mile radius of Broad How. For those walkers primarily interested in 'bagging' Wainwrights, we have compiled a list of the nearest 50 - all within striking distance of the house. There are also grid references, a map and all 50 fells listed in height order from mighty Helvellyn (1) to the less lofty, but still beautiful, Hallin Fell (50).

Click here for your printable Broad How Fifty peak-baggers checklist. Given the abundance of advice and guidance now freely available, we won’t presume to offer of our own route suggestions. 3 websites worth visiting for routes are: The Lakeland Fells, Walk The Fells and Striding Edge (see Links).

We can’t resist a word or 2 about Place Fell, though. Broad How was once called Place Fell House and since 1920, when my Great Grandfather bought the house, Place Fell has, not surprisingly, been a firm family favourite. Below are 3 routes, each providing its own particular experience of Place Fell.

The first is the most straightforward and obvious route - up and down via Boredale Hause. The second is longer and includes a fair bit of the lake path described by Wainwright as “‘the most beautiful and rewarding walk in Lakeland’ and and Wordsworth’s “loveliest mile in England”. The third is much less well known and uses the old track rising from the lake path towards Birk Fell (and clearly marked on Wainwright’s map). I have given heights, distances, grid references, route maps, profiles and brief descriptions all in pdf format for easy printing.

Route 1

Route 2

Route 3

up and down via Boredale Hause

the classic circular route

the old track from the lake path

3 miles

6.8 miles

3.8 miles

517m

725m

545m

Miles without Stiles

The Lake District National Park Authority has put together a list of walks which are accessible to people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users and families with pushchairs. The walks are graded 'for all', 'for many' or 'for some' depending on path gradient, surface, width etc. There are 39 routes all over the lake district, the most local to Broad How being Brotherswater (walk 2). It's a lovely walk, as is the Keswick to Threlkeld railway path. Both walks also feature pubs! The full miles without stiles (see Links page)