Walking/Hiking
The Royal Oak is a very Walkers Welcome hotel and we’re proud to have qualified for our Cumbria Tourism – Walkers Welcome Award.
We’re always happy to offer advice with route planning and have a selection of maps and guides available to borrow on request. If fell walking is your passion, you’ll struggle to find friendlier or better placed accommodation. We have access to some of the best walking in the Lake District for all levels of fitness.
The Borrowdale Valley
The upper Borrowdale Valley has been attracting walkers ever since it was “discovered” and popularised by the Lake District Poets, such as Coleridge, Southey and of course Wordsworth.
The Jaws of Borrowdale” formed the most beautiful square mile in the whole of The Lake District. He made sure that his long distance path – The Coast to Coast walk spent a night in the Shangri La of Rosthwaite. Another long distant path also stops in Rosthwaite – The Cumbrian Way – this climbs over Stake Pass from Langdale and descends the most Glen like valley of Langstrath en-route for Keswick. Increasingly popular is The Inn Way where thirsty walkers stop for a pint or two of local beer en route between Ambleside and Braithwaite.
Most visitors will want to explore the fells that surround the valley. Either tackling the challenges of Great Gable, Scafell Pike, and Glaramara or seeking out more moderate hills like Castle Crag, Kings How or High Spy. For those whose high fell days are over – memories can be rekindled with gentle strolls along Stonethwaite Beck and the shores of Derwentwater. The Atlantic Oak woodlands and curiosities like “The Bowder Stone” are also there to be enjoyed.
If you are new to the area you may wish to get your hands on the following guide books:
- The Guide Books of John & Anne Nuttall. – occasional guests of ours!
- Alfred Wainwright – Pictorial Guides to The Lake District
- The Lakeland Fells – FRCC
- On Lower Lakeland Fells – Bob Allen
- Complete Lakeland Fells – Bill Birkett
The following are challenging walks – some passing through and spending only one night – others best enjoyed during a longer stay:
- The Coast to Coast - The Allerdale Ramble
- The Cumbrian Way - The Four Three’s
- The Inn Way - The Three Peaks
- The Wordsworth Way - Scafell Pike
