Hiking Catbells
Onto Leo’s second summit of his life so far, and another Wainwright, this time Catbells. We set off from Coniston before sunrise. There’s no parking near Catbells, other than a couple of lay-bys near the start - one at Gutherscale (CA12 5UE) and one at Little Town (CA12 5TU) which starts on the Newlands Valley side.
We park closest to the Gutherscale layby - I believe - and fumble our way down an extremely frosty road before reaching the start. We then cross a further road before we get to the actual path. To say the roads are slippery is short of the mark; frankly, they’re a bloody ice rink. I can barely hack the suspense of each footstep, hoping my shoe won’t slide up into the air, taking us both with it. I might have my trusty Scarpa boots on but my god, they definitely don’t work on ice.
Why the hell would you walk this with a baby, you might ask?
Well for one, Leo is attached to my front. If I go flying I trust I’ll fall backwards. And two, I can see it’s only icy below the mountain where the sun hasn’t reached yet. The actual path up Catbells is not so frosty and is already getting quite busy with people. So onwards and upwards we go.
A few facts about Catbells (or Cat Bells):
What is Catbells named after? The name is thought to stem from a time when wildcats still roamed the land and may have originally been known as ‘cat’s bields’, which means ‘shelter of the wild cat’.
Catbells is one of the most popular fells in The Lake District.
Catbells has a height of 451m (1,480 ft)
Catbells is both a Wainwright and a Birkett
Catbell’s parent peak is Dale Head
Mrs Tiggy-Winkle - a character in the famous Peter Tales tales by Beatrix Potter - has her home on the east slopes of Cat Bells.
It’s a chilly climb at first. I suppose that goes hand in hand with ice. This quickly changes, though. The path is pretty steep and halfway up the morning sun starts beaming on us like a Cheshire Cat oven. Glorious, but not so welcome when you’re burritoed up in a big fleecy coat with a 17lb baby strapped to your front. It’s a steeper path than Rannerdale Knotts so our natural tendency is to power through each steep stretch and pause for a moment. Just as well, because the scenery soon starts taking our breath too. Far and wide views of Keswick, Borrowdale and Derwent Water.
It takes around an hour to reach the summit of Catbells, but we add in a cheeky pitstop about 3/4 up on what we originally think is the summit. I won’t lie, there’s a bit of a Homer Simpson Murderhorn moment here. So we stop to enjoy some coffee and chocolate, I feed Leo and let him stretch his legs for a bit. We’ve picked a hell of great a day for hiking up here. Crisp, frosty, hot and sunny. A warming winter fusion. Pair that with the endorphins running through us from the exercise on our route, plus the spectacular panoramic views and there’s really no better natural high.
Once we near the summit, there’s a bit of a scramble. This is the only part I find a bit nerve-racking while carrying Leo, but one I don’t think will be an issue next time as we’ll be carrying him in a backpack carrier instead. Mr J held holds out his hand for extra stability at this scrambly point which really help on the final stint to the summit.
The summit itself is really busy, especially considering it’s late December. It’s breathtaking though and there’s plenty of space to sit and let the stunning 360° views sink in. Leo has another feed and we do a bit of “stepping” to stretch our legs.
“Take a nice photo of me at the trig point” she says 🙄😂
The descent does make me nervous. The thought of carrying Leo on my front while taking such a steep route down just doesn’t feel wise. I suppose this is the blunder side of our Catbells hike, and we don'’t know for certain if there’s an easier route down. Thankfully, after asking another family - seasoned hikers who are also carrying their baby -we learn there’s a more meandering route down the Newlands Valley way. Mr J carries Leo inwards on the way down, so he can take a nice long nap and my front can take a break while I carry our big ol’ backpack instead.
The route down is really a great one and actually, I’d recommend taking this one both ways if you prefer a longer, more ambling ascent, although I’m not sure the views are quite as incredible. There’s also ice as we hit the roads. Something I only discover once I’ve already slid and landed square on my backside. Gives the people behind us a good giggle, though.
Catbells is a cracking Lake District hike and one that’s ideal for older legs, four legs and little legs alike, making it a terrific family pick. Climb it at speed or amble your way up. At roughly 3.6 miles, it takes around 2 hours (say 3-4 if you’re hiking with a baby or wanting to stop a while), making it perfect for a half day. Pack a picnic to enjoy on the way up or why not pair it with an afternoon kayaking on Derwent Water or lunch and a browse in the character-packed town of Keswick or Ambleside?
Rating: *****
I’ve rated this walk 5 stars as it was a real highlight and had a little bit of everything - steep paths, a scramble, undulating easy paths, and panoramic views that’ll make you eat your bobble hat.
Length: Approx. 3.6 miles
Park: No official parking - park at Gutherscale (CA12 5UE) or Little Town (CA12 5TU) which starts on the Newlands Valley side.
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Terrain: Clear path most of the way. Short, steep start and a little scramble near the top. Watch out for slippery ice in winter.
Navigation: Easy
Facilities: Keswick and Ambleside are a short drive away with restaurants, toilets etc.
Highlights: Panoramic views of Keswick, Borrowdale, and Derwent Water.
