Lake District Horseshoe Hikes

Horseshoe Hikes of the Lake District

For anyone wanting to step up their hiking and take on more of a challenge, horseshoe hikes can be perfect for this. Read on for more info on what they entail, and some different routes for inspiration. You’ll find an OS Map Route link for each of the 3 Lake District horseshoe routes.

What is a horseshoe hike?

A horseshoe hike is generally a hike forming a loop over multiple peaks – defined by a fair amount of ascent and descent, as you go up and down the various peaks. These can prove quite a challenge (if you know the losing height and then having to regain it joys, you really do know!) but these also offer a high reward – multiple peaks bagged, and stunning views across many hills.

Lake District Horseshoe Hikes

There are many horseshoe hikes to choose from in the Lake District National Park, and they can be picked by accessibility, distance, elevation, starting point – a lot of different factors! We’ve selected three for you: a classic one, a challenging, longer one and a lesser-known one.

3 Horseshoe Hike Routes in the Lake District

The Classic One – Newlands Horseshoe

For those wanting a popular, must-do Lake District horseshoe hike.

This is a Lakes classic, close to Keswick in the northern Lakes, and taking on six Wainwrights and a lot of ascent (and descent!). Start from Little Town on either the clockwise or anti-clockwise route.

If this is your first time doing a horseshoe hike, we’d recommend the clockwise route to avoid the very steep pull up to Robinson to start on the anti-clockwise route.

Clockwise:

The hike first heads up to the ever popular Catbells, where you’ll encounter a couple of mini scrambles over some rocky ground. It’s then on up to Maiden Moor and High Spy, before hitting the high point of Dale Head, at the top of the horseshoe.

Circle into the valley slightly to tick off Hindscarth before a short pull up to Robinson, the final summit of the day. It’s a steep descent back to Little Town, but it’ll be worth the achievement of the Newlands round.

⛰️ Catbells (451m), Maiden Moor (576m), High Spy (653m), Dale Head (753m), Hindscarth (727m) and Robinson (737m)
⏱️ Approx. 7 hrs hiking
📈 1162m
🥾 10.6 miles
🚗 Little Town is often the start point for this hike, although you can start from below Cat Bells.

EXPLORE THIS ROUTE ON OS MAPS

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The Long One – Mosedale Horseshoe

For those wanting a challenging horseshoe hike, with rock scrambles and exposure

The greater Mosedale Horseshoe is potentially the most challenging horseshoe of all the Lake District routes. It has plenty of ascent and descent, big mountains, rocky and slippy ground, and trickier scrambles, and will take a full day. But it’s definitely worth the effort for the more experienced hikers, for its stunning views across a variety of valleys and peaks, and its remote location.

You start off steeply heading up the nose of Kirk Fell, with the joy (lies) of a scree slope thrown in to slow your progress somewhat. Then it’s down a rocky route off the back of Kirk Fell with some small scrambles, before taking the path round the front of Pillar with lovely views over Ennerdale. You are then on the Shamrock Traverse – a fun, short rocky scramble up to Pillar summit.

Scoat Fell and Steeple follow, before heading on up to Red Pike to treat yourself to views across to Scafell Pike and Great Gable (weather permitting). Finally, you drop down (regretting every loss of height) before scrambling up the back of Yewbarrow via Stirrup Crag, where you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view over Wastwater. It’s then a steep hike down the front of Yewbarrow and back along the road to the start point.

⛰️ Kirk Fell (802m), Pillar (892m), Scoat Fell (841m), Steeple (819m), Red Pike (826m) & Yewbarrow (628m)
⏱️ Approx. 7 hours 40 mins hiking
📈 1647m
🥾 11 miles
🚗 National Trust car park next to the head of the lake – but it gets very busy! You can also park further up at the bottom of Yewbarrow and start the circuit from there.

EXPLORE THIS ROUTE ON OS MAPS

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The Lesser Known One – Deepdale Horseshoe

For those wanting an off-the-beaten track horseshoe hike

This is a great hike and lesser-known horseshoe, which looks across to the much busier Helvellyn range, and whilst it joins up with two peaks of its sister hike, the Fairfield horseshoe, for most of the route remains a little quieter than its sister.

It’s ascent heavy from the start, steadily climbing to Arnison Crag, with lovely views back over Ullswater. There’s a brief flatter respite then it’s up to Birks, and then up again to St Sunday Crag. Although your legs might be protesting, your eyes won’t be as the views across the mountains are stunning. After dropping down, you take on the mini-scramble up to Fairfield over Cofa Pike which is a fun little distraction.

Suddenly gaining Fairfield summit, you also hit more hikers walking the busier Fairfield Horseshoe. Then it’s on to Hart Crag, and back down to the relative isolation and more gentle gradient of Hartsop above How, then down via the road back to Patterdale. Mostly good paths, some minor scrambling and some boggy parts.

⛰️ Arnison Crag (433m), Birks (622m), St Sunday Crag (841m), Fairfield (873m), Hart Crag (822m) & Hartsop above How (586m)
⏱️ Approx. 6.5 hours hiking
📈 1089m
🥾 10 miles
🚗 Hotel car park in Patterdale – it’s a coin machine, but you can pay by card (£5 for the day when last checked) at the hotel reception.

EXPLORE THIS ROUTE ON OS MAPS