1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
17. Helvellyn
Date: 13/07/2021
Meeting Point: Patterdale Hotel Car Park, Patterdale, CA11 0NN
Perhaps the most iconic mountain in the Lake District and recently voted Britain’s best walk, Helvellyn needs no introduction.
Our approach starts in Patterdale, where we stay low and follow a trail towards Glenridding. We cross the Glenridding Beck and head up the valley to Glenridding Common, from where we climb all the way up to Whiteside at 863 metres.
We stay high and continue on the path to Lower Man, and then finally onto Helvellyn itself, with glorious panoramic views and the famous amphitheatre-shaped slope. We see Striding and Swirral edges, and Red Tarn nestled at the foot of the slopes.
From here we come down onto Nethermost Pike and Dollywagon Pike, before dropping down to Grisedale Tarn and following Grisedale Beck back to our start point.
A magnificent fell walk over several Wainwrights and a great challenge for anyone wishing to do a mountain stage.
Distance: 18.7 km (11.62 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★★☆