Kentmere

The Walks
Kentmere is a small village hidden away in one of the quiet but quite accessible south-eastern dales of the Lake District. It's a place to escape to during busy bank holiday weekends when many other places in the Lake District are heaving with tourists. The valley is gentle to the south of the village and consists of rolling hills and green pastures. To the north, however, the valley deepens into a classic U-shaped valley with steep slopes and high summits. It is this area that is most explored by the hiking club.



The entire circuit of the valley north of Kentmere is a long walk that climbs all the major summits. The ridge is nowhere difficult and is largely broad and smooth with numerous opportunities to peer down into the valley far below. The summits of worthy note include Ill Bell and High Street. Ill Bell is a distinctive summit with far reaching views across Windermere, down to Morecambe Bay. The views north to Thornthwaite Crag reveal the shapely ridge to come leading to the plateau of High Street. High Street itself is quite a complex mountain with many valleys, ridges and corries. The most impressive of them is that directly to the east where Blea Water nestles. The summits to the east of the valley tend to have broad moorland like summits and is a less explored region.







Good routes to reach the ridge by include the north-east ridge of Ill Bell, the top end of which demands some short, easy scrambling. This route is recommended. Another fun route includes a scrambling route up Raven Crag. This grade 1 scramble is quite low down in the valley and is rated highly by both Anthony Dyer and the scrambling guidebook used. Another even more adventurous route goes up the north-east ridge of Rainsborrow Crag. The views of this face on the way up the valley are likened to those of the Cuillins of Skye. The scramble is rated grade 2 and as such it's best left to those with ropes.

The upper valley itself is a pleasant stroll with good paths going up to Kentmere Reservoir. Plenty of gentle walks also exist in the lower reaches of the valley.



Eating and Drinking
Kentmere is quiet and small but is a nice place to linger on a long summer's day. Particularly if you while that time away at the nice tea shop there and indulge in a real chocolate feast.

Travel
Staveley at the lower end of the Kentmere valley has a station on the Windermere branch. The Railtrack timetable gives details. Staveley is a request stop, if you want to get off the train, tell the guard or it won't stop.