From UMHC Hiking Guide
This page is intended to be contain some useful at-a-glance information for people planning and running a coach hike. More detailed information about destinations and routes should be added to the main pages on the wiki.
Contents |
Lake District
Braithwaite
Journey time: 2.5 hrs
Directions: M6 to J40 then A66 straight to village. No need to go through Keswick town centre unless dropping people off.
Drop-offs/parking: Room at the crossroads in the middle of the village. Could drop people off in Keswick if doing Skiddaw.
Possible pubs: Royal Oak in centre of village
Nearby hills: Skiddaw, Coledale horseshoe, Catbells
Other notes:
Keswick
Journey time: 2.5 hrs
Directions: M6 to J40 then A66
Drop-offs/parking: Car park with coach parking outside Booths supermarket (GR 263236). Parking expensive.
Possible pubs: The Oldfellow Arms on the main street in town is good and has benches outside.
Nearby hills: Skiddaw, Blencathra (Sharp Edge scramble), Catbells
Other notes:
Borrowdale
Journey time: 2.5 hrs+
Directions: Best option is to stay on M6 till J40 then head into Keswick and south from there
Drop-offs/parking: Car park in Seatoller is on the right as you enter the village (GR 245138). Don't go through the village as you end up on Honister pass and will need to do a tricky 3-point turn
Possible pubs: There's a pub in Seatoller
Nearby hills: Scafell Pike, Glaramara, Sour Milk Gill (scramble)
Other notes:
Glenridding
Journey time: 2.5 hrs
Directions: Leave M6 at J40 and turn quickly onto A592
Drop-offs/parking: Coach parking at visitor centre in Glenridding
Possible pubs: Travellers Rest is just up the hill from the car park
Nearby hills: Helvellyn (scrambles: Striding and Swirrel edge), St Sunday Crag, Dollywagon Pike, Place Fell
Other notes:
Grasmere
Journey time: 2-2.5 hrs
Directions: Leave M6 at J36 and follow A591 through Windermere and Ambleside
Drop-offs/parking:
Possible pubs: Numerous tea shops and pubs
Nearby hills:
Other notes: Didn't go there in 07-08
Ambleside
Journey time: 2-2.5 hrs
Directions: M6 to J36 then A591 through Windermere
Drop-offs/parking: Lots of car parks in Ambleside
Possible pubs: Various pubs in Ambleside. Kirkstone Pass Inn can be visited during a hike.
Nearby hills: Red Screes, Fairfield horseshoe, Wansfell Pike
Other notes:
Langdale
Journey time: 2.5 hrs+
Directions: M6 to J36 then A591 towards Ambleside. Turn off following signs for Great Langdale
Drop-offs/parking: Coach parking at NT car park just after New Dungeon Ghyll (GR 294063). On popular days this might be full -- if you can't turn the coach round there you'll have a difficult job when the road ends at a campsite about 1km later
Possible pubs: Old Dungeon Ghyll is at the end of the road. New Dungeon Ghyll is better to meet in because it's next to the car park.
Nearby hills: Jack's Rake (scramble), Langdale Pikes, Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Pike of Blisco
Other notes:
Coniston
Journey time: 2-2.5 hrs
Directions: Take M6 to J36. Then follow A590 and A5084
Drop-offs/parking: Coach car park in village (on right if approaching from South)
Possible pubs: The Black Bull is good
Nearby hills: Old Man of Coniston, Dow Crag, Swirl How, Weatherlam
Other notes:
Yorkshire
Kettlewell
Journey time: 1.5-2 hrs
Directions: Take M56 past Burnley and onto A56. At Skipton, take B6265 onto Kettlewell
Drop-offs/parking:
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills: Buckden Pike, Great Whernside, Firth Fell
Other notes:
Wensleydale
Journey time: 2 hrs
Directions: Probably quickest to take M6 to J34, then A683 to Ingleton and continue up t'Ribblesdale from there
Drop-offs/parking: May want to drop people at Ribblehead on the way. Final drop off at village of Hawes?
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills:
Other notes: Hike popular due to connections with dairy products. Shortage of hills in Wensleydale means some groups stay in Ribblesdale instead?
Ribblesdale
Journey time: 2 hrs
Directions: Take M6 to J34 then A683 to Ingleton and carry on up to Ribblehead
Drop-offs/parking: Drop off at Ribblehead junction for Whernside. Final drop off/pick-up at Horton-in-Ribblesdale
Possible pubs: There are two pubs in Horton
Nearby hills: Whernside, Ingleborough, Pen y Ghent
Other notes: Very similar walks to Ingleton
Ingleton
Journey time: 1.5-2hrs
Directions: Take M6 to J34 then A683
Drop-offs/parking: Could drop people at Ribblehead. Coach parking in Ingleton at GR
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills: Whernside, Ingleborough, Pen y Ghent
Other notes: Very similar walks to Ribblesdale/Horton
Sedbergh
Journey time: 1.5-2hrs
Directions: M6 to J37 then A684
Drop-offs/parking: Coach parking in the town centre on the left (GR 659922)
Possible pubs: Multiple pubs in Sedbergh
Nearby hills: Howgill fells, the Calf
Other notes: Is tehnically in Cumbria not Yorkshire. Road to Sedbergh a bit winding but ok (maybe avoid at popular times of year).
Dentdale
Journey time:
Directions: Drive to Sedbergh, turn right in town centre and follow small road to Dent
Drop-offs/parking:
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills:
Other notes: Not visited for a few years. Road very winding which has apparently caused problems for the coach in the past. Walking pretty boring as well.
Malham Cove
Journey time: 1.5 hrs
Directions: M65 then A682 to Hellifield. B road to Malham
Drop-offs/parking:
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills:
Other notes: Difficult to access by coach? Has been done as minibus hike.
Snowdonia
Capel Curig
Journey time: 2-2.5 hrs
Directions: M56 then A55. Can approach either via Betws-Y-Coed (leave A55 near Conwy) or Bethseda (leave A55 near Bangor)
Drop-offs/parking: Drop offs along A5 (Ogwen cottage and base of Tryfan). Pick up in Capel.
Possible pubs: Bryn Tyrch hotel (GR 724579).This is the first pub you come to when walking off the hill towards Capel.
Nearby hills: Tryfan, Glyders, Y Garn, Moel Siabod. Scrambles: N ridge o' Tryfan, Bristly ridge
Other notes: Often the most popular hike of the year (if held in 3rd week of Autumn term)
Llanberis
Journey time: 2.5 hrs
Directions: M56 then A55 till Bangor. Follow enormous signs to Llanberis
Drop-offs/parking: Drop off at Pen-Y-Pass (plenty of room for turning). Coach parking in Llanberis (GR 581601)
Possible pubs: Anywhere but the pub next to Pete's Eats.
Nearby hills: Yr Wyddfa, Crib Goch, Lliwedd, Glyders
Other notes:
Rhyd Ddu
Journey time: 2.5-3 hrs
Directions: M56 then A55 till Bangor. Take A487 to Caernarfon then take a left to Rhyd Ddu
Drop-offs/parking: Car park on the left just after you go through the village, by the railway station (GR 571526).
Possible pubs: Cwellyn Arms is the only pub in the village. Incredibly over-priced but at least it has an amusing stuffed animal
Nearby hills: Yr Wyddfa, Nantlle ridge (scrambly)
Other notes:
Cadair Idris
Journey time: 3 hrs+ by coach
Directions: Take M56 and A55 to J35. Then follow A5104 and A494 (annoying winding roads) for 50 miles to Dolgellau
Drop-offs/parking: Big car park in Dolgellau. Can be dropped off at Minffordd to climb Cadair.
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills: Cadair Idris
Other notes: The first rule of UMHC is: Never take a coach to Cadair Idris. It might be quite nice in a minibus
Blaneau Ffestiniog
Journey time:
Drop-offs/parking:
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills:
Other notes: Haven't been there for a couple of years
Bedelgelert
Journey time:
Drop-offs/parking:
Possible pubs:
Nearby hills:
Other notes: Has been visited by the club in the past. Looks quite nice if a little boring
