Pete's Wainwright Walk

The Wainwrights are the 214 Lake District hills (known locally as fells) described in Alfred Wainwright's seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells (1955–66).

A while back I watched a film about Steve Birkinshaw running round all the Wainwrights in six days and thirteen hours. He ran about two marathons every day basically. This set a new record. I think it's been subsequently beaten but one of the most inspiring things about the film was all the support he had from friends, family and the people of Keswick.

Many people try to climb all the Wainwrights, just as they try to bag all the Munros in Scotland and this was something I had been considering. Then I thought I could do them as one continuous route by following in Steve's steps. I am not a fell runner but I do like a bit of backpacking and wild camping. I really enjoyed doing the Cape Wrath Trail and it would be good to have another challenge. Especially since I have been unable to do any Walks Leading with HF Holidays because of Coronavirus.

This is not an original idea. In fact a guy called James Forrest is trying to do it in 18 days at the moment. I am planning to do it in 27 days, broken down into five separate backpacking trips. 

1. Rydal to Patterdale (6 days: 1 to 6)
   
2. Patterdale to Keswick (5 days: 7 to 11)
3. Keswick to Keswick (5 days: 12 to 16)
4. Keswick to Nether Wasdale (6 days: 17 to 22)
5. Nether Wasdale to Rydal (5 days: 23 to 27)

I was originally planning to have a hotel or B&B stay in between each leg but Dorothy has very kindly agreed to drop me off and pick me up for all but Keswick to Keswick. I can just leave the car in Keswick for 5 days for that one. Accomodation is awkward at the moment with the pandemic so it's much easier to come home in between and much nicer. In fact we are going walking in Scotland for two weeks after the first two legs.

I don't know if I'll manage it. I was very lucky with the weather on the Cape Wrath Trail. Wild camping is not strictly allowed in England but so long as I stay up in the hills, out of the way and leave no trace of having been there, I should be OK.

You can see the route here: