Coledale horseshoe facts for kids

The Coledale Horseshoe is a famous group of mountains in the beautiful Lake District in England. It gets its name because the mountains form a big semi-circle, like a horseshoe, around a valley called Coledale.

This area is very popular for walking and hiking. It offers amazing views and exciting paths along the tops of the mountains. There are two main ways to walk the Coledale Horseshoe: a shorter route and a longer one.

What Mountains Make Up the Horseshoe?

The Coledale Horseshoe is made up of several high fells (which is what mountains are called in the Lake District). They form a big curve around the Coledale valley.

Starting in the north, you'll find Grisedale Pike. From there, the horseshoe continues through other important peaks like Hopegill Head, Eel Crag, Sail, and Scar Crags. The horseshoe ends in the south with Causey Pike.

On the south side of the horseshoe, there's also a lower set of mountains. A famous guide writer, Alfred Wainwright, described these as being like an "inner balcony." These fells are Outerside and Barrow.

Walking the Coledale Horseshoe

There are two main ways to enjoy the Coledale Horseshoe, depending on how much time and energy you have.

The Shorter Walk

The shorter version of the Coledale Horseshoe walk is about 9 miles long. It usually takes around 4 to 5 hours to complete.

This route starts by climbing up Grisedale Pike. Then, walkers cross over to Eel Crag. For the return journey, the path goes down via Outerside and Barrow.

The Full Round

The full Coledale Horseshoe walk is a longer adventure. After reaching Eel Crag, instead of heading back, the route continues along the ridge all the way to Causey Pike.

This part of the walk was highly praised by Alfred Wainwright. He called it a "grand ridge walk" and even included it among his top ten favorite ridge walks in the Lake District.