(S) Leave YHA Keswick and walk through the town to the ferry going to Hawes End or walk around through Portinscale (an extra 4 miles).
(1) The first ferry direct to Hawes End, leaves the Keswick jetty at 9:30am in the summer months and takes about 10mins across the lake, a great way to start the day.
(2) From the landing stage (Kitchen Bay), walk straight up through the woods, past Hawes End Outdoor Centre to the road, and then up to the crossroads and cattle-grid near Gutherscale. From the cattle-grid, go straight up the road (there is also a gravel path on the left-hand side) to the junction. Almost opposite and a little to the right is the prepared path going up the hill. Once on the path, there is no doubt as to how to reach the summit, just keep going up straight ahead, past Skelgill Bank and up to the round, slate Trig Point on Cat Bells (Wainwright fell at 451 m above sea level).
(3) Take in the views and rest for a while at Cat Bells before continuing along the ridge southwards to Hause Gate. Go straight across the path that comes up from Little Town in the Newlands Valley and goes down to Manesty in Borrowdale. Just follow the path up to Black Crag and on to Bull Crag on Maiden Moor (Wainwright fell at 575 m above sea level).
(4) There is only a small cairn on the summit of Maiden Moor but the highest point is where the land drops away on all sides. Then it's on-again, along the wide ridge going south across Narrow Moor and past the headwaters of Greenup Sikes to reach a cairn above Blea Crag. Continue straight on along Eel Crags and past Minum Crag to reach the two-meter high slate cairn at High Spy (Wainwright fell at 653 m above sea level).
(5) From High Spy, it's a simple case of heading south down the mountain towards Dalehead Tarn. On the right going down are Red Crag and Miners Crag but the path is clear and with care shouldn't pose any problems. Carry straight on down and follow the path round the southern side to begin the climb up to Dale Head (Wainwright fell at 753 m above sea level).
(6) From Dale Head summit, head south, down the mountain to the road (B5289) at Honister Hause. Bear right past the Slate Mine to climb up to Bell Crags. Here, either head straight on for Fleetwith Pike (Wainwright fell at 648 m above sea level) or turn left above Bell Crags, heading west towards Dubs Quarry.
(7) From the cairn on Fleetwith Pike, head SE back to the main path. Turn right onto the path coming from Bell Crags to reach Warnscale Beck. Don't drop down too far, but cut left after Dubs Quarry to ford the stream near Little Round How. Keep on a SW setting to climb above Green Crag and past Blackbeck Tarn. Bear towards the west to reach Innominate Tarn, the location where Alfred Wainwright's ashes were scattered (pause for a moment to remember the well-loved fell walker). Fom the Tarn, head up NW to reach Hay Stacks (Wainwright fell at 597 m above sea level).
(8) There are two summits, so make sure you go to both before descending, quite steeply down to Scarth Gap. Then it's another climb up the stone steps to Seat ((Wainwright fell at 561 m above sea level). Continue in a NW direction to climb Gamlin End to reach High Crag (Wainwright fell at 744 m above sea level). The route continues NW along Comb Crags (very scary in fog) past Eagle Crag and up to High Stile (Wainwright fell at 807 m above sea level). The ridge walk continues along Chapel Crags before turning right to reach Red Pike (Wainwright fell at 755 m above sea level).
(9) Take a sharp left route SW down the mountainside to reach Gillflinter Beck. Continue down between two pine forests to reach the Ennerdale road. Turn right and in about 100m the building on the left is YHA Ennerdale. (E)
