Fairfield Horseshoe
Distance: 11 miles (17.5km)
Ascent: 1203 metres
Start/finish: Rydal Road car park, LA22 9AN
Turn L and follow Rydal Road out of Ambleside, turn R onto a footpath shortly after crossing Scandale Bridge. Head alongside Scandale Beck before bearing L away from the beck on a good path across Rydal Park and past Rydal Hall. Turn R, passing Hart Head Farm and climbing onto the fells above Nab Scar. Follow the path up the ridge to Heron Pike at 612m, then Great Rigg at 766m and finally Fairfield at 873m (5.4 miles/8.7km). Turn R and, staying on the horseshoe ridge, start descending over Hart Crag at 822m and Dove Crag at 792m. Keep R tracing the ridge south over High Pike at 656m then Low Pike at 508m before dropping down towards Ambleside and joining the end of Nook Lane at Nook End Farm. Take the lane south into Ambleside, turning R onto Smithy Brow then R onto Rydal Road to return to the start.