Landscape on the 5 Days on Wainwright's Eastern Fells

Guided · Lake District

Bag 35 Wainwrights
in five days.

The same 102 kilometres, 35 Wainwrights, and 5,400 metres of ascent as the three-day run — spread across five walking days from Aira Force to Ambleside. A guided tour that caps at eight walkers, transfers your bags between every stop, and puts a licensed fell guide with you throughout.

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Distance: 102 km
Ascent: 5,400 m
Duration: 5 days
From: £1,920 pp

5.03 verified reviews

“An amazing and very memorable experience”Bhagyashree & Akhil · Tour du Mont Blanc

Read the reviews

The tour

Every summit,
everything looked
after.

Start: Aira Force, Cumbria
Finish: Ambleside, Cumbria
Region: North-West England
Terrain: Mountainous

This guided walk covers 102 kilometres from Aira Force on the north shore of Ullswater to Ambleside. It takes you over 35 Wainwrights — every summit in Alfred Wainwright's Eastern Fells guidebook.

The route divides naturally into three sections: the fells above Ullswater, the Helvellyn ridge and its approaches, and the Fairfield Horseshoe to finish. Smaller daily stages than the three-day run, the same total ground. For walkers who want every summit with everything looked after.

How the tour unfolds.

Five days, three distinct territories. The first two cover the northern fells and the long ridge into Glenridding. The third is Helvellyn — Swirral Edge, the summit plateau, and a long ridge south to Patterdale. The last two close the Fairfield Horseshoe and finish on Red Screes above Ambleside.

Aira Force to Glenridding

The Northern Fells

The first two days take you from Aira Force through the Mell Fells and onto the long northern ridge — Clough Head to Glenridding Dodd — that brings you down into Glenridding.

Day one starts at the Aira Force waterfall and heads north past the falls along Aira Beck before turning east for the first climb. Gowbarrow Fell (481 metres) gives you Ullswater on one side and the Mell Fells ahead. Little Mell Fell (505 metres) and Great Mell Fell (537 metres) follow — three distinct summits before you reach Dockray and the Royal Hotel.

Day two is the ridge. From Dockray the route climbs to Clough Head (726 metres) and then runs south along the Dodds — Great Dodd (857 metres), Watsons Dodd (789 metres), Stybarrow Dodd (843 metres) — before Hart Side, Raise (883 metres), and White Side (863 metres). Sheffield Pike (675 metres) and Glenridding Dodd (442 metres) close the day with Ullswater below and Glenridding at the bottom of the Rake.

Glenridding to Patterdale

The Edges

The third day crosses Helvellyn via Swirral Edge, then continues south along the ridge — Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag — before dropping to Patterdale.

From Glenridding the path climbs to Birkhouse Moor (718 metres), with Helvellyn ahead and the twin arêtes visible on either side. The route descends to Red Tarn before climbing Catstye Cam (890 metres) and crossing Swirral Edge — 500 metres of narrow rocky arête with significant drops on both sides — to reach Helvellyn's summit plateau at 950 metres.

South of the summit the ridge runs through Nethermost Pike (891 metres) and Dollywaggon Pike (858 metres) before dropping to Grisedale Tarn. Seat Sandal (736 metres) follows, then St Sunday Crag (841 metres) with views down into Grisedale and across to Fairfield. The descent runs via Birks (622 metres) and Arnison Crag (433 metres) into Patterdale.

Patterdale to Ambleside

The Fairfield Horseshoe

The last two days cross the Fairfield massif from Patterdale, descend to Rydal, then loop back up the eastern side of the Horseshoe before Red Screes delivers the finish above Ambleside.

Day four leaves Patterdale via Hartsop above How (686 metres) and Hart Crag (823 metres) before reaching Fairfield at 873 metres. The descent follows Great Rigg (766 metres), an out and back to Stone Arthur with views over Grasmere, then Heron Pike (612 metres) and Nab Scar (455 metres) to Rydal.

Day five reverses the angle. From Rydal the route climbs Low Pike (508 metres) and High Pike (657 metres) before crossing to Dove Crag (792 metres) and Little Hart Crag. An out and back to High Hartsop Dodd gives views down into Deepdale, then Middle Dodd (654 metres) before the final climb to Red Screes (779 metres) — the last Wainwright of the trip, with Windermere and the Coniston Fells below. A 5-kilometre descent into Ambleside ends it.

Fixed-date guided tour

Choose your departure.

Two fixed-date departures in autumn 2026. Groups run four to nine — book early.

Selected

5 September 2026 · £2,170 pp

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And that price covers far more than the places you sleep.

Your 5 Days on Wainwright's Eastern Fells price covers far more than a bed and a route. A guide who knows these hills, the stays, the logistics and a real team behind the trip are all part of the same price.

What's included.

Included

Licensed fell guide every day
Five nights' single-room accommodation in family-run properties
Luggage transfers between all five overnight stops
No single supplement — solo price matches shared
Small groups: four to eight walkers per departure
Pre-trip planning call with Craig

Not included

Travel to Aira Force and from Ambleside
Lunches and evening meals on the trail (£15–30 per day)
Travel insurance
Personal walking kit

Reviews from walkers

What it's like to travel with us.

Every review here comes from someone who actually travelled with us — we only ask once the trip's over, and we don't edit what they say.

From walkers on our other trails.

Different routes, same team doing the planning, the bookings and the hand-holding — so these say a lot about what to expect here too.

“An amazing and very memorable experience”
We had a really wonderful experience and are very happy that we went ahead with the trek. It was challenging at times, but overall it was an amazing and very memorable experience. The scenery, the trails and the whole journey were absolutely beautiful. Bhagyashree did have some issues with her knee during the trek, which made a few sections difficult. We didn't let that stop us — we completed most of the trek and, wherever necessary, adapted our plans and took a bus or train for certain stretches rather than putting too much strain on her knee. Managing the trek despite the knee issue made the achievement feel even more special.
Thank you once again for all your help and guidance in planning the trek. Will definitely recommend Big Trail Adventures to all.

Bhagyashree & Akhil · Tour du Mont Blanc · August 2026

“Solo or in a group, I would do this again tomorrow!”
One of the best experiences I have had. I did this solo and felt supported all the way with the BigTrailAdventures team, especially in inclement weather. The vistas were incredible and overnight accommodation was faultlessly organised. Pushing myself during the day ( I ran rather than walked the trail), and then being fed and watered in a hotel in the evening was a treat.
The planning was exceptional and all details were covered.
There is a special time every day when you are overcome with the beauty of the nature that you are seeing, the sweeping vistas and the gratitude for being able to experience this. It rejuvenates your soul.

Lisa · Coast to Coast · May 2026

“Awesome support from start to finish”
The hike, which challenged me in different ways each day, was great. There was so much to see in every direction. The Highlands are simply stunning, clouds and all. The stays were good for the most part, some better than others (one night my room was above the kitchen so it was quite noisy until late into the night and the haunted Inn was a bit much for me :)). The Rowardennan Hotel and Craig Nevis guesthouse were my favorites. All of them offered great breakfasts and most had dinner options with good selections as well.
The planning was amazing. No glitches, except for one minor one at the start where the luggage van changed their drop off location without my knowledge. Thankfully Craig was there in the morning and quickly figured out where they were and even dropped off my luggage for me. Everything else was planned and executed perfectly; my itinerary for each day included great detail of what to expect. The app was awesome and my friends and family loved tracking me every day with the GPS. I had read that the West Highland Way is very popular in spring (when I initially had planned to go) and late summer. It took a lot of back and forth communication about potential dates but Craig very patiently worked it all out. All communication was prompt and thorough. I very much appreciate all the support I received prior and during my adventure!! Thank you Craig!
There are so many moments I will carry with me for a long time, like my first glimpse of the Highlands, all the water everywhere, the coos, day 2 along Loch Lomond when I wished I was a mountain goat and was grateful that it did not rain, arriving at Kingshouse after 19 miles, midges (haha), and so much more.

Nicole · West Highland Way · August 2026

Things walkers ask us.

How fit do I need to be?

102 kilometres over five days with 5,400 metres of ascent is serious walking. You should be comfortable with consecutive days of 18–27 kilometres on rough fell terrain and have a good head for heights — Swirral Edge on Day 3 involves scrambling with significant drops on both sides. If you regularly walk long days in the hills and are comfortable on exposed ridges, you're in the right territory. Not sure? Call Craig before you book.

When is the best time to walk?

May through August gives the longest days and most reliable weather on ground this exposed. September works well too — quieter on the fells, good visibility, and both our launch departures run then. Avoid winter and early spring: the high ridges can carry ice into April, and the shorter days in November or December leave little margin on a 27-kilometre stage.

What does the luggage transfer cover?

We transfer bags between all five overnight stops — Dockray, Glenridding, Patterdale, Rydal, and Ambleside. You walk with a daypack; your kit arrives at the next property before you do. Standard allowance is 20 kg per bag.

What type of accommodation is included?

We book single rooms throughout — there's no single supplement on this tour. All five stops are family-run properties chosen for early starts, drying facilities, and the kind of breakfast you actually want after a full day on the fells. No chains, no shared dorms.

Can I join the tour as a solo walker?

Yes — and the pricing is built for it. The sell price is the same whether you're travelling alone or in a group: no single supplement, ever. Groups run between four and nine people. If you'd like to share a room and bring the cost down, we can try to match you with another solo walker on the same departure.

What's the realistic total cost?

The tour price covers accommodation, bag transfers, and your licensed fell guide for all five days. The 3 October departure is £1,920 per person; the 5 September departure is £2,170. On top of that, budget for meals on the trail — lunches and evening meals, typically £15–30 per day. No additional charges from us.

Talk to Craig before you book.

Craig has spent over ten years in adventure travel — planning logistics and accommodation for hundreds of customers across the Lake District and beyond. He knows where the Eastern Fells catch people out, has spoken to walkers who've been on this ground recently, and can talk through the planning with you before you arrive.

Email Craig

Bag 35 Wainwrightsin five days.

Every summit,everything lookedafter.