Orrest Head Windermere - Wainwright's first walk

[@AlanMETALMAN]

Never been to the top before, every time we have been to Windermere it is just the shops, boats and cafes, looks like we have missed out on a canny little walk with big views. Next time! Cheers Alan

[@jonathancraigguides]

There are three great little walks on the fells to the East of the town. Orrest Head by the direct route is the most popular, but there are actually 6 routes up, including one lovely country style walk that takes you around to the North of the fell. Add to that School Knott, a fell I have climbed well in excess of 5,000 times (being a dog owner for 25 years keeps you fit!) and Brantfell, which overlooks Bowness on Windermere. The good news is that you can combine them all into one walk, which makes a great day out.

[@kevinevans2022]

Nice walk I'm breathless sat here 👍

[@jonathancraigguides]

Thank you.

[@MrVigorbrasil]

great video -- thanks for sharing!😀

[@jonathancraigguides]

Thank you.

[@barneyrooney7126]

Excellent walking and movie. Must do it in the summer time soon.

[@jonathancraigguides]

+Barney Rooney You never know, we might bump into you one summer evening.

[@jonathancraigguides]

I could not have put that better myself. Speaking as a resident of Windermere, it is also a really good walk on a summer evening when you've been in the office all day, especially when the weather is hot. (Great at 6.30 in the moring too).

[@bridgehousegrasmere]

Nice film with aa added bit of gentle humour!

[@jonathancraigguides]

It is about 20 minutes if yoiu are relatively fit. The path does continue over Orrest Head and down the other side, or there are other routes to the top which take a couple of hours or so. If you are in Bowness then the Burn How Hotel sells a walking book that features a good route over Applethwaite Common and approaches the summit of Orrest Head from the other side. The book has 8 walks, and costs just £2.99 so is good value. Whichever way you go, enjoy your day.

[@jonathancraigguides]

@fellgirlwithstyle1 I note that you have commented about all my videos, which was nice, so thank you for that. Do you have all the books? With regard to the route up Orrest Head, there are six that I can think of. The idea of the video was to recreate the walk Wainwright took, and not the one in the book. But since you asked, I'll bear your request in mind when we are planning our next lot of videos.

[@toddbrydges4580]

Great little walk, Ive seen the sign to from the roadside, how many videos have you made Eric? Kenny.( PS its my sons account, thats why is name is on here, Todd. Thanks again Eric TC

[@jonathancraigguides]

Thank you. This particular video was the second one I did. No script, shot in two hours, on a low cost compact camera, but enormous fun. Since then (November 2010) I have uploaded 38 walk videos onto the channel, however, I decided to remove one as the quality really was not good enough. There are another ten or so that are compilations, usually made and uploaded as I have spare footage. Two more feature scenes of birds. I was just playing around with my camera, seeing what it would do, and ended up filming the birds nesting or at the feeder. Then there is a 2016 year end 'out-takes' compilation, was great fun to do. I am looking to produce more videos, but am also writing some simple walking books, not neccessarily the walks featured in the videos, but upgrades of books I did for some hotels a few years since. All great fun to do, and hopefully helpful to people. I've been fell walking in the Lake District since 1970, so a lot of ground has been covered in those years, with tons of interesting history to discover. I'm pleased you are enjoying them.

[@jonathancraigguides]

@bridgehousegrasmere Thank you for that. I think a bit of gentle humour on the fells is perfectly acceptable, but I don't think AW would have agreed. By all accounts he did not like idle chatter and when he visited Orrest Head just sat and gazed entranced at the view. he could not believe what was in front of his eyes.

[@SamJudd]

I can see why wainwright was inspired

[@duyaqi123]

Could I walk from orrest head to Post Knott on the this mountain?

[@jonathancraigguides]

You can walk from Orrest Head to Post Knott via School Knott quite easily. Each is a separate peak. You can get a leaflet showing the route at Windermere Tourist Centre, near the Railway station.

[@sheilahoward2444]

Once through the kissing gate, if you take the path to the right, instead of going straight ahead, it ,s an easier climb and avoids that last few yards steep scramble.

[@jonathancraigguides]

That is true nowadays, although when the video was made in 2010 that path was a bit of a muddy mess. Also, the old carriage path which is now in use and easier to walk than the trek up through the trees was not available in 2010. I think the sheer number of people who take the walk every year has prompted the Town Council to continually review and improve the access.

[@RosemaryWoodel]

I enjoyed the humor.

[@jonathancraigguides]

+Rosemary Woodel Thank you. I like to to put a smile on someones face. BTW, this video will be updated later this year, but the old version will stay online.