Braithwaite - The village was once a much larger, industrial community - home to miners, woolen-millers and pencil-makers. The Cumberland Pencil Company had a factory here from 1868 until 1898, when a fire resulted in its demolition and the transfer of manufacturing to Keswick. Approaching Keswick along the A66 it is the North-western fells, rising west of the town, principally Eel Crag and Grisedale Pike, that draw most avid attention. The suggested impressive 10 mile [black] walking tour (with 3816ft of ascent) tightly embraces the skyline of Coledale and includes the summits of Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head, Eel Crag, Sail, Outerside and Barrow. The omission of Causey Pike is the natural by-product of a focus on Braithwaite. Should you decide to take the alternative return route via Scar Crags ridge and claim the Causey Pike, please bear in mind that the initial descent east has rock-step obstacles which may present problems to the uninitiated.

From Keswick the summit of Barrow catches the eye almost as much as the higher one of Causey Pike. Outerside on the other hand is largely hidden from this angle but is higher and a fine fell in its own right. As they are not part of the Coledale Skyline, this results in these summits being relatively unvisited (and part of their attraction). However the magnificent views on offer throughout means that this alternative 5 mile [red] route (with 1500ft of ascent) offers an ideal introduction to walking in the English Lake District.