Base camp

If you want to climb a mountain, it’ll be tough, right? And there’s no point staying low in the valleys if you’re after a big adventure, right? Actually, wrong on both counts. CW sets out to show that at both high level and low, the Lake District has the power to surprise.

Because Skiddaw and Wast Water aren’t the only walks that defy conventional wisdom in the Lakes…

Perhaps more than any other fell in the Lake District, HELVELLYN is best known for its ridges – two of them particularly. There are a couple more that are worthy of note though, even if they aren’t really Helvellyn’s.

• Distance: 8¾ miles/14.2km • Time: 4½ ...

THE LAKE DISTRICT is now home to England’s highest nature reserve. Up on the Back o’ Skiddaw, a new project seeks to revive the nature of this rough and remote land.

After the easiest mountain, meet the exact opposite. Bring mint cake and ankle support. You’ll need both.