 The tour of the Lake District is a 96 mile circuit starting and finishing in the popular tourist town of Ambleside. The trail takes in each of the main Lake District valleys along lakeshores through woodland and other remote mountain passes. Join me as I take on this winter Lakeland adventure with a mix of freezing wild camps and cosy country pubs. There we go, we're back, we're back. Let's earl outslope. Water find, that was lovely. Early night, up, showered, breakfast and we're off. Quarter past nine, so a little bit later than I'd have liked but it's been pissing it down and there's a break in the weather now, it's not raining. I've got a bit of a blister on me right foot, I've put a compede over it so that should be okay. As you can see, look at that for boarding. Low lying cloud up tops, which is where I'm going to be going today, I'm going to be going over at tops and the aim is today to get to beyond Buttermere. We're going to get to Buttermere and get beyond it as close to Keswick as I possibly can. I definitely won't get to Keswick today but as close as. I also managed to dry my tent out and my sleeping bag and my socks and shoes which was a delight. I don't know where I'm going to end up but I need to put the miles in. 45 quid bed and breakfast. It's a steal, an absolute steal, lovely breakfast as well so I recommend that place which I've forgotten the name of but I'll maybe put it on here. Lovely little ale house. All these little bits look like it's, it looks like it's snowing but there's a burning road of dendron over there, invasive species. Now Ash is just falling here. It's quite beautiful, look at this beauty. Absolutely stunning. The tops of the mountains just enveloped in clouds. Wastewater. It's a lovely road, a tarmac road. Look how beautiful it is though by the side of Wastewater all the way along it and this is the deepest lake in the Lake District. I'll have you know. How deep is it? 75 meters which is bonkers isn't it? 75 meters deep. If I had to go in there with three diving gear on still, still won't get to bottom. Keeps raining on and off, nothing too bad. It's not pummeling it down so I've not bothered getting full waterproof gear on yet. We'll see though when I get up there, look at that thickly cloud. I don't really want to be a soggy bollock do I by the time I get there. These little drizzles are okay. If we get anything big it'll cut to me dressed as a massive, God knows what. That's shit banter, sorry. That's the end of Wastewater done. Right he sent me this way but I mean his gauze is overgrown, it's boggy and ow. I'd have probably been better sticking up road. Oh well. I knew this time would come and it's here, big rain. Just got caught out, jack it on and protect the bag. It's not ideals for filming everything this weather but it's the Lake District in winter. You have to be ready for it. You'll get yourself there. I do have a GoPro, I've got no wind buffer on it or or selfie stick or anything so just to get a few shots I just told in it so I might be able to bring you some of that. I haven't put my waterproof trousers on yet because it's not it's not bouncing and I've got a big a big climb out of here and I didn't want to be, there's no point putting them on and sweating inside if I'll just be as wet as that. I've held off putting keks on for now. Right it's coming down, best get you put away, let's get you in here into the sandwich bag with you. Into the sandwich bag with you, come here. Coming through lads, excuse me, excuse moi. What is this? Oh yeah, you're just going to piss it in the middle. All right yeah I guess, boss move. I've switched to GoPro because I'm just holding it in my hand obviously but without a stick on it or anything. So I don't know what audio is like, I've got no external mic on it or wind buffer out. I brought it just as like, I'm going to get across here, bog myrtle. I bought it as just a backup when it starts pissing it down and the other camera will just die on me. Look at these lads, can anyone want to give a lift? You, you come here. Let me get on your back because this is boggy ass. I'm coming up there mate, watch out, watch out. Going up and over, wide berth, look. Yeah, feet are soaking now anyway. We've got to go, see that little, little dell there, dell boy. We've got to go up and through there. What we're up here now it's, I can't really see anything and it's still going up. Mordor. Awesome flat ground, that's nice, on legs. That was a beast, a beast of a climb out there and it's, it's biteingly cold now so it's just over this flat bit and then we start to make a descent towards Buttermere but there's no views to be had. There's supposed to be a good view of this one which is unfortunate but I don't know, it'll probably clear the further down I get. Medic. That's a tough gig coming down these rocks man and the path isn't, isn't that clear as to where to go and because it's been lagging it down rocks are a bit slippy so these are coming in handy as a try not to stack it into misty void. I'm still as happy as a dog with two knobs though. Apparently I've got to go down into this valley and then up and over another pass like that so a bit of a leg pumping day today and so I've not been able to do much filming because it keeps raining and it's, it's now to see so I'll bring you back when it clears up maybe a little bit or something good happens for now let's crack on. Black sail hut. Last time I was here was doing coast to coast so on that bit of grass I had a freeze-ride meal. Locked down. Oh my god. Ascending back up into the clouds. Tough gig. Tough gig today. It's just, it's raining. The winds have stopped a little bit now but it's just like sideways and yeah just back up into the fog. Luckily it's so foggy I can't see the top so it's, I can sort of just pretend like every next corner is the top as I keep going and going. Flagging a bit though so I'll keep going get some electric, in fact I'll do that, it's a good idea. Get some leki lights down me, that's it. Oh they should sort me out, they feel good after that. Leki lights, second wind right come on. Unfortunately it's a bit of a whiteout so the views that I was looking forward to these views are coming across these tops and it's Mother Nature said not today mate, not today. But that's that, the view's out to Nowhere'sville. Begin our descent to Buttermere and walk by the side of the lake below the clouds now and I can get a look of Buttermere through this gorge. Here she be. Good stuff. Good soup. Medic. Today was tough and the weather was against me but as I stroll along the side of Buttermere I'm reminded that all hard times pass and clouds will eventually give way to clear skies. Real growth lies beyond the edge of your comfort zone and all you have to do is turn up. If you make it to the start of whatever challenge you set yourself you've already won. Obviously don't take it literally, you can't just turn up to a football match and be like right as soon as whistle goes like right we've won because as you said you just need to turn up and then you get a victory so and then you start running around with your shirt off your head cheering because that's not the one. After a hard day's hiking I made my way to Buttermere in the hope of a warm meal and maybe a bed for the night. I was over the moon to find both and as my head hit the pillow I was content in knowing that I just simply turned up. There we are feeling suitably refreshed have to stay in at Buttermere met a subscriber in there so big up you I said I should give a shout out John and your delightful wife Rachel it wasn't there but I'd like to say hello. Feeling strong the weather forecast has to be a bit shit today and I'm heading over the tops towards Keswick well I know I'm not I'm going to be rushing this I'm not going to make it and windy and you know what as well I've been thinking like sorry I've got what I wanted out of this I feel good I've got what I wanted out of it and I don't want to break my body and have to rush everything because as I say I've got a pick fern up who's in Sri Lanka I've got a picker up from the airport in London I have family to see and things to do for some reason I thought I could just waltz this in like four or five days it ain't going to happen so rather than just bust me sell up what I think I'm going to do is hike to Keswick and then bust from Keswick back to Ambleside and then I'll come and do the Keswick to Ambleside bit later on at another time because I'm feeling good and I don't want to ruin it by breaking my body and then being late and rushing around and because then it's just all for nothing then isn't it it's just all because this trip is supposed to be me being good to me selling that and then it'd be all for now so that's the plan to join me as we hike over to Keswick so I've not really done much long distance hiking during winter I have multi days and I don't know if it's for me like the wild camping day in day out in winter because once your tent gets wet that's it there's no way to dry it really and it's not good for morale getting to when it gets I like to hike long days like when I'm out hiking and but when it gets to five o'clock it's dark so at like half four you're having to look for somewhere to pitch up and then you just take your tent bound in wet tent for hours and hours until you've got enough light to set off again which you know I get it as a challenge and it was a challenge you know the first the first day and night that was great and I feel like I did it I mean this is day four I'm having a decent hike legs are hurting and shoulder for some reason it's wonderful and I don't know I'm not just justifying it's you lot that I'm gonna get a bus back from Keswick Tomasai but I feel totally cool with it it's what I want to do so my ankle that was already giving me a jib it's just turning over giving me more jib 13 funny doesn't like I don't even know maybe a mile maybe a mile and ankles in dog house oh well that just cements me just cements me decision anyway that's the beauty of it lads and lassies this sort of adventure just making it up as I go along because it never really was about the destination it was all about the start and it was all about getting my body and my mind to a place where I felt like I could set off on an adventure and I conquered it and I'm happy about it and uh and you know what it's reminding me of is I'm coming along here and you know ankles tweaking and that and I've had a lot of a lot of time to think a lot of chats to myself and uh it's do you know what it reminds me of forest gump because uh you know when he just starts running when ed when his head goes ankles going when his head goes and he just starts running and then one day he just stops he doesn't and no rhyme the reason to it no destination no nothing he just stops that's how I feel I feel like I'm doing this adventure and it's like I've got it I've taken I've taken the lessons that it's given me and I've enjoyed it and if I keep going then it's just gonna have an adverse effect so it's perfect timing forest dump I've still got like I've got about eight miles eight eight or nine miles though through these delicious valleys I was in my own world and my path's up there go boiling bag mate I'm boiling in bag the only thing is though it keeps wind off you know like it's that time of year like the wind is freezing cold it's all about layering this time of year it takes a lot of effort taking stuff off and on because your temperature just goes like that I'm getting up from walking up ills and then the minute you stop it's freezing that wind chill on top you can see how fast clouds are moving oh you probably can't but they are moving some right then so yeah cacti and I best get missing up there that was near enough vertical that was a swine you know what this calls for don't you electrolytes will you go up there do you think probably not or anywhere no you've put you there sort of maybe put you there look oh mate whoo electrolytes man that's what it calls for good clobber shall we have a sleep let's have a look at the map see where we're at are we back yes right we're back on the track now can you even see anything all over we're back on the track now going off these ridge lines we've got a traverse it's pretty much traversing and then down so we're just traversing now there's no real big climbs by looks of it which my uncle would be quite thankful for actually I hope it flattens out a bit right crack on unlike forest gump I decided that the destination was actually quite important to me so join me next week as we continue the tour of the lake district what's this what did it used to be this is beautiful isn't it look a bit of a detour but look at that man look at cloud go that's my path up and around there I don't know what this gaffe is beautiful place though took us away man places I would never I would never know existed if it didn't just get off my ass and get out here feeling very grateful how calm it is on this side of hill I've just come up at top then it was below in a gale real boggy feet are absolutely bogged out but just as I come up at top oh just look at this beautiful the sun's out oh oh that is nice the little things man it appreciating the little things like just not having the wind smashing your face it's an absolute joy right we're gonna it's a big traversing day today we're traversing all the way around here and out of there through the side of these two big units I'm not even avoiding water now just going through it look the path here is pretty much just a a little stream in it if you really tried you could keep your feet dry you know if you wanted to wear something with a bit more ankle support like your sturdy hiking boots your leather hiking boots waterproof but is anything really waterproof and you were just you know mindful of which which way you went you probably could keep your feet dry but it's just that off chance like I was keeping my feet dry and there's been a couple of times where it's just I've stood in a bog and gone right up to you know of a gator and just been like oh well if that was me in boots that would have been it wouldn't it just soaking in boots and then taking the edges to to dry out for this things like that I'm not going to go through that there you have to have a bit of you have to avoid it a little bit don't you can I get a feel without taking a knee like here man it's just bog my poor playing havoc with ankle on this side bit I'm alright on flat it's these bits when it's on a a bit of a hey up medic not seeing many medics on this one I'll be honest with you a few and far between so you got a live one there that's pretty cool it's pretty rare put a flare next to him you'll be all right chopper will come and sort him soon 100 survival rate so far on this trip in rear view mirror and it looks like we're coming down into some farmland now works mate ankles are right now it was only when he when I was walking on them side but now it's on road it's fine so happy days couple of fighter jets just gone over amazing loud just just terrifying me as well when you think what they actually made for they're not made to take you to tenor e father they're made to take you to afterlife and it's terrifying when you make noise you're like imagine if that's lasting words that was coming for you yeah power now much yeah you can't believe it look yeah CEO of latch and locks yeah in the building right I've gone wrong way that's what I was going to say I've gone wrong way not massively but it just means there's more roads stuffing I wanted to join it sorry if it's a bit windy I wanted to join the the Cumbria way at the side of don't watch I think it's doing what I'm sorry if I've got that wrong where me and Fern had a fire that one time and I was going to go for a little dip because I want to get in there but this way is taking me not that way so I might have to look do a little back pedal a little bit of a back pedal because I can't not have a dip I want to finish on a dip can't just get into kezik and what we're going to do there dip me selling what dip me selling a louse I like that I've come wrong way because you get to see like I like nosing I like nosing on all houses medic I've goofed I can't join on to it but to get into into Lake I've goofed it's private property to cut across no no public right away so annoyingly I'm stuck on this thing here for three miles he knows it's all right woke up here suitably refreshed after a milisania couple of pints a good night's keeping away we go I took this road down here if I zoom out you can see this is the route it's supposed to go on my detour took me up here then I double back on myself and carried on down this road the dendron speaking a road of dendrons water segue they were burning roadies in here and it looked like it was snowing all ash was coming off them they're an invasive species so you have to sort of control them we get to the side of was water and this is a lovely quiet road well it was because it was pissing it down it was middle of week in winter so in summer it's not so quiet but I pretty much add it to myself so this is nice hiking all the way along the side of was water super deep the deepest lake in the lakes for anyone who's going to be doing anything winter this way was pretty overgrown with gorse and pretty boggy as well got a bit of a soggy soggy trotters on this way if I could do it again I just took this road over this nice bridge to wasdale head which is an option that you can count good campsite decent airhouse I was dealing a lot with rain today the weather was not on my side up through this lovely valley and then we're going to cut up here this was steep mate this was steep but black sail pass up and over couldn't tell you what the views are like makes it was pea soup so I just came over here down here as you can see from the contours really steep coming down here quite slippy in parts over this bridge past black sail hut lovely little youth hostel at middle of nowhere here not that I had my phone but you there's no signal there's you're a long way from any road so it's pretty remote remembering not to carry on on this path here you've got to come off and follow this fence up here again quite steep up to the top nice views a high crag and haystacks alfred wernwright's favourite area and where his ashes were scattered come over the top down here I mean it was pea soup again I couldn't see anything but as I came as I descended down through the cloud it opened up and I did get some nice views of bottom here hit the side of it and followed bottom here all along there's two options you can go through the woods I chose to stick to the side of the of the lake carried on going and then into bottom here where I did get tucked into alehouse and got a pint on and some food and then someone recognised me who watches the channel so had a couple of pints with my mate woke up in morning nice breakfast and she even made me a little pack up a little a yogurt and apple and a bit of cheese or whatever just like a simple pack up but that was very much appreciated so off I went and along here and this was lovely this is this was really nice hiking through here and then I goofed here look I've written wrong where look so you're supposed to go up here follow this path and along but I didn't I kept going which just meant I had a steep a steep thing here which was there was no path and that was steep long ago I really enjoyed this actually really nice hiking all the way along and now we start to descend down to the road and I have a bit goofed here because I goofed you see we're taking the road around this is where I should have gone I should have gone across here which would have joined me up with the Cumbia way and took me this way but I didn't I was stuck on the road for quite some time all the way pretty much actually all the way into Keswick I was doing road work all the way into Keswick and when I got to Keswick I had a bit of an head scratching and I got me I got a bus from Keswick and I tell you what a lovely bus journey from Keswick back to Ambleside where I got me van managed to get to the airport in time to pick Furno saw me family did everything that I needed to do and now I'm back I'm back in Keswick and we're ready to take on the rest of the challenge so I don't know what's coming up but I know that I plan to do a lot of the high routes and the longer routes and get some camps up top because I've got no time restraints now so I'm really going to take me time do some while swimming and and get back to Ambleside and complete the loop so stay tuned for that if you're not subscribed already consider subscribing and hit the bell if you want to be notified of the next upload and thanks for watching bye for now