Wansfell Pike is a Wainwright fell, offering stunning panoramic views.  It stands at 482 metres (1581 feet), just outside of Ambleside in the southern Lake District.  It is a big fell for little legs, and a continuous steep climb.  This route is an out and back, totalling 3 miles.  We’d recommend this walk for older, more capable children walkers or those with young babies that are being carried.  I saw several babies in back pack carriers on their way up!

Park in Ambleside.  There is a large pay and display car park in the town centre called Rydal Road car park.  Drive through the one way system, and follow signs out off Ambleside towards Rydal, Grasmere and Keswick.  After the mini roundabout, the car park is almost immediately on your left.  The postcode for your sat nav is LA22 9AY, and the grid reference is 376047 on OS map OL7.

Walk in to Ambleside town centre, and follow the A591 past the post office on your left.  Continue past the Salutation Hotel, then take the small road on your left called Stockghyll Lane.  There is a Thai restaurant and some public toilets on the corner.  Follow the road up as it winds round to the left and right.

Continue to follow the road upwards until you reach Stockghyll falls.  Here you can choose to walk through the woods and check out the falls, or continue up the road.  So long as you keep to the right path in the woods, once you’ve seen the falls you’ll see an exit to the right which will bring you back out to the road.  Turn left to continue on your way up Wansfell Pike.

After a couple of hundred metres, you’ll see a clearly signed footpath to the right, leading you off the road and up the fell.  It’s a very easy to navigate path, as it’s simply straight up!  Just keep going uphill until you can no longer go up!

From the top there are amazing panoramic views over Windermere and the surrounding fells.  You can even see right out the Morecambe Bay on a good day.

This is an out and back walk, so once you’ve had your picnic and enjoyed the views, head back down the way you came, bringing your walk to 3 miles in total.  Here is the full route map:

There are several nice pubs in Ambleside town centre, we’ve personally visited and enjoyed the White Lion and the Golden Rule.  If you fancy a cafe, there are some delicious feasts to be had, one of our favourites is The Apple Pie, which you walk past on the way back to the car.*

Also, if you need any outdoor kit, Gaynor Sports is an awesomely huge outdoor clothing store.  We can never resist having a look for a bargain in there!*

Other walks near here include Stockghyll Falls, Wray Castle, Brockhole and Rydal caves.  Plus, you can walk up this very fell from Troutbeck village.

For more family walks, great picnic spots and pubs, stay up to date and “like” our facebook page Family Walks and Pubs in the Lake District and follow us on Twitter @familywalklakes

* FYI, these are just our favourites, we receive no money or kick back for mentioning these businesses names.