1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
1. Raby Castle
Meeting Point: Raby Castle
We begin the Big Smile in the magnificent grounds of Raby Castle. We follow a broad path through the grassy landscape where Red and Fallow Deer herds live wild. We pass the impressively maintained medieval castle, built between 1367 and 1390 by John Neville, the 3rd Baron Neville de Raby.
We wander through Ladywood and then up towards Raby Home Farm and then Shotton enjoying the beautiful countryside home to some superb flora and fauna.
Eventually, we leave the Raby estate and find ourselves heading over Cockfield fell, common land pock marked with evidence of human habitation including flint arrowheads dating back to 8000BC.
We skirt around Cockfield itself and back through the estate to finish back at Raby Castle in a wonderful start to the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 20 km ( 12.47 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★☆☆
Sponsored By: The Ramside Hall Hotel
13. Scafell Pike Challenge
Date: 07/07/2021
Meeting Point: Old Dungeon Ghyll Car Park, Great Langdale, LA22 9JY
Our trek towards the highest mountain in England begins in Great Langdale. We take a path out of Old Dungeon Ghyll which leads us onto The Band, which we follow onto Bowfell.
From here, we carry on to Esk Pike and then round Esk Hause, working our way up to Scafell Pike - the highest point in England at 978 metres. Afterwards, we loop round Great End, and then down towards Angle Tarn below Rossett Pike. We drop down to the valley bottom and make our way on to our end point.
A challenging, but hugely rewarding stage carries us over some of the Lake District’s most iconic mountains. Requiring good fitness and plenty of determination, it is one of the standout stages of the Big Smile Walks.
Distance: 19.94 km (12.39 miles)
Difficulty Rating: ★★★★★