Britain's Favourite Walks: Top 100

Last night Julia Bradbury and Ore Oduba presented a show Britain's Favourite Walks: Top 100 on ITV showcasing walks voted for by more than 8,000 walking enthusiasts.

Unsurprisingly walks in the Lake District did well taking five of the top ten places including the top spot. So here they are:

1. Helvellyn

Helvellyn was top of the bunch. Not a fell for the inexperienced walker at the moment as summit conditions remain potentially hazardous in the snow but it's a great walk in the summer.

Helvellyn Trig Point

We have two walks which go to the summit of Helvellyn:

• Helvellyn round from Thirlmere - a gentle warm up through the woods above Thirlmere Reservoir before climbing into the mountains means we avoid much of the bustle and scrambling on Striding and Swirrel Edges. Still a serious mountain walk, it is not especially difficult or arduous.
• Helvellyn, The Classic Ridges of Striding and Swirral Edge - there are many fine ways to climb Helvellyn but an ascent via Striding Edge has to be considered the most spectacular of all. This narrow ridge has a reputation of being scary and difficult. Although anyone who has done a few Wainwright Fells will have already met similar individual obstacles, such as a short down climb, or a scramble up over a boulder here on Striding Edge these are all put together with the delight, or terror, of standing on a narrow walkway with valleys falling away to either side.

4. Catbells

The rather smaller Cat Bells came in at number four and we're not surprised. Its position across Derwent Water from Keswick makes it an obvious fell to walk up for anyone starting from there and it's one of the most popular on our site.

Skelgill Bank and Catbells

We have four walks which go to the summit of Catbells:

• Catbells - this is the classic route, starting from the north end to make your way up the ridge to the summit and then back along the eastern flank above Derwent Water.
• Catbells and the Newlands valley - a variation of that route, this time returning along the western flank and Newlands valley.
• Catbells, Maiden Moor, High Spy - A Half Newlands - this walk takes you along the ridge from Catbells, across Maiden Moor and on to High Spy, before dropping down to Dale Head Tarn and the long but beautiful trek back beside the infant Newlands Beck. Not to be considered just half-a-walk or any such mischievousness, it really is a grand day out.
• A Journey from Buttermere to Keswick - unusually for us this is not a circular walk. It takes you from the lovely village of Buttermere, over the Wainwright fells of Robinson, Hindscarth, Dale Head, High Spy, Maiden Moor and, last but not least, Catbells. To walk these in a day is usually accomplished as the Newlands Horseshoe, but here we've taken a slightly different look at them.

5. Scafell Pike

Scafell Pike, the highest summit in England, was bound to be in there somewhere (Wales' Snowdon was 2 and Scotland's Ben Nevis was 15). Scafell Pike does get a lot of visitors.

Scafell Pike Summit

We have six walks which go there:

• Scafell Pike - The Easy Way - this, unsurprisingly, is the most popular walk on our web site although in truth, it's not our favourite way up as it's just straight up and then straight down again from Wasdale. But if you just want to tick it off your list this is the way to do it.
• Scafell Pike via Mickledore - a variation on the above route so you go up and down via different routes.
• Scafell Pike via the Corridor Route from Wasdale - the "Corridor Route" is a section of path usually used on the route to Scafell Pike from Seathwaite in Borrowdale, but it also makes a fantastic and more interesting alternative to the usual routes from Wasdale which go via Hollow Stones. You also get to summit Round How and Round How if you're looking for more hills to bag.
• Scafell Pike from Seathwaite via the Corridor Route - a route favoured by many people as it doesn't involve the long drive around to Wasdale, is to start from Seathwaite. It's still an out and back, but it's a more interesting route.
• Scafell Pike and Scafell via Foxes Tarn - this take you via Scafell, the second highest mountain in England (and once thought to be the highest), so you get to bag two summits in one walk.
• Great End, Scafell Pike, and Lingmell: a roundabout journey - this rather fine walk came about due to a spell of hot weather and the need to join up water sources for Jessie to drink or cool down in. So we joined up Sty Head, Sprinkling Tarn, and Calf Cove, before heading over Great End, Scafell Pike, and Lingmell. Then we took the easy route down to Lingmell Gill for water again. It was a lovely way to join up remote places and fells with stunning views, not necessarily taking the direct line.

7. Buttermere

Not all the walks in the top 100 were up hills and the walk Around Buttermere was the first which didn't involve a climb. We've got lots of other walks around Buttermere area too if you want something more adventurous.

8. The Old Man of Coniston

Back to hills again we come to The Old Man of Coniston which is another very popular choice on our site.

• The Old Man of Coniston - the third most popular walk on our site this is a short, but interesting linear walk with lots of industrial archaeology.
• The Old Man of Coniston, from Coniston village - another largely linear walk but somewhat more challenging as it starts from the village rather than a car park part way up.
• The Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Swirl How, Wetherlam - a terrific high level traverse of The Old Man of Coniston along the ridge to Brim Fell and Swirl How, then down Prison Band and a good climb back up to Wetherlam. The return via Swirl Hawse, Levers Water and the path above the Coppermines Valley provides a great end to the day.

27. Coffin Route, Ambleside

The Coffin Route is a track from Grasmere to Ambleside and parts of it are used by several of our walks near Grasmere and Ambleside including Grasmere and Rydal Water.

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