Patterdale lies just beyond the southern tip of Ullswater. Smaller and quieter than neighbouring Glenridding, it has a shop, hotel, pub, youth hostel, several guesthouses and a campsite. It’s an excellent place for walkers to base themselves, with lots of superb fell routes starting from the village. Helvellyn (3116ft/950m) can be climbed from here, either via Grisedale or the exciting Striding Edge, as can the easier Place Fell (2155ft/657m) on the opposite side of the valley. For a challenging round on the high fells, there’s the 10-mile Deepdale Horseshoe, taking in St Sunday Crag and Fairfield (2863ft/873m), among others.
Further up the valley is Hartsop, a cluster of unspoilt stone cottages, some still with their external spinning galleries from the days when this area was renowned for wool-spinning.
