Little Town

The walk begins in the tiny hamlet of Little Town in the Newlands Valley, a peaceful starting point surrounded by classic Lakeland scenery. It’s a narrow road to Little Town so takes careful driving abut there are the odd passing place. Once at Little Town you have 2 options for parking (both £5 all day – both honesty box style) – Little Town Farm and Chapel Bridge Car Park. 

Walking from Little Town

From Little Town the route heads south-west initially on the road to Newlands Church, then onto a footpath and steadily gaining height as the valley opens up behind you. The early stages feel quiet and remote, with Robinson rising ahead as a broad, grassy mass, though the rocky skyline of Robinson Craggs hints that the ascent won’t be entirely gentle.

As the path steepens towards Robinson Craggs, the character of the walk begins to change. The grassy slopes give way to rougher ground and scattered rock, and the views begin to expand dramatically. Looking back, the whole length of Newlands Valley stretches out below, framed by familiar fells like Catbells and the distant bulk of Skiddaw on the horizon.

Climbing Robinson via Robinson Craggs

The climb alongside Robinson Craggs is the most interesting part of the ascent. The path winds its way upwards through broken rocky ground, occasionally steep but never difficult. It’s a good place to pause and take in the scenery — Buttermere appearing between the folds of the hills, with the High Stile ridge rising beyond.

Higher up, the terrain begins to flatten slightly as the summit plateau of Robinson approaches. On colder days, this exposed top often holds onto winter longer than the valleys below. Even in early spring, patches of snow can linger here, lying in shallow hollows and along the wind-sheltered edges of the plateau.

Reaching the summit of Robinson feels surprisingly spacious. At 737 metres it’s one of the highest fells in this part of the Lake District, and the views are superb in every direction. To the west the fells above Buttermere dominate the skyline, while to the north the land rolls away towards Keswick and Bassenthwaite Lake.

Along Littledale Edge

Rather than heading straight back down, the route continues south-east along Littledale Edge. This is one of those classic Lakeland ridges that feels wild but friendly — broad, grassy and easy to walk, with the land falling away on both sides.

Walking along this ridge gives a completely different perspective of the surrounding fells. Robinson quickly falls behind, while the shapely summit of Hindscarth slowly draws nearer ahead. The ground undulates gently, making for relaxed walking compared to the steeper climb earlier in the day.

The ridge also offers some wonderful views down into the hidden valley of Littledale, a quiet and rarely visited corner of the fells that adds to the sense of space and solitude.

Climbing Hindscarth

The final climb of the day is the steady pull up to Hindscarth. It’s not a difficult ascent, but after already climbing Robinson it reminds your legs that you’ve earned the views.

From the top of Hindscarth, the panorama opens up again — perhaps even better than Robinson in some ways. Derwentwater glints in the distance, the Newlands Valley spreads out below, and the long ridge leading to Dale Head rises just beyond.

It’s a fantastic place to stop for a while before starting the descent.

Descent via Scope End

From Hindscarth the route drops north-east towards Scope End, a broad grassy shoulder that leads back down into the Newlands Valley. The descent is straightforward but steep in places, and the views ahead down the valley are superb as you lose height.

Scope End feels like a natural finishing line for the high ground. From here the path continues steadily downward across open fellside until fields and stone walls begin to reappear, signalling the return to the valley floor.

Before long the roofs of Little Town come back into view, completing a circular walk that feels far bigger than its distance suggests.

A Classic Newlands Valley Circuit

This Robinson and Hindscarth circuit is one of those walks that quietly delivers everything you want from a Lake District day out — varied terrain, dramatic scenery and a real sense of space. Starting from Little Town keeps the route peaceful, and the combination of Robinson Craggs, Littledale Edge and the climb over Hindscarth makes it far more interesting than simply heading up and down the same path.

On colder days, the patches of snow on Robinson’s summit add a final touch of wildness — a reminder that even when spring arrives in the valleys, the high fells still hold onto winter just a little longer.

It’s a route that shows off the best of the Newlands Valley and one that’s well worth returning to again and again.