NY1759017007 Leave the village by the path to the lake, passing the Buttermere Court Hotel (readers of a certain vintage will refuse to call it anything other than the Fish). In front of you is the impressive cascade of Sour Milk Ghyll, tumbling through lovely wooded slopes. You want the good news? Up there is where we're going.

NY1727216264 At the outflow of the lake, take the slanting path up through the woods, zagging back on a shelving line to attain the lip of Bleaberry Comb with its lovely tarn. Head up onto the col separating the parent fell from the rounded Dodd, and make the final pull up to the summit at 755 m.

NY1604915431 The ridge is a delight, with easy walking along a tightrope stretched between the Buttermere valley and Ennerdale. Pillar looks tremendous, as do Gable and Kirk Fell. And Grasmoor. And Whiteless Pike. You get the picture, and you'll probably take a few as well. Especially grand is the prospect from High Stile, with the giddying drop into Bleaberry Comb adding tremendous depth. There's a steep drop-off after High Crag, then further interest is added by threading your way over the smaller, knobblier heights of Seat, Haystacks and Green Crag. This is explorers' territory par excellence, winding though a landscape of tarns, crags and heather.

NY2082013355 After the crossing of Warnscale Beck, just below Dubs Quarry, take a beeline (trending North-north-west) to the delightful summit of Fleetwith Pike.

NY2058214171 This is a good place to make an honest inventory of remaining energy, daylight and parking time, because the option is presented of a truncation of the route, heading down Fleetwith Edge and returning along the lakeshore. Still got some pep? Then follow the exciting escarpment east-south-east, with its vertiginous plummet to Gatesgarthdale Beck, down to join quarry roads to the mine at the pass summit.

NY2251013565 There is refreshment available here. Take it from one who knows: a Baileys hot chocolate with a mound of cream offers a significant calorific contribution. Cross the road and follow the fence line up the grassy nose, all the way to Dale Head.

NY2230115322 At Dale Head, the prospect north offers new potential to add to your photo collection. Yes, it's been taken a million times before but it would be churlish not to, wouldn't it? Follow the ridge northwest, then swing in a graceful arc to the north-north-east until you reach Hindscarth.

NY2156916487 Hindscarth is the "middle child" of the Dale Head-Robinson family: it presents an unremarkable aspect from the back, as here, but it makes a superb ascent in its own right from the north. And its to the north that the eye and camera will be drawn. When you've taken your fill, head south, but this time trend rightwards, to gain Littledale Edge and the last pull of the day, up to Robinson.

NY2018916852 From the summit, drop west, to pick up a rather splashy descent over the remarkable morass of Buttermere Moss, also known as High Snockrigg. Keep following this down to join the Newlands Pass road just above the church and the village.