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  • Views from the Lake District National Park, Ambleside.
    Views from the Lake District National Park, Ambleside. Photo: Alexey Fedorenko, Adobe Stock

Hikes & Walks In The Lake District

England,United Kingdom

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The natural beauty of the British countryside is well-known, and nowhere is this more evident than in the captivating hills and gorgeous valleys of the Lake District. If you enjoy putting on a good pair of walking boots and covering miles of terrain by enduring good hikes to walk, then this is the destination.  It's no surprise that the Lake District is one of the UK's most popular national parks, with spectacular mountain views and tarns. 

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The 10 most beautiful hikes in Lake District

St Sunday Crag and the eastern fells
Hiking route · North West England
Birks and Arnison Crag
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
4
7.7 km
2:44 h
463 m
463 m
Starting from Patterdale in the eastern Lake District, an ascent of the Wainwright fells of Birks and Arnison Crag, with good views over Ullswater
Community
Wansfell Pike - View of Ambleside
Hiking route · North West England
Ambleside and Wansfell Pike
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
11.4 km
4:30 h
550 m
550 m
Ambleside and Wansfell Pike Circular walk from Ambleside to Troutbeck and up Wansfell Pike and back down to Ambleside Tour details: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/ambleside-wansfell-pike/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
beautiful paths
Hiking route · North West England
Cumbria Way 2: Lowick Bridge - Coniston
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate Stage 2
16.1 km
5:00 h
217 m
186 m
Cumbria Way 2: Lowick Bridge - Coniston From Lowick Bridge to Beacon Tarn and over the Coniston Water to Coniston. Detailed information: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/lowick-bridge-coniston/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
it goes over there
Hiking route · North West England
Cumbria Way 5: Rosthwaite - Keswick
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate Stage 5
13 km
4:00 h
91 m
93 m
Cumbria Way 5: Rosthwaite - Keswick From Rosthwaite, the route crosses the Derwent Water to Keswick. Detailed information: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/rosthwaite-keswick/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
Stake Pass
Hiking route · North West England
Cumbria Way 4: Great Langdale - Rosthwaite
Toprecommended route Difficulty difficult Stage 4
14.3 km
5:00 h
423 m
425 m
Cumbria Way 4: Great Langdale - Rosthwaite From Great Lagdale the route leads up the valley to Stake Pass and then into the Borrowdale Valley and then to Rosthwaite.Detailed information: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/great-langdale-rosthwaite/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
beautiful paths shortly after Coniston
Hiking route · North West England
Cumbria Way 3: Coniston - Great Langdale
Toprecommended route Difficulty difficult Stage 3
17.5 km
5:30 h
297 m
248 m
Cumbria Way 3: Coniston - Great Langdale From Coniston to Tawn Hows, on to Elter Water and into the Tasl Great Langdale. Details: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/coniston-great-langdale/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
Long-distance view from Lowick Beacon
Hiking route · North West England
Cumbria Way 1: Ulverston - Lowick Bridge
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate Stage 1
13.3 km
4:00 h
352 m
341 m
Cumbria Way 1: Ulverston - Lowick Bridge From Ulverston via the Lowick Beacon to Lowick Bridge Detailed information: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/ulverston-lowick-bridge/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
Head of Buttermere
Hiking route · North West England
Buttermere
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
6
7.6 km
1:58 h
32 m
32 m
The classic 5 mile circuit of Buttermere, starting from Buttermere village
Community
steep path to Skiddaw House
Hiking route · North West England
Cumbria Way 6: Keswick - Caldbeck
Toprecommended route Difficulty difficult Stage 6
24.9 km
8:00 h
748 m
672 m
Cumbria Way 6: Keswick - Caldbeck Day 6 on the Cumbria Way - From Keswick we head up to Skiddaw House, then across a plateau to High Pike before descending back down to Caldbeck. More info: https://www.uwestanke.de/fernwanderwege/cumbria-way/keswick-caldbeck/
alpenvereinaktiv.com
Hiking route · North West England
Place Fell from Patterdale
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
14
6.5 km
2:25 h
499 m
498 m
From Patterdale in the eastern Lake District, a walk beside Ullswater, then a climb up to Place Fell, descending via Boredale Hause
Community
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What Are the Easiest Walks in the Lake District?

Buttermere to Rannerdale Knotts

Head to the lovely Buttermere for one of the most picturesque lakeside walks in the country, where towering trees stand vigil along its southern banks and pebbly beaches virtually scream for stone-skimming competitions. As you wend your way out of the Buttermere Valley, go out into the exciting Lakeland Ridge for a hike that reveals beautiful hills covered in shade and sunlight, ruling over the patchwork fields and a trio of stunning lakes below. Expect to spend a couple of hours on this three-mile loop trail.

Hiking route · North West England
LAKE0012: Buttermere circular walk via Rannerdale Knotts
Map / LAKE0012: Buttermere circular walk via Rannerdale Knotts
Difficulty easy
Distance 5.1 km
Duration 1:50 h
Ascent 254 m
Descent 254 m

Buttermere, ^Rannerdale Knotts, Hause Point, Crummock Water, Buttermere

3
from Martin Curmi,   Community

Winster Valley

This is a beautiful walk in the Winster Valley and Dales. It takes over the land, fields, green paths, and small hedge-lined alleys that are nearly traffic-free. It's a job to walk in the solitude and quiet of this lovely section of Cumbria. It's slightly over five miles long and perfect for November and December's short daylight hours. Due to the rainy weather in the preceding months, it may be pretty muddy in places. This trail takes around three hours to complete and covers the viewpoint of Lake Windermere, the Claife Heights woodlands, and Belle Isle which can all be viewed from Rosthwaite Heights.

Hiking route · England
Winster Valley Loop inc Green Lane
Map / Winster Valley Loop inc Green Lane
August 31, 2020 12:19 PM
Distance 8.5 km
Duration 2:07 h
Ascent 234 m
Descent 224 m
from David Bradley,   Community

Crag Castle

Take a thrilling hike up the Crag Castle. Castle Crag provides ambitious young fell-baggers not just a doable challenge in terms of height gained and kilometres hiked, but also an epic endeavour in terms of the panoramic reward. This trail makes its way up the hillside, passing through various gills and providing breathtaking views of Borrowdale's gentle dips and folds, flanked by higher fells. The walk crosses through bracken beds and goes back into a loop.

Hiking route · North West England
Castle Crag
Toprecommended route Difficulty moderate
Distance 5.9 km
Duration 1:52 h
Ascent 194 m
Descent 194 m

Starting from Rosthwaite the valley of Borrowdale, north west Lake District, a climb up to Castle Crag, the lowest of the Wainwright fells

3
from Andrew Locking,   Community

What Are The Best Walks in the Lake District?

Coniston Old Man

Coniston Old Man, at 803 metres, is the tallest mountain in the Furness Fells and one of the most popular fell-walking locations in the Lake District. It is also one of Wainwright's Southern Fells. With the village of Coniston and Coniston Water at its heart, it's easy to see why it's so popular.  This walk will take around three to four hours to complete and is known to be a challenging route. The trail ascends to Low Water before turning left and crossing over to the top, which is marked by a cairn.  Follow the path over the peak to complete this walk. 

Hiking route · North West England
Coniston Old Man, Lake District (March)
Difficulty moderate
Distance 12.9 km
Duration 4:52 h
Ascent 965 m
Descent 965 m

It is one of the Lake District’s most famous fells, so savour it by making the Old Man your last stop on a classic mountain round, suggests Richard ...

31
from Trail Magazine,   Trail Magazine

Family-friendly Walks In The Lake District

Kendal Castle

The castle is a fantastic spot to view. Climb to the top of the northwest tower pike, explore the castle's cellars and deep well, and see into the moat. With towers to climb and vaults to explore, as well as the opportunity to walk along an ancient canal. There is also a children's play area near the start of the walk, and if you want to venture a few hundred yards you can visit one of Cumbria's top museums or go shopping in the town centre. 

Running · North West England
Kendal to Castle
Toprecommended route Difficulty easy
Distance 4.3 km
Duration 0:40 h
Ascent 53 m
Descent 53 m

A short running route around Kendal and the Castle.

from Helen Moriarty,   Visit Kendal

Windermere

While a busy road on the eastern side of Windermere, the western shore is a place of calm and tranquillity. Here, the slopes leading down to the water’s edge are draped in dense woodland – the leaves of deciduous trees tickling the surface of England’s longest lake. Hundreds of wonderful hikes surrounding Windermere and the lakeshore are easily accessible from our docks and cruises.

Hiking route · North West England
Windermere & Wray Castle
Difficulty easy
Distance 4.9 km
Duration 1:16 h
Ascent 39 m
Descent 38 m

Along the wooded shores of Lake Windermere to Wray Castle, a Victorian mock Gothic structure now in the hands of the National Trust.

6
from HF Holidays,   HF Holidays

The Wainwright Hills

The peaks covered in Alfred Wainwright's 7-volume Pictoral Guide to the Lake District Fells are known as the Wainwrights. In the Lake District, there are 214 Wainwright peaks. Unlike previous hill lists, they are characterised by Alfred Wainwright's decision rather than height.  Here are three recommended Peaks:

  •  Scafell Pike - England's highest mountain and war memorial.  Car parking is available from Lake Head. Be sure to check mountain weather conditions before your adventure. The difficulty of ascending England's highest mountain provides an alluring appeal for brave walkers, attracting individuals from all walks of life and all parts of the globe.
  •  Red Pike -  is a fell in the western English Lake District's High Stile range that separates Ennerdale from Buttermere Valley and Crummock Water.  Car parking is behind the Bridge Hotel in Buttermere.
  • Dale Head -  gets its name from its commanding vantage point atop the Newland Valley. It is the tallest of a small collection of fells that includes Robinson, Hindscarth, and the ridge that runs north to Catbells. Car parking is available in Honister Pass and east Borrowdale.
North West England
Recommended route Red Pike via Mosedale. Sept 2016 (scramble)
North West England
Recommended route Dale Head (July 2014)
Explore our Travel Guide for Lake District
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Reviews

  7,628
6 mile Ambleside, Troutbeck, Brockhole and boat by Duncan
May 13, 2024 · Community
There is a great tea room on this route at the old post office Troutbeck NB it is closed on Tuesdays
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Comment
Weatherlam & Swirl How by Ian
May 09, 2024 · Community
A good day out and as previous comment a bit of light scrambling nearing the peak of Wetherlam. Also another steep climb up to Swirl How. Weather started a bit murky but as predicted did start to clear mid day and great views from Swirl How. Also I finished via the unclassified track so 8.8 miles for me.
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Route done on May 09, 2024
swirl how summit
Photo: Ian Braidley, Community
On descent view over to Langdales
Photo: Ian Braidley, Community
Comment
HIGHLANDER Lake District - HERCULES by Lyne
May 08, 2024 · Community
Comment
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