Would you like to explore the best of Windermere, Ambleside and Grasmere? This guidebook covers 15 of the best short walks in the area (between 5 and 11km, all under three hours), including Loughrigg, Elterwater, Orrest Head, Hill Top, Wray Castle and the Lion and the Lamb.

Why choose this guidebook?

• Easy to moderate walks suitable for almost everyone
• Short climbs but no challenging terrain
• Numbered points which tie OS maps to clear route description
• Facilities, parking and highlights for every route
• Route Summary Table to help you choose your walk

Cicerone’s Short Walks guidebooks contain everything you need to get outdoors and discover the best of an area. The routes are perfect if you’re new to walking or looking for something you can enjoy with the whole family. Let the adventures begin!

Location of walks

Map key

Using this guide

Routes in this book

Clothing and footwear

Walk descriptions

Maps, GPX files and what3words

Walking with children

Dogs

Enjoying the countryside responsibly

Route summary table

Introduction

Walking in the Lake District

Things to see

Where to stay

Travel

The walks

Walk 1 Bowness, Windermere and School Knott

Walk 2 Windermere, Orrest Head and Holehird Gardens

Walk 3 Near and Far Sawrey, and Beatrix Potter’s Hill Top

Walk 4 Windermere’s western shore and Wray Castle

Walk 5 Troutbeck village and upper valley

Walk 6 Wansfell, Troutbeck and Robin Lane

Walk 7 High and Low Sweden Bridges from Ambleside

Walk 8 Lily Tarn, Windermere view and Galava Roman Fort

Walk 9 Loughrigg from Ambleside

Walk 10 Ambleside to Elterwater

Walk 11 Elterwater and Red Bank

Walk 12 Dove Cottage, Grasmere and Rydal

Walk 13 Silver How from Grasmere

Walk 14 Easedale Tarn

Walk 15 Helm Crag – The Lion and the Lamb

Useful information

Seasons

Suitable for walking in all seasons, although generally the best weather is in spring, summer and autumn. Winter can be cold and wet, with snow and ice.

Centres

Windermere, Bowness, Ambleside and Grasmere

Difficulty

Lower routes are suitable for nearly all abilities; however, suitable clothing and footwear are recommended for the higher hill walks, and these are essential in winter months when paths can be icy, even at low levels. Basic navigation skills are valuable for the higher routes and in poor weather.

Must See

The lakes and tarns of Windermere, Grasmere, Rydal Water, Easedale Tarn, Loughrigg Tarn and Elter Water; Dove Cottage and Rydal Mount (former homes of poet William Wordsworth); Hill Top (former home of children's author Beatrix Potter); Galava Roman Fort; Townend farmhouse; Wray Castle; traditional Lakeland pubs and inns; waterfalls; viewpoints; woodland; ancient bridges; traditional farms; hardy fell sheep and lambs; lake cruises and ferries

We do not yet have any updates available for this book

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