Is there a walk in the Lake District that isn’t ridiculously good looking? Chances are slim. Hundreds of years ago, these bucolic mountain tarns and wind-beaten fells ignited creative fire in the hearts of the Romantic poets, and they continue to inspire and awe today.
The Unesco heritage site is also home to some of the greatest walks the UK has to offer. Here are some of the best.
Aira Force loop
Length: 1 mile
This circular walking spot gleams with the shine of something that is owned and maintained by the National Trust. The surging falls of Aira Force waterfall are best seen when it’s just rained (not a hard ask in the Lake District) and the surrounding landscaped grounds are perfect for youngsters to safely explore. There are educational boards with facts about red squirrels dotted about the place, as well as an ancient arboretum, wishing trees where coins can be pushed into the trunks for good luck, and plenty of grassy spots for picnicking or playing games.
Buttermere to Rannerdale
Length: Varies
The spindly birch trees that perch at the southern edge of Buttermere are thought to be the most photographed in the country. Catch them on a calm day and you’ll be able to snap the trees, known as The Sentinels, reflected pristinely on the still lake below. There are plenty of short walks around Buttermere, but for something slightly more challenging, aim for Rannerdale Knotts, three miles away. The valley is thought to be where Norman warriors were defeated in battle, and the bluebells which carpet the ground each spring are said to grow from their blood.
Corpse Road, Loweswater
Length: 3.5 miles
It may seem morbid, but in rural places, like Cumbria, you’ll find plenty of corpse roads, along which people from remote communities used to carry their dead to their final resting places at far-away parish churches. But Loweswater is not at all gloomy, the lake is glassy and good-looking and the surrounding woodlands buzz with rare red squirrels. The walk, a 3.5-mile stroll traversing the side of the fells above the lake, is gentle and paths are well-maintained, passing though farmland, secluded tarns and shady woodland.
Rydal and Grasmere
Length: 6 miles
This six-mile circular tour of Wordsworth country is best taken in Autumn, when the leaves turn burnt orange, gold and turmeric, giving the landscape a gilded hue to rival New England in the fall. Starting at Rydal Water you’ll duck in and out of some of the area’s atmospheric caves, before continuing onto Grasmere and out past Dove Cottage (Wordsworth’s old family home) and the Wordsworth museum.
Tom Gill to Tarn Hows, Coniston
Length: 1.6 miles
Offering one of the most iconic views in the Lake District – across Wetherlam and the Coniston fells – this fell-top tarn is actually man-made, created in the mid nineteenth century by a Leeds Mill owner. The land was subsequently gifted to The National Trust by Beatrix Potter and the path around it has been made accessible for buggies and mobility scooters, meaning walkers of all ages and ability can enjoy the misty lakeland fells.
Helvellyn
Length: 7-8 miles
Not for the faint-hearted, Helvellyn is one of the most challenging Lakeland walks. The 3,114ft fell is the most popular in the Lake District, unsurprising given that burning thigh muscles are rewarded with sprawling views across beautiful Lakeland fells and across to Ullswater, Thirlmere and the Cumbrian coast. Most walk the seven to eight miles from Glenridding, up Striding Edge and down Swirral Edge, taking in Red Tarn, the area’s highest. The two ridges are exposed so some scrambling is required, so a good level of fitness, and sturdy walking boots, are needed.
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