Walking

Hawkshead is situated in the picturesque Esthwaite valley, nestling between Claife Heights and Grizdale Forest, and is ideal for walking, with a variety of interesting routes through the valley and the nearby undulating hills and forests.  There are short walks around the village and out towards Roger Ground, or for those fancying a little further, walks onto Hawkshead Moor or Latterbarrow.   Nearby Grizdale Forest also offers many interesting forest walks. If you are looking to go onto the fells then Coniston, Langdale, Fairfield, and Kentmere, are all within 30 mins. drive or less. 

We can offer advice on routes along with maps and weather forecast etc. to ensure you get the most from your visit. There are numerous guidebooks on walking around Hawkshead, some of which are listed below. Whatever kind of walk you are looking for, you can be assured that you will find one to suit in this beautiful area. Described here are three of our favourite walks, all of which can be done direct from the house.

Latterbarrow   

5 miles. Can be wet under foot in places. Steep descent involved. Boots advisable. ‘Magnificent views, for such a small hill’

1. Go down the lane back into the village to the Red Lion Pub. Go under the archway on the right and down to the main road. Straight across and down the lane opposite, which goes around the houses before crossing the stream by a small bridge.
2.  Bear left and follow the path across the fields, through two stiles before you cross a lane and climb the short hill opposite. At the top of the hill climb the stile and head across the field towards the cottage. Take the path to the right, through a gate and then right down the lane to the road. Turn left and after a short distance turn right through gate and onto a bridleway.
3. Climb steadily following the track via several gates and through some beautiful mixed woodland. Eventually you will enter a walled track, which leads you to a gate at the Guide Post.  On a clear day there are good views here towards Windermere and the distant fells of Kentmere.
4. Turn left here, through the stile and into the woods. Follow the track through the woods (undulating and muddy in places) until you come to a small stile leading to the open fell top. At this point you are rewarded by magnificent views of the Coniston and Langdale Fells. Turn right and follow track up the open fell to the large summit cairn.
5. After a well earned rest carry on over the summit before bearing left and picking up the path that descends to the road. (Care should be taken, as this is quite steep to begin with.)
At the road turn left, and after about 200 yds, pick up the route you came out on. Retrace your steps back to the village, where you may fancy some refreshment on one of the four hostelries, before retuning the Walker Ground Manor.

Tarn Hows 

6 miles.  Some road. Boots or stout shoes recommended.  ‘Justifiably popular, but with a slight variation from the popular route’

1. Take the footpath on the left, out of the gates towards the village, cross the field and up the hill. Go through a gate stile and follow the track through a small wood and over stream. Climb a short embankment and into field.  Follow path across a farm track and straight forward to the road.
2. Turn left into Hawkshead Hill, and next right (sign posted Tarn Hows.) At the next junction turn right towards Knipe Fold and Ambleside. After about 200 yds. turn left onto track/footpath. Follow this through a small hamlet and up a gentle hill. Two gates. 
3. At the top in a clearing watch out for small stile in a wall on the right, take this and walk across field towards a delightful Nat. Trust cottage, perched over looking Tarn Hows.  Follow the track behind the cottage, and take the first right turn zigzagging down to the lakeside.
4. There is a good circular path around the tarn so you can either turn left or right and walk either way.  As you get to the far side, about half way round look for a path on the left signed Arnside and Langdales. Take this path and follow until you get to a walled lane.
5. Turn right (signed Hawkshead) and follow the lane up the hill and down the other side to the road.  Turn right and then left.  After about 50yds, just past some houses, take the footpath through a small stile on the right.  Go straight up the field (indistinct path) to stile in wall. Climb this and follow path keeping right where necessary. This leads to the Hawkshead Hill road. Turn left and retrace steps back to the house.

Esthwaite Round  

12 miles (Can be shortened) Mixed undulating woodland, good paths/tracks. Some quiet road walking. Boots or stout shoes recommended.
‘One of the best woodland and valley walks in the area - no crowds!’

1. Turn left out of our gates up the side of the house and follow track into forest to the first forest road. Turn left and then right following footpath up the hill.  (Good views looking back) At next forest road turn left passed tarn on the right, left again and down to road at Moor Top.
2. Turn right and immediately left onto farm track. After about 150 yds watch for footpath on right, take this through the deer gate and back into the forest. Left at next forest road and right after 300yds onto a footpath.
3. At the next forest road turn right, then left, and after 150 yds turn left onto bridleway. Follow this through an area where the forest has recently been felled, onto the next forest road. Here turn left, and then in 200yds turn left again onto a bridleway. Descend gradually to a road.
4. Turn right and then left across stream (no bridge) and up the hill. Follow track straight through woods and drop down to road. Turn right, then next left. At ‘T’ junction turn right into Near Sawrey.
If you wish, at this point you could walk back to Hawkshead on the road at the side of Esthwaite Water – 2 miles, or catch bus – check timetable runs seasonally.
(The Tower Bank Public House – High Green Gate Tea Rooms are in the village for refreshment’s.)
5. Next ‘T’ junction turn right, then after 50 yds. left onto farm road. Follow this road/bridleway as it climbs up onto Claife Heights. Follow the signs passing through the pastureland, passing tarns on left, and with exceptional view over to the Langdales. Eventually you come to a gate and back into the woods.  Follow the track and look carefully for a footpath on the left, which descends (steep and rocky) to a forest road. Turn left and left again at next junction. After 50 yds you reach Guide Post (see Latterbarrow walk) At this point you have a choice; you can pick up the Latterbarrow route onto the top (see Latterbarrow walk) or retrace that route back down into the valley, as below.
6. At the Guide Post go through the gate and carry on the track down the hill to the road. Turn left and then right onto track. After 25yds. turn left round the back of a house, through gate and then across fields, first bearing right around the back of a house, and then left, to stile.
7. Over the stile and down the short hill to a lane.  Straight across, through a stile and follow track to another stile. Bear left across the field over another stile to small bridge over stream. Go up the side of the houses to main road.
8. Straight across the road and through the stile, and follow the lane into village. Straight across junction, keeping Co-op on left, into Vicarage Lane and home.