Walks in the Lake District

Looking across Wast Water to Yewbarrow, Great Gable and Lingmell

I have been visiting the Lake District for many years now and I never tire of it. The Lake District is the most visited National Park in the United Kingdom, which is not surprising given its sheer beauty and the rich variety of outdoor adventures available.

There are hundreds of options for walkers—from gentle lakeside strolls and woodland waterfalls to challenging mountain expeditions and classic scrambles. The lakes and high fells combine to create sublime scenery, where centuries of traditional fell farming and cultural history blend seamlessly with the natural landscape.

Below you will find links to all my Lake District walks, complete with route descriptions, elevation statistics, personal reflections, and free GPX files to download.

Walk Name ↕	Miles ↕	Description
Latrigg Easy	1.5	A very easy walk suitable for all the family with a lovely view of Keswick.
Loughrigg Tarn Easy	1.7	I think Loughrigg Tarn is in the best setting of all. See if you agree on this easy stroll.
Brothers Water Easy	2.4	An easy circular walk near Hartsop village around one of the Lake District's enigmatic waters.
Tarn Hows Easy	2.6	A family friendly walk to the most visited tarn in Lakeland, one of Victorian design.
Cat Bells and Little Town Moderate	3.3	Probably the most climbed hill in all of the Lake District. This way up is the best.
Ambleside, Loughrigg Fell, Loughrigg Tarn and Skelwith Bridge Moderate	3.4	Loughrigg Fell and Tarn are just two of the highlights of this short walk.
Blelham Tarn, Windermere and Wray Castle Easy	3.4	A delightful Lake District walk suitable for all. With low fells, lakeside and a fairytale castle.
Elterwater, Loughrigg Tarn, Skelwith Bridge and Elter Water Easy	3.7	A short Lakeland walk that visits two very different lakes.
Binsey Easy	4.1	Wainwright did a self-portrait from this hill. I know why.
Fellbarrow and Low Fell Moderate	4.2	Low Fell affords one of the most spectacular scenes in all of Lakeland.
High Force, Gowbarrow Fell and Aira Force Moderate	4.2	A superb walk with waterfalls, woodland, low fells and exquisite views.
Rosthwaite, High Doat and Castle Crag Moderate	4.4	A walk from Rosthwaite to Castle Crag which includes exquisite views of Borrowdale.
Grey Knotts, Brandreth and Fleetwith Pike Hard	4.6	Along with Grey Knotts this is a good walk to three Wainwright Fells.
Scales Fell, Sharp Edge, Blencathra and Hall's Fell Ridge Technical	4.8	A classic ridge walk featuring the drama of Sharp Edge, the ascent of Blencathra and Hall's Fell.
Elterwater, Skelwith Force and Colwith Force Easy	4.8	Skelwith Force and Colwith Force star in this brilliant spectacular walk.
Loughrigg Fell and Rydal Water Moderate	5.0	A walk with much variety. Begins with an easier fell before a wonderful lakeside finish.
Rosthwaite, Great Crag and Grange Fell Moderate	5.2	A moderate climb provides access to a wonderful tarn and craggy fells.
Buttermere, Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike Hard	5.4	Wainwright's favourite climb and my favourite Lakeland descent in one walk.
Hawkshead to Lake Windermere Easy	5.5	A pleasant walk with breathtaking views over Windermere.
Elterwater, Skelwith Force, Colwith Force, Cathedral Cave and Slater Bridge Easy	5.6	A low level walk featuring a lake, waterfalls, a cave and a remarkable stone bridge.
Gable Traverse, Great Napes and Great Gable Technical	5.8	A stunning airy ascent via Gable Traverse and Little Hell Gate to one of Lakeland's favourites.
Mardale Head, Branstree, Selside Pike and Haweswater Hard	5.8	A walk from Mardale Head with Haweswater a striking feature.
Riggindale Crag, High Street and Mardale Ill Bell Hard	5.9	Superb walk from Mardale Head to a ridge accessing High Street. Majestic views throughout.
Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn, Lower Man and Browncove Crags Strenuous	6.6	A walk with a tough start to great views worth looking forward to.
Jack's Rake, Pavey Ark and Thunacar Knott Technical	6.6	A fantastic scramble is the highlight of this popular Langdale walk.
Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Skiddaw, Little Man and Lonscale Fell Strenuous	6.6	Accomplish six fabulous Wainwright Fells on a fantastic linear walk.
Hartsop above How, Hart Crag, Dove Crag and High Hartsop Dodd Hard	6.7	A lovely high level walk from Brothers Water meeting the Fairfield Horseshoe.
Causey Pike, Scar Crags, Outerside and Barrow Hard	6.9	Moderate first mile then a tough second providing super high-level walking.
Steel Fell, Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag Hard	6.9	A fantastic ridge walk with brilliant moments along the way.
Scafell, Scafell Pike and Lingmell from Wasdale Head Technical	6.9	A classic route from Wasdale to the Scafell mountains via Brown Tongue and Lord's Rake.
Green Gable and Great Gable from Seathwaite Hard	7.0	A super walk from Seathwaite via Sourmilk Gill and Windy Gap.
Rosthwaite, Eagle Crag, Sergeant's Crag and Black Moss Pot Moderate	7.1	A walk from Rosthwaite in Borrowdale to two of Lakeland's most attractive Wainwrights.
High Tove, Armboth Fell, High Seat, Bleaberry Fell and Walla Crag Moderate	7.1	Bounce along the felltop of the North Central Fells to High Seat and Bleaberry Fell.
Blakeley Raise, Grike, Crag Fell, Whoap and Lank Rigg Hard	7.2	A walk in far western Lakeland with magnificent mountain and coastal views.
Striding Edge, Helvellyn, Swirral Edge and Catstye Cam Technical	7.5	This classic mountaineering circuit via Striding and Swirral Edges is simply brilliant.
Bowscale Fell and Bannerdale Crags Moderate	7.7	Two of the most north-eastern Wainwright Fells from Mungrisdale walked in winter.
Haystacks, Kirk Fell, Great Gable and Green Gable Strenuous	8.0	A spectacular high fell tour penned by John Deasey including Kirk Fell and Gable.
The Langdale Pikes Hard	8.2	One of the Lake District's iconic fell circuits with many fantastic views.
Blencathra via Sharp Edge Technical	8.2	An awesome walk by any standards climbing the notorious crest of Sharp Edge.
Mellbreak, Hen Comb, Gavel Fell, Blake Fell and Burnbank Fell Hard	8.2	Five Wainwright Fells beginning with a steep ascent of Mellbreak in north-west Lakeland.
Steel Knotts, Wether Hill, Loadpot Hill, Arthur's Pike and Bonscale Pike Hard	8.3	Steel Knotts and Arthur's Pike are just two of many highlights above Ullswater.
Lodore, Watendlath, Rosthwaite, Seatoller and Grange Moderate	8.6	A low level circular valley walk in Borrowdale with delightful tarns and woods.
Knott Rigg, Ard Crags, Sail, Crag Hill, Wandope, Whiteless Pike & Rannerdale Knotts Strenuous	8.8	Seven Wainwright Fells covered from Buttermere with a visit to Moss Force.
Crinkle Crags, Bowfell & Esk Pike Strenuous	9.2	A grand high-level fell traverse from Great Langdale over the Crinkles.
Bowfell, Crinkle Crags, Cold Pike & Pike of Blisco Strenuous	9.2	Precipitous paths, rock buttresses, mild scrambles, and wide open uplands.
High Street, Thornthwaite Crag, Stony Cove Pike and Brothers Water Strenuous	9.3	An ascent from Hartsop including the Roman road and Caudale Moor.
Cat Bells, High Spy, Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson Strenuous	9.4	The famous Newlands Horseshoe. To do on a clear, sunny day!
Glaramara, Allen Crags, Great End and Seathwaite Fell Strenuous	9.4	Four splendid Wainwright Fells on a circular walk from Seathwaite.
Holme Fell, Cathedral Cave, Black Fell and Tarn Hows Moderate	9.4	Two lovely lower fells, ancient quarries, Cathedral Cave and scenic Tarn Hows.
Old Man of Coniston, Black Crag, Swirl How and Wetherlam Strenuous	9.5	The Old Man of Coniston is just one highlight of this thrilling exploration.
Buttermere, Crummock Water, Red Pike, High Stile and High Crag Strenuous	9.7	The iconic Buttermere ridge providing gorgeously expansive views to the Solway Firth.
Raise, Helvellyn and Striding Edge Technical	9.8	Probably the most celebrated walk in the Lakes, taking in high ridges from Thirlmere.
Kidsty Pike, High Raise, Rampsgill Head, The Knott, Rest Dodd, Angletarn Pikes Strenuous	9.8	A walk from Hartsop covering six Far Eastern Fells with a break beside Angle Tarn.
Tilberthwaite, Old Man of Coniston, Levers Hawse, Swirl How and Wetherlam Strenuous	10.0	A circuit of the Coniston Fells starting out from picturesque Tilberthwaite.
Sail, Crag Hill, Grasmoor, Hopegill Head and Grisedale Pike Strenuous	10.0	The Coledale Horseshoe: arguably the finest mountain horseshoe outside the big peaks.
Pillar, Scoat Fell, Red Pike and Yewbarrow Strenuous	10.2	One of the classic high mountain horseshoes around Wasdale Head.
Bowfell, Rossett Pike and The Langdale Pikes Strenuous	10.3	A spectacular route linking iconic Bowfell to the fabulous Langdales.
Fairfield, Great Rigg and Heron Pike Strenuous	10.4	Breathtaking views can be found along the high ridges of the Fairfield group.
Striding Edge, Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, St Sunday Crag Technical	10.7	The classic Grisedale Horseshoe featuring the drama of Striding Edge and Helvellyn.
Stybarrow Dodd, Watson's Dodd, Great Dodd and Clough Head Hard	10.7	A climb via Sticks Pass gives access to high grassy plateau walking and wide vistas.
Kirk Fell, Looking Stead, Pillar, Steeple and Red Pike Strenuous	10.9	A demanding variant of the Mosedale Horseshoe with a steep haul up Kirk Fell.
Scafell and Scafell Pike Strenuous	11.0	A classic walk from Seathwaite via the airy Corridor Route to England's highest point.
Dow Crag, Old Man of Coniston, Swirl How, Great Carrs, Grey Friar Strenuous	12.0	A long day out from the Duddon Valley to the Coniston Fells and Wallowbarrow.
Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike, Seat Sandal, Fairfield, Hart Crag Strenuous	12.0	A tough but very rewarding 12-mile fell walk traversing seven Wainwright summits.
Yoke, Ill Bell, Frostwick, Mardale Ill Bell, Harter Fell, Kentmere Pike Strenuous	12.3	The classic Kentmere Horseshoe taking in seven summits around the quiet valley.
Bowfell, Esk Pike, Scafell Pike and Scafell Strenuous	14.0	A challenging 14-mile expedition from Langdale to the highest mountains in England.
Classic Lakeland Scrambles (Grade 1)
The Jack's Rake Scramble Technical	N/A	How to tackle Lakeland's most famous and exhilarating Grade 1 scrambling route on Pavey Ark.
The Lord's Rake Scramble Technical	N/A	The classic gully ascent across the western face of Scafell to the high mountain plateau.

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Walks in the Lake District

Lake District Walking Routes

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