Blelham Tarn, Windermere and Wray Castle

I enjoyed this delightful short and easy walk as a late afternoon and early evening filler during a three-day Lake District trip after finishing a Borrowdale walk earlier than expected. I am so glad I did—it was an unexpected joy throughout the two hours it took me to amble around!

Setting off from the car parking area near the Wray Castle access lane on the Low Wray to High Wray road, I walked down the quiet minor road toward Low Wray Bridge. Swallows and swifts performed graceful aerobatics overhead, enjoying the summer afternoon as much as I was.

Leaving the road and passing through a gate, I followed a newly laid path across low pastureland toward a small stretch of woodland leading directly to Blelham Tarn. Arriving near the south-west tip of the tarn, I balanced on high grass tufts to get close to the water's edge, watching dragonflies skim and dart across the serene surface.

Returning to the hard path, I tackled the longest climb of the walk—a steep couple of minutes ascending 40 metres to the road at High Tock How. The viewpoint gained was fantastic, looking straight across Blelham Tarn to Ambleside, Loughrigg Fell, Wansfell, and the west-facing slopes of the Helvellyn massif.

Continuing past Hole House, I crossed fields bursting with bright buttercups in full mid-summer golden bloom, evoking happy memories of childhood wildflower meadows.

Passing through a picturesque pinch stile and gate, I enjoyed a delightful woodland trail bathed in dappled sunlight before emerging onto the western shore of Windermere.

Walking north along the shingle shoreline, I passed a small waterside barn and families enjoying the hot weather with kayaks, paddling, and relaxing on the beach. Low-flying jets roared across the lake from south to north, adding a touch of excitement to the peaceful afternoon.

Following the pretty parkland walk up from the shore of Windermere brought me to Wray Castle. Built in 1840 for a retired Liverpudlian surgeon, its neo-gothic turrets offer a romantic, fairytale setting. After exploring the interior, a short stroll down the access lane brought me back to my starting point with the distinctive profile of the Langdale Pikes framing a fitting finale.