The Best Winter Walks in the Lake District
The post-winter period can feel a bit dull and grey, with the festivities over and a lot of winter still to come, but with many people planning to start a new year with more activity and more time outdoors, there is no better time to get out for a walk! Although togging up and facing the elements can sometimes seem daunting, when you do manage to get yourself out of the door, it’s always worth it, and sometimes the walks are even better than the summer months – stunning lighting, a dusting of snow and no crowds!
So here are our top tips for winter walks in the Lake District to give you some inspiration to get out.
Looking over Ullswater from the Terrace Path on Gowbarrow Fell
A gentle stroll – Tarn Hows – 2 miles
The famous beauty spot of Tarn Hows is perfect for a winter stroll – managed by the National Trust, the flat, accessible paths are well-maintained so easily walked in all weather conditions. The tarn itself looks stunning when surrounded by frost covered ground and snowy summits on the higher hills.
The loop around the tarn is an easy going 2 miles, or can form part of many longer routes. Options include detouring to pretty Tom Gill Force or heading up Black Crag. One of the lowest Wainwright summits, Black Crag can be a great option for a winter walk, combining a relatively low elevation with fantastic, wide-ranging views (plus in the winter you’ll often have it to yourself!).
Parking: National Trust car park at the tarn (charges apply, free for members)
Word of warning: The road up to Tarn How is narrow and steep. Best avoided in icy conditions or check ahead that it has been cleared.
A low-level day out – Derwentwater circuit – 10 miles (with shorter options)
The 10-mile circuit of Derwentwater is a fantastic way to have a full day’s walk that feels really ‘in’ the Lake District, but on fairly flat, easy paths and without having to climb any hills! The route is well waymarked so easy to follow in any conditions and there are hotels, restaurants and cafes dotted around the lake giving plenty of options for places to take a break and warm up on a cold winter’s day!
If you prefer a shorter route, the Keswick Launch runs on weekends all year and stops at seven places around the lake, offering several ways to tailor the route to suit you. There are also buses along the eastern side of the lake.
Parking: Lakeside Car Park Keswick gives access straight onto the path along the lake and to the pier for boats. Charges apply.
Jetty on Derwentwater shoreline
Word of warning: Some sections of this route can flood after heavy rain, particularly at the southern end, making the path impassible. In that case, you can use the boat, as mentioned above, to cut out the southern section of the lake.
A mountain tarn – Easedale Tarn and Grasmere – 5 miles
Start in popular Grasmere; a place that can feel a little over-frequented by coach tours in the height of summer, in winter it is busy enough to feel lively (and for most things to be open!) but not packed. It’s also home to one of our favourite cafes in the Lakes, Mathildes, which makes the perfect stop after a chilly walk.
The walk up to Easedale Tarn starts along a small lane then takes to well-maintained, rocky paths, so avoids areas of bog that can hamper some winter walks. The route steepens up Sour Milk Gill, where pretty waterfalls accompany you, looking especially beautiful if a cold spell has caused icicles to decorate them.
The tarn itself has a dramatic setting, surrounded by mountains which often have a dusting of snow in the winter months, and you may spot a hardy cold water swimmer braving the freezing temperatures! Our preferred return route cuts across to peaceful Far Easedale Gill and follows clear paths back to Grasmere.
Parking: Various car parks in Grasmere. Charges apply. Free parking in large laybys on the A591 on the edge of the village, but adds a little distance to the walk and you need to arrive early or be lucky!
Word of warning: After prolonged heavy rain, the level of Easedale Gill may rise enough to make crossing the outflow on the stepping sontes difficult, and the area between Sour Milk Gill and Far Easedale Gill a bit boggy. In that case, you can just retrace your steps from the tarn back to Grasmere. In very cold weather the rocky paths can be slippy so poles can be a good idea.
Stunning waterfalls and an easy summit – Aira Force and Gowbarrow – 1.8 miles or 4.5 miles
Aira Force and Gowbarrow Fell are owned and managed by the National Trust which brings with it benefits for winter walks – well-maintained trails and a good café!
The area around Aira Force and Aira Beck is perfect for a short walk in any weather conditions, and the myriad of small and large cascades look stunning in winter, either surrounded by snow or sparkling with icicles! Even heavy rain has its benefits here as it means the waterfalls are in full flow!
The summit of Airy Crag on Gowbarrow Fell
A full circuit of the waterfalls area, taking in Aira Force itself and lots of pretty woodland paths as well as High Force and the High Cascades, is a lovely 1.8 miles (with some steepish sections). If you’d like to turn it into a full hill walk, on reaching the High Cascades, rather than turning back down the far side of the beck you can continue uphill to join the steep path up Gowbarrow Fell to its summit at Airy Crag.
The National Trust have done (and continue to do) a lot of improvement work on this path so it is a clear route and well-maintained all the way to the summit, from where there are fantastic 360-degree views. The return takes you down the other side of the fell and along the ‘Terrace Path’, for gorgeous views down Ullswater, rejoining Aira Beck not far from the car park.
Parking: National Trust Car Park at Aira Force. Charges apply (free for members).
Word of warning: Even in the winter, this car park can fill up on weekends if the weather is good. There are two additional car parks to the main car park up the A5091 road – the Park Brow Car Park and the High Cascades Car Park. There is also free parking in laybys along the shore of Ullswater within walking distance of Aira Force but these can fill up early.
More of a challenge – Skiddaw – 10.5 miles (from Keswick, out and back)
The most well-walked route up Skiddaw, just north of Keswick, is a clear, broad path and is so popular and well-defined that it is nick-named the ‘Tourist Route’ (in fact called the Jenkin Hill Path it was established as a pony route for Victorian tourists looking to get into the hills!). However, what can be seen as a negative in the summer months make it a really good option if you want to tackle one of the Lake District’s higher mountains during winter.
The clear nature of the path means that it is generally easy to follow in winter conditions and the lack of rocky scrambles to tackle means icy conditions aren’t too much of an issue (providing you are properly prepared). It’s position, set apart from other high mountains, means the views from the top are absolutely stunning (on a clear day!). A great option for people making their first forays into winter hill climbing.
There are also various other routes on and off Skiddaw so, if conditions and experience are with you, there are plenty of options.
Parking: To shorten the route, there is free, on road parking in a small parking area right at the trail head for the Jenkin Hill Path (known as the Latrigg Car Park) but it gets busy (and parking can be a bit haphazard!) so you’d need to aim to get there early, and it isn’t a good road for snowy or icy conditions. Alternatively, there are plenty of car parks in Keswick and you can start the walk from there.
Word of warning: Despite the clear path, at 931m – the sixth highest mountain in England – Skiddaw is a serious undertaking. The walk is steep in places and requires a good level of fitness. Mountain conditions can change quickly so be prepared and ensure you are comfortable getting off the mountain in poor visibility etc.
We hope these ideas inspire you to get our and enjoy some of the Lake District’s beautiful landscape this winter. If you’d like to spend a few days exploring the Lakes on foot, without the hassle of arranging all the details yourself, have a look at our new self-guided walking holidays in the Lake District!