15 Best Walks In The Lake District (+ Maps)

The craggy peaks, sheep-strewn valleys, dry stone walls, and glistening lakes of the English fells are best seen on foot. These are the 15 best walks in the Lake District with something for all levels of ability.

The Lake District is one of the most beautiful places in the UK, and there’s no better way to see it than on foot.

With hundreds of paths to explore, you can choose from gentle strolls around glistening lakes to hardy hikes high up in the Fells.

Lakeland writer Alfred Wainwright documented routes up 214 mountains, ranging from the diminutive 290-metre Castle Crag to Scafell Pike at 978 metres.

Our list is a bit shorter. We’ve curated 15 of the best walks in the Lake District after years of hiking in the area.

Some are easier walks with spellbinding views, while others traverse challenging ridges with a heart-pumping ascent.

We go to the Lake District at least once a year, and in our opinion, these are the best walks that showcase this remarkable landscape.

We have split the walks into easy, medium, and challenging, so you can find a walk that’s just right for you. Each walk has a detailed map that you can download and take with you.

LAKE DISTRICT HIKING MAP

1. LATRIGG

There is no easier Lake District circular walk that delivers such impressive views than this very easy hike up to the summit of Latrigg.

From the parking at Underskiddaw, it’s a simple 15-minute stroll up a grassy bank to the summit.

While the walk up might be quick, you’re bound to spend plenty more time at the top admiring the views.

To the north are the rounded summits of Skiddaw. To the east the waves of Blencathra’s ridges hover over the distant Pennines. And to the south, the town of Keswick rests peacefully on the edge of Derwentwater.

As a short walk, it’s easy to be at the top at dawn or dusk for superb Lake District views.

LATRIGG ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Easy
• Distance – 2 kilometres
• Time – 30 minutes
• Elevation – +/-80 metres
• Start – Underskiddaw Car Park
• Map – Latrigg Walk Map

2. TARN HOWS CIRCULAR WALK

The Tarn Hows circular walk only takes one hour to complete, but it’s one of the best days out in the Lake District for families looking for a relaxing escape in nature via a pleasant walk.

Grassy slopes on the bank provide plenty of space for a rest on the short walk and the views up to the rugged Langdale Pikes in the distance are excellent.

The National Trust runs the parking at the Tarn Hows. They also sell basic food supplies and can provide a handy map of the area. The trails are well-marked and easy to follow and toilet facilities are available.

This is a great walk for families, but it can get very busy in peak season.

TARN HOWS ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Easy
• Distance – 3.2 kilometres
• Time – 1 hour
• Elevation – +/-80 metres
• Start – National Trust Tarn Hows Car Park
• Directions – Follow this map

3. BUTTERMERE CIRCULAR WALK

My favourite of the easy walks in the Lake District, this sensational loop of Buttermere passes through some of the finest scenery in the region.

Starting in Buttermere, this 2-hour circular walk navigates the beautiful lake with pristine mountain reflections. Along the way you pass deep-cut ravines, craggy mountains, ancient woods and gorse-lined roads.

A stand of trees at the south-eastern end of the lake resting under the craggy buttresses of Haystacks – Wainwright’s favourite mountain – provides one of our favourite photo spots in the Lake District.

End with coffee and a cake from the Croft House Farm Café or try the homemade ice cream from Sykes Farm.

BUTTERMERE ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Easy
• Distance – 7.5 kilometres
• Time – 2 hours
• Elevation – +/-140 metres
• Start – National Trust Parking in Buttermere
• Map – Buttermere Walk Map

4. RYDAL WATER CIRCULAR WALK

The circular hike around Rydal Water has a bit more ascent than the first three hikes, but it’s still relatively easy. It could be completed in just 90 minutes, but it’s well worth spending much longer as there is a lot to see.

Pop into Rydal Mount, Wordsworth’s final home before he died, explore Rydal Cave, a large gaping hole in the rock, and take a dip in one of the best wild swimming spots in the Lake District.

Halfway around the short walk, Rydal Hall serves high tea in manicured gardens. If you fancy something less formal, the friendly Badger Bar is a great option.

Even if you do none of that, the trail that ambles through lovely woodland and bluebell-filled slopes offers excellent views of the Rydal Water with rugged Loughrigg Fell behind.

RYDAL WATER ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Easy
• Distance – 4.7 kilometres
• Time – 1 hour 30 minutes
• Elevation – +/-200 metres
• Start – White Moss Parking
• Map – Rydal Water Walk Map

5. CASTLE CRAG LOOP

This relatively easy circular walk is a little tougher than the first four but encapsulates everything the Lake District National Park has to offer.

The trail starts in the village of Rosthwaite before heading downstream along the River Derwent.

A packhorse bridge carries you to the other side and into a lovely forest. Moss covers stone walls and rocks in a coating of luminescent green.

There are caves to explore and mounds of slate to negotiate before the path drops back to the river providing an opportunity to paddle or picnic next to the river.

The trail now circles Castle Crag and steadily rises for 20 minutes to provide stunning views over Borrowdale and some of the mightiest mountains in the Lake District.

CASTLE CRAG ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Easy
• Distance – 5.5 kilometres
• Time – 1 hour 30 minutes
• Elevation – +/-170 metres
• Start – Rosthwaite Parking
• Map – Castle Crag Loop Walk

6. RANNERDALE KNOTTS  

Some mountains in the Lake District are not that high but still provide magnificent views. The Rannerdale Knotts circular walk is one of them.

The trail begins in Buttermere and heads up a steep climb on a grassy slope. It might look a little challenging at the start, but after about 30 minutes of hard work you will have reached the top of the ridge.

A lovely stroll along the ridgetop has fine views to Crummock Water in front, and Buttermere behind.

There is the odd rocky crest to climb, but nothing hard, and after another 20 minutes, you reach the summit.

Views of the north-western fells open up before you and on a clear day Scotland glimmers in the distance.

Carefully pick your route down off the summit, before descending along another grassy slope to the edge of Crummock Water.

If you are feeling brave then take a dip at Crummock’s southern beach, otherwise wind through the forest back to the parking.

RANNERDALE KNOTTS ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Medium
• Distance – 4.8 kilometres
• Time – 1 hour 45 minutes
• Elevation – +/-280 metres
• Start – National Trust Car Park in Buttermere
• Map – Rannerdale Knotts Walk

7. CATBELLS

Catbells is not one of the highest peaks, but it stands imperiously over Derwentwater.

Viewed from Keswick its sides are steep and sleek and from its summit, the 360-degree views are excellent. It is rightly one of the most popular walks in the Lake District.

Parking can be tricky. There are a few spaces in the small Gutherscale parking location and some more on the road leading to it. Parking is also available at Hawse End, a bit further away.

If you are staying in Keswick, get the ferry across to the Hawse End Jetty and start the walk from there, this will add 1 kilometre and 20 minutes to the walk, but significantly reduce the hassle.   

The trail to the summit is short but it’s a steep climb. Rising in two stages it zigzags up along the crest of the mountain.

You may need your hands in a couple of places, but nothing is too difficult, and you are rewarded with stunning views all the way.

To return, a gentle sloping path curls right until it returns to where you started. This Lake District hike can be completed in less than 2 hours and is a great one to save for sunset.

CATBELLS ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Medium
• Distance – 4.8 kilometres
• Time – 1 hour 45 minutes
• Elevation – +/-320 metres
• Start – Gutherscale Car Park
• Map – Catbells Walk

8. HELM CRAG

The summit of Helm Crag is an odd-shaped mountain with a finger of rock reaching upwards from the summit. You may find getting on top of the finger a step too far but don’t worry the rest is worth it.

There are three things that make this walk one of our favourite activities in the Lake District.

First, it starts in Grasmere, a pretty village and one of our favourite places to stay in the Lake District.

Secondly, the path to the summit (although not that long) feels like the trail to Mordor. A track of rock and stone winds its way through narrow cracks and around rocky towers.

Thirdly, the views from the summit towards Grasmere are wonderful.

Allow just over 2 hours for the return route, but plan for a bit longer because The Good Sport in Grasmere brews its own ale and it would be wrong not to support their efforts.

HELM CRAG ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Medium
• Distance – 7.5 kilometres
• Time – 2 hours, 20 minutes
• Elevation – +/-340 metres
• Start – Grasmere Car Park
• Map – Helm Crag Walk

9. LOUGHRIGG FELL

Loughrigg is a little lump of a mountain which packs a punch.

It sits at the centre of a host of attractive valleys in the Lake District, and although only a little more than 1,000 feet high (335 metres), it has surprisingly wide-ranging views.

Lakes and tarns stretch off in all directions, pretty villages sit under its flanks, and higher mountains form an amphitheatre around it.

But the real highlights are the slopes of Loughrigg themselves. Bobbling mounds of grass strewn with sheep, heather-covered hillocks split by zigzagging dry stone walls, and paths leading over wooden stiles down to shimmering lakes.

My favourite in the medium-difficulty Lake District hikes, there are plenty of different routes up and down. Some only take 90 minutes but I have picked which I think is the best which passes by Rydal Water, stops off at Rydal Cave and takes about two and a half hours.

Finish the day with a wild swim in Grasmere.

LOUGHRIGG FELL ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Medium
• Distance – 8 kilometres
• Time – 2 hours 30 minutes
• Elevation – +/-360 metres
• Start – Pelter Bridge Car Park
• Map – Loughrigg Walk

10. HOWTOWN TO GLENRIDDING WALK, ULLSWATER

To start this walk, hop on the Ullswater Steamer at Glenridding and relax on deck as the boat glides the 40 minutes across the lake to Howtown.

From here all you have to do is walk back.

The rocky path that undulates along the eastern side of the lake, is a beautiful stretch of trail.

It cuts across steep slopes and meanders in and out of forest. On a sunny day you drift in and out of dappled sunlight and there are many great spots for a picnic or coffee stop perched over the lake.

After reaching the end of the lake, head across to Patterdale.

Unfortunately, the last 10 minutes require walking along the road back to Glenridding, but it’s worth it.

An excellent detour is to head up to the summit of Hallin Fell, one of the lower Wainwright mountains. It has excellent views over Ullswater and the Martindale Valley where grassy fields contrast with the craggy moor-covered tops.

It takes about 3 hours to walk back without heading up Hallin Fell, or four if you go via the summit. It’s simply one of the best things to do in the Lake District.

ULLSWATER ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Medium
• Distance – 11 to 12.5 kilometres
• Time – 3 to 4 hours
• Elevation – +/-290 metres or 470 metres
• Start – Ullswater Steamers in Glenridding
• Map – Howtown to Glenridding walk

11. BLENCATHRA

Blencathra sits all alone in the northeast of the Lakes. At first impression, it appears little more than a large hill. But looks can be deceiving, and ascending this unobtrusive mountain is one of the best hikes in the Lake District.

The reason is the excellent choice of routes to the summit.

The first, via Scales Fell, is a gradual climb that rewards with fine views of the North Pennines and Helvellyn.

The second route is Halls Fell Ridge, a steep, rocky ascent along a sinuous ridge. This is an excellent choice for anyone new to scrambling.

The ridge is not too sheer or too narrow – over a couple of meters wide in most places – but you may need your hands for support. If you’re good with heights, you can mostly just stride across the top.

Third is Sharp Edge. The hardest and most challenging Grade 1 ridge in the Lake District.

All the details are in our Blencathra guide.

BLENCATHRA ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Challenging
• Distance – About 8.5 kilometres
• Time – About 4 hours
• Elevation – +/-730 metres
• Start – Scales Farm Parking
• Map – Blencathra walk

12. LANGDALE PIKES

The Langdale Pikes are a dramatic collection of five peaks whose rugged summits drop to Great Langdale Valley.

The views from each of them are excellent, especially towards Bowfell and the mighty crags of the Scafell Range.

From the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, it’s a steep hike up a well-trodden path to Stickle Tarn, a high lake sitting under the craggy façade of Pavey Ark, the largest and most imposing cliff in the Lake District.

The path heads east and winds around the edge of the cliff face until reaching the summit. It then heads across a surprisingly flat landscape to visit the other four peaks before dropping back into the valley.

End the day with a drink at the Sticklebarn.

There is a more adventurous route up the face of Pavey Ark called Jack’s Rake. This is a grade 1 scramble that clambers up a diagonal groove in the cliff face. If that sounds like your kind of fun, read our best grade 1 scrambles in the Lake District guide.

LANGDALE PIKES ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Challenging
• Distance – 8.7 kilometres
• Time – 4 hours 15 minutes
• Elevation – +/-870 metres
• Start – Sticklebarn Car Park
• Map – Langdale Pikes walk

13. HAYSTACKS AND FLEETWITH PIKE

This delightful walk to Haystacks (Wainwright’s favourite mountain in the Lake District) and Fleetwith Pike, not only includes excellent views of the Buttermere loop, but also collects two great summits.

Haystacks is all nobbles and bumps. Little tarns dot the summit and paths disappear into tiny canyons. In September the heather glows purple in the late afternoon sun.

The views from both peaks look up to Great Gable and Pillar and down to the gorgeous Buttermere.

The route back is along Fleetwith Pike Ridge. It’s a bit steep in places but the almost 360-degree vistas make it worthwhile.

There is nothing technical or difficult here, just a long (5 hours 15 minutes) but fantastic walk in great scenery.

If you want to shorten it, skip the Buttermere loop and leave from Gatesgarth car parking spot (3 hours 30 minutes).

If you also want to skip the climb up Fleetwith Pike, then head up Haystacks and come back via Warnscale (3 hours). See route options on the map below.

HAYSTACKS ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Challenging
• Distance – 14.2 kilometres
• Time – 5 hours 15 minutes
• Elevation – +/-830 metres
• Start – Buttermere Car Park
• Map – Haystacks walk

14. HELVELLYN VIA STRIDING EDGE & SWIRRAL EDGE

This magnificent walk ascends the third-highest peak in the Lake District.

It’s one of the most exciting hikes in the area and, thanks to the use of two excellent ridges, an exhilarating adventure activity in the UK.

Striding Edge is a thrilling narrow, exposed ridge. You’ll need a head for heights and some confidence to navigate the tricky drop over ‘the chimney’ near the end.

However, it’s one of the easier Grade 1 scrambles in the lakes and a great introduction to the more challenging hikes.

The return route is via Swirral Edge, another fine Lake District ridge. This ridge is not as narrow or as scary as Striding Edge.

Views stretch in all directions, Ullswater glistens below. More details are in our guide to hiking Helvellyn via Striding Edge.

HELVELLYN ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Challenging
• Distance – 13 kilometres
• Time – 5 hours, 45 minutes
• Elevation – +/-840 metres
• Start – Glenridding Car Park
• Map – Helvellyn Walk

15. SCAFELL PIKE VIA CORRIDOR ROUTE

It is always a thrill to climb the highest mountain in a region and Scafell Pike is no exception.

The most popular route up Scafell Pike is the most direct ascent from Wasdale Head.

But a much more enjoyable route the Scafell Pike the Corridor Route.

It traverses under the craggy flanks of Great End as it winds its way up to the summit.

There’s nothing tricky here, just a fantastic (but long) walk which is one of the best things to do in the Lake District.

The excellent trail crosses mountain streams, rises over stony summits and skirts the top of deep craggy ghylls (ravines). At all times (weather permitting) the views across to Great Gable and up to the rocky faces of Lingmell Fell and the Scafells are exceptional.

The return path runs alongside Ruddy & Grains Gills and visits two large tarns – Sty Head Tarn and Sprinkling Tarn. A great place for some bracing wild swimming on the return trip.

The Langstrath Country Inn in Stonethwaite is a traditional Lake District pub and one of our favourites places for a post-hike pint. It’s just a few minutes’ drive from the end of the hike at Seathwaite Farm.

SCAFELL PIKE ROUTE DETAILS

• Difficulty – Challenging
• Distance – 14.8 kilometres
• Time – 6 hours 30 minutes
• Elevation – +/-980 metres
• Start – Seathwaite Farm in Borrowdale
• Map – Scafell Pike walk

PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR HIKING IN THE LAKE DISTRICT

Paul and I regularly go hiking in the Lake District. Here is some additional information that might help you prepare for your epic English walk.

SAFETY TIPS

01. Many of the areas where these walks start have poor mobile reception. Make sure you download the maps to your phone before you set off.

02. There are generally no facilities on these routes. Take enough food and water with you.

03. Be prepared for any weather, make sure you have a waterproof jacket and warm clothes.

04. Boots or shoes with a good grip are advisable for most of the easy and medium walks, but vital for the challenging ones.

LAKE DISTRICT FORECASTS

The weather can change quickly in the mountains and the temperature at the summits is much cooler than at the base.

We use Mountain Forecast which allows you to toggle between the base forest and the summit forecast. You’ll see that the temperature could be a good 6-8 degrees cooler at the top.

WHERE TO STAY IN THE LAKES

The Lake District is a large area and in some cases, there is over an hour of driving between these walks. So, it’s important to decide which walks you want to do and pick somewhere to stay that is nearby.

You can find all our recommendations, split by area, on our where to stay in the Lake District guide.

NO CAR? NO PROBLEM

While it’s easier to get to the starting points of these hikes by car there are a couple that are relatively easy by public transport.

Buttermere (3), Catbells (7), Loughrigg (9), Blencathra (11), Helvellyn (14), and Scafell Pike (15) can be done via public transport.

All the details, including what else you can do and where to base yourself are covered in our guide to visiting the Lake District without a car.

MORE LAKE DISTRICT GUIDES

• Find your perfect area with our guide to the best places to stay in the Lake District.
• Use our detailed guide to see the Lake District without a car.
• Enjoy a scenic swim in Black Moss Pot.
• Tackle one of our favourite hikes in the Lake District.
• Try one of these amazing wild swimming locations in the Lake District.
• There’s more than hiking, find more great things to do in the Lake District.
• Find one of our top photography spots in the Lake District