Stroll through the Lakes

Twelve easy-going walks - JUST A BUS RIDE AWAY Stroll through the Lakes and step into beautiful countryside

Brotherswater Instil the beauty of Lakeland......by taking an exquisite stroll This leaflet provides simple guidance for a dozen easy-going strolls from, or between bus stops on regular Stagecoach services in the National Park. Specially path-tested for ease of walking and route finding, each stroll is as close to level as nature jealously bestows within this extraordinarily beautiful mountain landscape... enjoy these fine strides between rides

Brotherswater BUS SERVICE 517 KIRKSTONE RAMBLER bowness windermere kirkstone hartsop road end glenridding brotherswater hotel patterdale 1 Brotherswater 1.3 miles linear/2.2 miles circular Refreshing from start to finish, a setting of shapely fells, a sparkling beck, a broad lake, through ancient woodland, past a lovely old farmhouse, across sheep-cropped meadows to a pub - open all day. START Cowbridge car park, Hartsop Road End From the old bridge spanning Goldrill Beck pass through the hand-gate: a National Trust sign welcomes you to the delights of the Hartsop Valley. An open track leads beside the beck, witness Pasture Beck watersmeet amid the lovely sights and sounds of a deciduous woodland. The shining expanse of Brotherswater takes centre-stage, reflecting the shapely outline of Hartsop Dodd (see above), backed by Gray Crag, part of the High Street range of fells. The path rises from shore level to leave the wood and lake behind at a hand-gate. As the left-hand wall is replaced by a fence see the stately sycamore tree. From the next hand-gate pass Hartsop Hall farmhouse, taking the track leading round to the left. The track crosses Kirkstone Beck entering Sykeside Camping Park via a hand-gate/cattle-grid. Pass up by the Barnend Bar and shop, to the right the Brotherswater Inn - serving refreshments all day. The walk bears left along the roadway to the Camping Park exit where you will find the roadside bus stop. For those wishing to complete a round trip a permissive path begins immediately short of the main road, tucked under the road wall. Enjoying truly lovely views west into Dovedale. The path emerges at a gap then angles down left to the lake shore, the fringing reeds providing a nesting site for aquatic birds. Low Wood on the far side is beautifully reflected in the lake. Successive kissing-gates lead the path to the road. Cross over, follow the footway passing the bus shelter at Low Hartsop. Built to commemorate Queen Elizabeth s Coronation in 1953, it provides a welcome shelter in rain when waiting for the bus - or walk down-dale the 1.5 miles to Patterdale.

Ullswater pines near Glenridding BUS SERVICE 108 PENRITH-PATTERDALE penrith seldom seen track end pooley bridge glenridding patterdale 2 Ullswater 1.8 miles linear The walk keeps harmony with the road and shoreline woods before slipping into the mountain glen ending beside Glenridding Beck. The village has a full repertoire of shops, tearooms, pubs and loos. START Seldom Seen track-end The bus stop is some 70 yards beyond the track-end on the up-dale service. A path immediately begins directly overlooking a boat house, weaving through the open woodland until forced onto the road at Stybarrow Crag. The old way took a steep path up and over the top of the crag, which explains the crag-name. The shore path is ushered quickly away from the road and up steps to a lake-viewing headland (see picture) continue via a low causeway, then up further steps to another headland viewpoint, with seats, now onto the road. Either continue with the footway into the village, or more interestingly, go right then left with the bridle-lane. This leads by gates to a metalled road, go left then right down to Rattlebeck Bridge. Take the footpath left beside the camping field. Accompany Glenridding Beck downstream through Eagle Farm to emerge into the village centre.

Derwent Water from the Calf Close Bay headland BUS SERVICE 79 BORROWDALE RAMBLER keswick lodore hotel grange bridge rosthwaite seatoller 3 Friar s Crag 1.6 miles linear/3.0 miles circular By shoreline woods & meadow paths, a rhapsody in blue and green. START Keswick bus station Walk through the centre of Keswick. Passing the Moot Hall keep right, then turn down right by George Fisher s shop, slip through the underpass and along the footway by The Theatre by the Lake and the Keswick Launch jetty. The roadway becomes a path. Passing the Canon Rawnsley Memorial venture to the Friar s Crag headland. Visit the furthest end. Return by the Ruskin Memorial, bearing down right by steps to a kissing-gate. Sweeping round the bay the path enters damp alder carr woodland at a kissing-gate. The path is suitably causewayed to a hand-gate onto a track. Go right. Cross over the second cattle-grid, on the roadway to Stable Hills Cottage, signed Calf Close Bay. The path continues along the edge of the pasture to a hand-gate into a rhododendron and yew copse. Visit the curved seat at the headland tip to admire the long view up the lake to the Jaws of Borrowdale, before continuing round Calf Close Bay. Notice the unusual split boulder sculpture celebrating the first hundred years of the National Trust. The path skirts round the shingle shore after 70 yards take a path leading left from a Trust collecting box through to a roadside bus stop. The circular walk follows a footpath, created by the Trust, accompanying the valley road as far as the base of Castlehead Wood. Go left along a field passage, then left to rejoin the Friar s Crag path leading right by the Keswick launch jetty. Catbells from Friar s Crag

Grange-in-Borrowdale BUS SERVICE 79 BORROWDALE RAMBLER keswick lodore hotel grange bridge rosthwaite seatoller 4 Grange-in-Borrowdale 1.7 miles linear Traverse the marsh and meadows at the head of Derwent Water by ducks and duckboards to discover the exquisite location of Grangein-Borrowdale, its tearooms and graceful twin-arch focal bridge. START Lodore Hotel Follow the narrow roadside path south, over a rise, go through a gate on the right. Follow the open track cross the slender footbridge spanning the River Derwent, nicknamed the Chinese Bridge. All this low ground is prone to flooding, but the degree of wetness is apparent from the start, a decision on progress can swiftly be made from the road. A long line of duckboarding ensues, judiciously provided with passing spots. After a small hand-gate the path comes to the tip of the lake, a crucial navigational point. Leave the obvious gravel path, bearing left on the grass path away from the lake. This crosses a short length of duckboarding by a clump of gorse to reach a gate at the corner of a walled wood. Follow on beside the wall to a further gate then keep to the open track, via a footbridge and ford, to the gate onto the road. Go left to enter Grange: be watchful of summer traffic. The community is well served with two tearooms for refreshment. Cross the Derwent via the focal Grange Bridge (picture above) and await the next Borrowdale Rambler within the shelter facing the junction.

Eagle Crag, Stonethwaite BUS SERVICE 79 BORROWDALE RAMBLER keswick lodore hotel grange bridge rosthwaite seatoller 5 Stonethwaite 1.4 miles linear/1.8 miles circular Embark upon an old bridle-lane to Stonethwaite returning by minor road and easy field-paths back. En route two tearooms and two pubs. START Rosthwaite Walk north just the few paces from the shelter, a bridleway is signed right as a roadway leading over Stonethwaite Beck towards the entrance of Hazel Bank Hotel. Go right, signed Stonethwaite. A narrow path proceeds, with a rough stony and gravel surface passing by a bend in the beck to a gate. The lane briefly opens, then constricts, winding to a gate after which it opens by holly bushes. With boulders attractively littering the bank left come to a T-junction. Turn right, via a gate after 15 metres, and cross the beck again, enjoying the handsome view up the valley to Eagle Crag (see picture above). Enter the hamlet of Stonethwaite - to the left find refreshment at either the Peathouse tearoom or the Langstrath Hotel. The walk continues right along the minor road, either direct to the valley road junction, or, opposite a lay-by car park, cross the ladder-stile and follow the field-path via a small hedge stile and open track to a gate back into the road. At the T-junction either await the next bus, or continue along the facing road signed Longthwaite. At the second corner, by Peathowe, go through the gate right, follow the field path via a further gate. Go diagonally half-left to a fence stile midst a wall. Keep along the long garden wall close right to a gate into a short lane. Go right, then left, through the village by the popular Flock-In tearoom (the village hall and toilets) to the road junction.

BUS SERVICE 77/77A HONISTER RAMBLER keswick buttermere whinlatter honister seatoller catbells grange bridge keswick 6 Buttermere 2.1 miles linear/4.1 miles circular Whether taken as a full round or kept short to Gatesgarth, this is a beautiful encounter - so little exertion for so much exhilaration. Pubs, tearooms and toilets at Buttermere, teas at Gatesgarth too. START Fish Hotel, Buttermere village Follow the gated lane leading to the lake from the Fish Hotel. Entering the lakeside enclosure keep right alongside the hedge, with Sour Milk Gill prominent ahead. Cross successive footbridges over the lake outflow stream and Sour Milk Gill to a hand-gate. Keep left along the shoreline track in coniferous woodland, taking the lakeside option whenever a fork is encountered. Pass through a gate to emerge from the forestry, cross the footbridge spanning the gill outflowing Burtness Combe. Keep left at the junction with the Scarth Gap path. Descend to a hand-gate and along a fenced passage to a track running through a pasture - at busy times filled with a crop of cars! Meeting the road either await the next bus, or go left to join the lakeside path. The road opens to a grand prospect of the High Stile range across Buttermere lake. A sequence of hand-gates and an enchanting tunnel beneath Hassness, leads to a final option. Either continue forward, via field paths to the village, or better keep left at the hand-gate, following the shore via hand-gates, to the gated lane. High Crag and High Stile from the north side of Buttermere

BUS SERVICE 555 LAKESLINK lancaster milnthorpe kendal windermere carnforth keswick levens grasmere staveley ambleside troutbeck bridge carlisle thirlspot rydal waterhead 7 Thirlmere 2.2 miles linear A shore delight by woodland paths to the dam. Refreshments: Kings Head at Thirlspot and, invariably, an ice cream van at Swirls! START Swirls Cross the Station Coppice car park. Ignoring the disabled circular viewpoint path. Go through the kissing-gate upon the United Utilities permissive path, signposted The Dam, Great How and Legburthwaite. Descend the bank beside the fenced cascading waters of Helvellyn Gill (which include the waters of gills gathered by an aqueduct running across the fellside above Thirlspot). Go through a hand-gate veering right short of the lake, on a partially made path through a variety of managed woodland habitats, with young coppice then largely mature conifers. Waymarking guides over a broken wall and down to a kissing-gate in a fence. By two small plank bridges cross Dale Head Hotel s vista, soon coming up to a kissing-gate. Now in larch woodland keep right on the main track. Coming Raven Crag from Thirlmere dam close to the field fence advance to a three-way junction. To the right a descending path joins a track and leads to a gate into the main road. Ahead a spur path leads to the treecrowned top of Great How, while the main way goes left, declining towards the deepest waters of the lake and the dam. Follow the road right to the road-end bus shelter - on the left.

BUS SERVICE 555 LAKESLINK lancaster milnthorpe kendal windermere carnforth levens carlisle thirlspot white moss keswick grasmere rydal staveley ambleside troutbeck bridge waterhead 8 Rydal Water 1.7 miles linear The quiet side of Rydal Water, linking to White Moss Common. A walk that can easily be elaborated and extended to reach Grasmere village. START Rydal From the bus stop at the foot of the steep lane to Rydal Mount, follow the main road footway north. Opposite the Badger Bar (Glenrothay Hotel) go left, to cross the gated wooden footbridge spanning the River Rothay. The obvious path trends right passing the foot of Rydal Water entering Rydal Wood at a metal hand-gate emerging at a further hand-gate, close above the open shore of the lake. The path encounters a rocky bluff where a few slightly awkward steps require a watchful eye before regaining the shoreline path. Little and Heron Isles with their attendant bird-life attract attention close by at this point. After crossing a plank footbridge, the path draws away from the lake, rising steadily beside a wall. Close to the brow a hand-gate invites a short line down through the woods to a footbridge. But the better option is to stay on the wall-side path until it leaves the wall to descend gently to a footbridge, close to the scenic foot of Grasmere lake. Cross and ascend the opposite path in Banerigg Wood descending to exit at a hand-gate. Pursue the meadow path downstream beside the Rothay to a hand-gate beside the aforementioned footbridge, thus entering White Moss Common. The bus stop for Rydal is close up to the left, while the Keswick-bound bus stop is by the main car park exit, straight ahead.

The Langdale Pikes from near the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel BUS SERVICE 516 LANGDALE RAMBLER kendal windermere ambleside elterwater dungeon ghyll skelwith bridge chapel stile stores 9 Great Langdale 2.2 miles circular Who said one can only know mountain Lakeland from on high. Take this dale bottom stroll and be impressed... and physically refreshed. START Old Dungeon Ghyll Follow the road west to the sharp bend, with facing letterbox, and footpath sign Oxendale and The Band. Go through the kissing-gate, follow the metalled approach road to Stool End Farm. Pass through the farmyard, guided by arrows, to a gate left of the farmhouse. Go through, and bear right, leaving the popular path ahead. Follow the rough path which descends to follow a field wall. Go through a hand-gate to be drawn right keeping within the broad walled lane. Ahead Mickleden, the big valley, exhibits the classic glacial U shape with steep valley sides and moraine mounds at the valley head. As the wall opens angle half-right, cross a wooden footbridge (or if the beck is low, the cobbled weir above) spanning Mickleden Beck. Traverse the pasture towards the base of the mighty fellside beneath Gimmer Crag joining the Mickleden bridleway. Go right, by the wall enclosure corner, follow on through a sheep-handling enclosure, via hand-gates. Continue with some loose gravel to tax the tread coming to the rear of the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel, go either side... as well as within, for those in need of refreshment.

BUS SERVICE 516 LANGDALE RAMBLER kendal windermere ambleside skelwith bridge elterwater dungeon ghyll chapel stile stores 10 Elterwater 1.9 miles linear A waterside walk to adore. By turbulent Skelwith Force, a placid meadow way and the swan serene Elterwater, concluding upstream to the village centre with pub, shop, loos and bus stop all to hand. START Skelwith Bridge Pass the Skelwith Bridge Hotel, join the bridle-road signposted Elterwater by the Chesters Cafe sign. The roadway leading by Kirkstone Quarry s workshops becoming more confined as the roar of the stone sawmill is replaced by the roar of the river racing through the rocky gorge at Skelwith Force. Watch your footing if you venture onto the damp rocks close to the falls. The path emerges from the woodland at a hand-gate to wander beside the Brathay in tranquil mood within a parkland setting. Reaching Elterwater s outflow admire the backing fells of Great Langdale (see below). Go through a hand-gate entering woodland, with alder carr fringing the lake to the left. The path comes to the infusing Great Langdale Beck and follows upstream via hand-gates. Go through the car park to enter Elterwater village centre. Lingmoor Fell and the Langdale Pikes from Elterwater

Gate stoup by Spicka Wood looking to Latterbarrow BUS SERVICE 505 CONISTON RAMBLER kendal brockhole skelwith fold waterhead coniston windermere ambleside outgate inn hawkshead 11 Blelham Tarn 1.7 miles linear A tranquil hour s wander by meadow way and woodland lane above the natural jewel of Blelham Tarn, to finish in or at the Outgate Inn. START Wray road-end Follow the side-road signed to Wray. As the woodland ends on the right go through the kissing-gate following the permissive path within the field alongside the road. Arriving at a metal gate - where the bridleway leaves the road - veer right along the track across the open pasture, Blelham Tarn comes into view over the marsh alder carr backed by Latterbarrow. Go through the gate entering open birchwood to emerge via stepping stones. Continue with a wall right, go through a hand-gate to reach a three-way path sign, keep forward uphill signed Outgate. Go through a gate now rising within a rough lane beside Spicka Wood. Notice the traditional gate part-way up on the right, comprising poles slotted into six holes in facing slate posts, a second example occurs beside the gate at the top. Continue to exit the woodland section at a gate, declining to the road at a bend with slow marked on the tarmac. Go left, cross over, to face on-coming traffic, along narrow verges into Outgate - bus stop opposite the pub. Beech trunk by the Wray road

BUS SERVICE 505 CONISTON RAMBLER kendal brockhole skelwith fold waterhead windermere ambleside hawkshead coniston 12 Tarn Hows 2.0 miles circular For all its fame and popularity Tarn Hows has its secret sides revealed on this neat little circuit, a lovely mix of woodland and pasture. START High Cross, Hawkshead Hill Go through the facing hand-gate on the north side of the cross-ways. The white waymark arrow guides right, beside the wall, within the undulating pasture. As Wharton Tarn comes into view left, go through a kissing-gate and the near kissing-gate in the field corner. Sign To the Tarns enter woodland proceed with tall mesh fencing close right. Rise up the bank, ignore the stile onto the road, keep forward within the mature conifers to emerge onto the road at a hand-gate. Cross and go through the disabled car park overlooking Tarn Hows. Go through the hand-gate and along the track. A headland path can be followed left - as a simple loop from the track - to visit the Scott memorial, which commands a superb view over the sylvan tarns backed by the Coniston and Langdale Fells. The main track comes to a three-way junction. (The path down by the barrier reaches the circular path orbiting the tarns). Keep right, signed Rose Castle. The open track brushes close by this ornate cottage traversing the pasture to a stile in the right-hand corner. Join the open forestry track, a permissive path, leading right winding to a hand-gate beside a double forestry gate. Cross the road to enter a coppice at a tall kissing-gate - this is a conservation wood, the mesh fencing excluding deer and rabbits. Exit at a further tall kissing-gate to regain the approach path. Go left retracing your footsteps back to High Cross... and the next homeward bus! Wetherlam from Tarn Hows

Bus service map showing route name and start bus stop for each numbered walk Service 77/77A Honister Rambler 3 Keswick Service 108 Penrith 6 Derwent Water Buttermere Crummock Water Buttermere Service 516 Langdale Rambler 9 Old Dungeon Ghyll N 5 Thirlmere Rosthwaite Service 79 Borrowdale Rambler Grasmere 10 Skelwith Bridge Skelwith Fold 2 7 1 Thirlspot Service 555 11 8 Rydal Patterdale Service 517 Kirkstone Rambler Ambleside Coniston Service 505 Coniston Rambler Coniston Water 12 Tarn Hows Windermere Windermere Park Brow Foot 4 Grange-in- Ullswater Borrowdale Bowness-on- Windermere Want to take a walk? Take it easy... take a bus! Approaching Warnscale Bottom on WALK 6 Written, illustrated and designed by Mark Richards on behalf of Stagecoach North West - April 2005 For more information on Lakeland s scenic bus rides visit: www.markrichards.info

customer careline complaints & lost property 0870 608 2 608 head office Stagecoach North West 2nd Floor Broadacre House 16-20 Lowther Street Carlisle CA3 8DA www. stagecoachbus.com Concept, words and pictures 2005 Mark Richards