Jane's Guidebook
Sightseeing
so close to mine.
Brant Fell above Bowness-on-Windermere
Brant Fell overlooks the little town of Bowness-on-Windermere, which is often referred to as just Bowness or Windermere. The way to the fell is quite steep and can get a bit muddy but on a clear day the views from the top are certainly worth it though. Across the town, to the north, stands the diminutive Orrest Head which a certain Mr Wainwright visited on his first excursion to the Lake District and to the west across Windermere is Grizedale Forest.
The walk starts in the centre of Bowness, the most suitable landmark being the mini-roundabout right in the middle: you can't miss it. You quickly leave the shops and bustle behind, climbing steeply along Brantfell Road to reach the fields and fell above the town. This early part of the walk is part of the Dales Way which starts 81 miles away in Ilkley and finishes here. Turning off after a few hundred metres you visit the little viewpoint of Post Knott before turning your back on the views for a short bit to finish climbing to the top of Brant Fell itself. At the summit is a forlorn gateway with no fence or wall still in existence. The large outcrops of rock here have vertical faces of some 6 to 10 feet high so don't trip over the bits of old metalwork still rusting away. To return you narrowly avoid the outward path and descend back to the shops along Helm Road.
Although we suggest a minimum of an hour, you should allow a couple of hours so as not to hurry on this walk.
8 recommandé par les habitants
Brant Fell Viewpoint
so close to mine.
Brant Fell above Bowness-on-Windermere
Brant Fell overlooks the little town of Bowness-on-Windermere, which is often referred to as just Bowness or Windermere. The way to the fell is quite steep and can get a bit muddy but on a clear day the views from the top are certainly worth it though. Across the town, to the north, stands the diminutive Orrest Head which a certain Mr Wainwright visited on his first excursion to the Lake District and to the west across Windermere is Grizedale Forest.
The walk starts in the centre of Bowness, the most suitable landmark being the mini-roundabout right in the middle: you can't miss it. You quickly leave the shops and bustle behind, climbing steeply along Brantfell Road to reach the fields and fell above the town. This early part of the walk is part of the Dales Way which starts 81 miles away in Ilkley and finishes here. Turning off after a few hundred metres you visit the little viewpoint of Post Knott before turning your back on the views for a short bit to finish climbing to the top of Brant Fell itself. At the summit is a forlorn gateway with no fence or wall still in existence. The large outcrops of rock here have vertical faces of some 6 to 10 feet high so don't trip over the bits of old metalwork still rusting away. To return you narrowly avoid the outward path and descend back to the shops along Helm Road.
Although we suggest a minimum of an hour, you should allow a couple of hours so as not to hurry on this walk.
Close to mine.
Claife Viewing Station is surrounded by wonderful lake side walks, woodland wanders and fantastic wildlife. Make a day of your visit by starting your trip on the ferry from Bowness; there’s no need to bring your car to this part of the Lakes, it’s best explored on foot and by bike.
Claife Viewing Station
The very first tourists to explore the Lake District came to Claife Viewing Station to admire the views of Lake Windermere. Follow in their footsteps today and explore the semi restored Station. No one ever lived here; it was built purposefully for people to appreciate the landscape. Parties and dances where often held here, with lanterns lighting the route up to the platform. Coloured glass and mirrors where used to enhance the view. When the National Trust restored the Station, we added glass panels and an Aeolian wind harp that you can see and hear today.
Ash Landing nature reserve
Walk from the Viewing Station to Ash Landing Nature Reserve. With a mosaic of different habitats, there is always something exciting to find. In summer, spot slow worms basking in the sun and butterflies in the wildflower meadow. Leaves turn into a kaleidoscope of colour in autumn and carpets of daffodils and bluebells can be found here in spring.
Car free adventure
Bring your bikes across from Bowness and cycle along the west shore path. Hugging the shore of Windermere, this path is gentle and suitable for all the family. As you explore this side of the lake, you will start to uncover layers of hidden history and glimpses of the old woodland industries. The woodlands were once an important resource for the local iron, leather and bobbin–making industries, as well as providing timber and firewood.
As you walk, look out for the remains of charcoal burning platforms. These produced charcoal fuel for use in the iron industry.
18 recommandé par les habitants
Station d'observation de Claife et la rive ouest de Windermere
Close to mine.
Claife Viewing Station is surrounded by wonderful lake side walks, woodland wanders and fantastic wildlife. Make a day of your visit by starting your trip on the ferry from Bowness; there’s no need to bring your car to this part of the Lakes, it’s best explored on foot and by bike.
Claife Viewing Station
The very first tourists to explore the Lake District came to Claife Viewing Station to admire the views of Lake Windermere. Follow in their footsteps today and explore the semi restored Station. No one ever lived here; it was built purposefully for people to appreciate the landscape. Parties and dances where often held here, with lanterns lighting the route up to the platform. Coloured glass and mirrors where used to enhance the view. When the National Trust restored the Station, we added glass panels and an Aeolian wind harp that you can see and hear today.
Ash Landing nature reserve
Walk from the Viewing Station to Ash Landing Nature Reserve. With a mosaic of different habitats, there is always something exciting to find. In summer, spot slow worms basking in the sun and butterflies in the wildflower meadow. Leaves turn into a kaleidoscope of colour in autumn and carpets of daffodils and bluebells can be found here in spring.
Car free adventure
Bring your bikes across from Bowness and cycle along the west shore path. Hugging the shore of Windermere, this path is gentle and suitable for all the family. As you explore this side of the lake, you will start to uncover layers of hidden history and glimpses of the old woodland industries. The woodlands were once an important resource for the local iron, leather and bobbin–making industries, as well as providing timber and firewood.
As you walk, look out for the remains of charcoal burning platforms. These produced charcoal fuel for use in the iron industry.
A lovely Walk from mine.
Ash Landing and Claife Heights Windermere walk.
Start:
National Trust car park at Ash Landing, grid ref: SD388954
1
From the Ash Landing car park take the track with a low wooden barrier, leading uphill to the right at the back of the car park. Walk up the track and some stone steps. This leads to a junction with a tall beech tree in front of you and a ruined building (Claife Station) beyond. Turn left along the broad path, which veers right towards the building. Just before the building, turn left and continue uphill until you meet a junction. Turn right (signed to Hawkshead).
Claife Station
Thomas West wrote one of the first guidebooks to the Lakes in 1778. The guide included several viewpoints or 'stations' where people could enjoy the best views of Windermere. Claife Station (1799) was built on the site of Thomas West's first viewing station.
2
When you reach a wicket gate at a junction with a walled bridleway, turn left (signed to Sawrey) through woodland and pasture. At the crossroads, take the right turn. Follow this, veering right at the top of the ridge.
Deer spotting
One of the best places in Lakeland to see wild deer, the Claife Woods is home to both red and roe deer.
3
Skirting a marsh or pond (depending on the time of year) go through a gate, continuing with a wall on your right and a conifer plantation on your left until you reach a knoll. At the fork, ignore the left turn and carry on to a gate with a step stile. Cross the stile and continue. To your left is High Blind How.
4
Follow the path through the woodland and eventually bear left uphill, to the top of the ridge. Here you veer right, running parallel to the lake. (Look out for a path off to the right, which leads to a classic view over Windermere.) Continue on the broad path until you reach a junction signed Hawkshead to the left and Belle Grange straight ahead.
Red squirrels
Claife Woods is a great place to see red squirrels. We're monitoring squirrel populations and trying to help the reds by providing supplementary feeding stations and controlling the number of grey squirrels.
5
Take the path straight ahead (following the signs for Belle Grange), following yellow arrows through woodland and bracken beds. Ignore the sharp turn to the right and keep straight on, keeping parallel with the lake. Eventually, you'll drop down and cross a stream. Just beyond this, the path meets a junction signed as a public bridleway.
The Crier of Claife
The Crier of Claife, a particularly noisy ghost, is reputed to be the spirit of a monk whose mission was to rescue fallen women. Alas, he fell in love, was rejected, went mad and died, and has wailed about it ever since. Eventually the crier was exorcised and banished to a small quarry (point 5 on the map).
6
Turn left here (signed to Hawkshead). The track winds uphill at first, through larch woodland with Grange Beck on the right. After it passes a National Trust sign (to Claife Estate), it levels out. Ignore any side paths until the path crosses a much broader forest track, signed as a bridleway to High Wray.
7
At the crossroad, turn right. After about 300yd (275m) there's a path to the right, marked with a blue arrow. Follow this through woodland until the path meets a wall and a tall gate. Go through and walk through the conifer plantation, ignoring any side paths leading to the road. Eventually you'll go downhill to another gate. Go through and continue right through birch woodland. Go through another gate and past buildings on the right (National Trust Basecamp). Go straight ahead to join a bigger forest track, turn right and continue over the cattle grid and to the road junction at the bottom of the hill.
8
At the junction, turn right, walking along the road signed to Wray Castle and Ambleside, through the village of High Wray. Pass the village hall and after about 100yd (90m), where the road veers left, turn right and follow the footpath to the lake. After about 10yd (9m), go through the squeeze stile and little gate in the wall, walk down some steps and down the field, keeping the wall to your left. Go through another wicket gate and follow the field edge down to a step stile in front of a boathouse, on the lake shore.
9
Cross the stile onto the main lakeside path and turn right to start your return, (or left for the optional Wray Castle section, see Step 10 below). Follow the well-surfaced lakeshore trail, for approximately 3.5 miles (5.6km), passing through Red Nab car park on the way, past the Strawberry Gardens caravan site and back to the start point at Ash Landing car park.
Strawberry (Waterloo) Gardens
On the left of what is now the Strawberry Gardens' caravan site stands a high wall. This used to belong to a kitchen garden which served the Curwen family's 18th-century house on Belle Isle (the largest of Windermere's islands). The gardens' fruit and vegetables were laid out to represent the opposing armies at the Battle of Waterloo.
10
Optional extra stage - If you have more time you can turn left on the main lakeshore track and visit Wray Castle - a mock Gothic castle built in the 1840s. The castle is open from Easter to end of October every day and has a café and toilets for that well-deserved pit stop. Grounds are open all year. Turn left on the main track and after a short distance look out for a gate on the right with a well-surfaced path that will take you beside the lake and up to the castle in around 5-10 minutes. Retrace your steps back to the main lakeshore track mentioned in 9.
Visit Wray Castle
Wray Castle and grounds, a mock Gothic castle with fantastic views and a fascinating history, take a guided tour if you have the time.
End:
National Trust car park at Ash Landing, grid ref: SD388954
Claife Heights
A lovely Walk from mine.
Ash Landing and Claife Heights Windermere walk.
Start:
National Trust car park at Ash Landing, grid ref: SD388954
1
From the Ash Landing car park take the track with a low wooden barrier, leading uphill to the right at the back of the car park. Walk up the track and some stone steps. This leads to a junction with a tall beech tree in front of you and a ruined building (Claife Station) beyond. Turn left along the broad path, which veers right towards the building. Just before the building, turn left and continue uphill until you meet a junction. Turn right (signed to Hawkshead).
Claife Station
Thomas West wrote one of the first guidebooks to the Lakes in 1778. The guide included several viewpoints or 'stations' where people could enjoy the best views of Windermere. Claife Station (1799) was built on the site of Thomas West's first viewing station.
2
When you reach a wicket gate at a junction with a walled bridleway, turn left (signed to Sawrey) through woodland and pasture. At the crossroads, take the right turn. Follow this, veering right at the top of the ridge.
Deer spotting
One of the best places in Lakeland to see wild deer, the Claife Woods is home to both red and roe deer.
3
Skirting a marsh or pond (depending on the time of year) go through a gate, continuing with a wall on your right and a conifer plantation on your left until you reach a knoll. At the fork, ignore the left turn and carry on to a gate with a step stile. Cross the stile and continue. To your left is High Blind How.
4
Follow the path through the woodland and eventually bear left uphill, to the top of the ridge. Here you veer right, running parallel to the lake. (Look out for a path off to the right, which leads to a classic view over Windermere.) Continue on the broad path until you reach a junction signed Hawkshead to the left and Belle Grange straight ahead.
Red squirrels
Claife Woods is a great place to see red squirrels. We're monitoring squirrel populations and trying to help the reds by providing supplementary feeding stations and controlling the number of grey squirrels.
5
Take the path straight ahead (following the signs for Belle Grange), following yellow arrows through woodland and bracken beds. Ignore the sharp turn to the right and keep straight on, keeping parallel with the lake. Eventually, you'll drop down and cross a stream. Just beyond this, the path meets a junction signed as a public bridleway.
The Crier of Claife
The Crier of Claife, a particularly noisy ghost, is reputed to be the spirit of a monk whose mission was to rescue fallen women. Alas, he fell in love, was rejected, went mad and died, and has wailed about it ever since. Eventually the crier was exorcised and banished to a small quarry (point 5 on the map).
6
Turn left here (signed to Hawkshead). The track winds uphill at first, through larch woodland with Grange Beck on the right. After it passes a National Trust sign (to Claife Estate), it levels out. Ignore any side paths until the path crosses a much broader forest track, signed as a bridleway to High Wray.
7
At the crossroad, turn right. After about 300yd (275m) there's a path to the right, marked with a blue arrow. Follow this through woodland until the path meets a wall and a tall gate. Go through and walk through the conifer plantation, ignoring any side paths leading to the road. Eventually you'll go downhill to another gate. Go through and continue right through birch woodland. Go through another gate and past buildings on the right (National Trust Basecamp). Go straight ahead to join a bigger forest track, turn right and continue over the cattle grid and to the road junction at the bottom of the hill.
8
At the junction, turn right, walking along the road signed to Wray Castle and Ambleside, through the village of High Wray. Pass the village hall and after about 100yd (90m), where the road veers left, turn right and follow the footpath to the lake. After about 10yd (9m), go through the squeeze stile and little gate in the wall, walk down some steps and down the field, keeping the wall to your left. Go through another wicket gate and follow the field edge down to a step stile in front of a boathouse, on the lake shore.
9
Cross the stile onto the main lakeside path and turn right to start your return, (or left for the optional Wray Castle section, see Step 10 below). Follow the well-surfaced lakeshore trail, for approximately 3.5 miles (5.6km), passing through Red Nab car park on the way, past the Strawberry Gardens caravan site and back to the start point at Ash Landing car park.
Strawberry (Waterloo) Gardens
On the left of what is now the Strawberry Gardens' caravan site stands a high wall. This used to belong to a kitchen garden which served the Curwen family's 18th-century house on Belle Isle (the largest of Windermere's islands). The gardens' fruit and vegetables were laid out to represent the opposing armies at the Battle of Waterloo.
10
Optional extra stage - If you have more time you can turn left on the main lakeshore track and visit Wray Castle - a mock Gothic castle built in the 1840s. The castle is open from Easter to end of October every day and has a café and toilets for that well-deserved pit stop. Grounds are open all year. Turn left on the main track and after a short distance look out for a gate on the right with a well-surfaced path that will take you beside the lake and up to the castle in around 5-10 minutes. Retrace your steps back to the main lakeshore track mentioned in 9.
Visit Wray Castle
Wray Castle and grounds, a mock Gothic castle with fantastic views and a fascinating history, take a guided tour if you have the time.
End:
National Trust car park at Ash Landing, grid ref: SD388954
A short walk so close to mine.
A short walk from the centre of Bowness is Cockshot Point on the lake shore. It’s the perfect place for a family picnic and a paddle in the lake. This beautiful spot offers views to Belle Isle just off the shore. Belle Isle is the largest and only inhabited island on Windermere.You can also see the famous Windermere car ferry making it's way back and forth across the lake.
Cockshot Point stroll from Bowness on Windermere
The compact centre of Bowness on Windermere and the waterfront hides a short very pleasant walk away from the crowds. The paths are either pavement or other hard surfaces so is suitable for most mobility scooters, and pushchairs.
The walk starts just down from the town centre at the water front where Windermere Cruises call in on their tours of the lake. You follow Glebe Road part way round and mostly beside the lake with views to Belle Isle just off the shore. Belle Isle is the largest and only inhabited island on Windermere. Northwards the view is to the fells of the Fairfield Horseshoe and Wansfell Pike which stand over Ambleside. You soon leave the road to head for Cockshot Point. At the far end you can watch the car ferry make its crossings back and forth to Far Sawrey. You then start heading back along hard surfaced tracks and tarmac between greenspaces and the cemetery to the water front.
Starting from the water front where the jetties are, turn right down Glebe Road signed "car parks". In about 50m (55 yards) on the left-hand side of the road is the Tourist Information Centre. Follow Glebe Road for approx 300m (330 yards).
Just past a car park on the left the road swings left, leave Glebe Road to continue ahead onto a slightly rough driveway signposted to Cockshot Point. Go through the metal gateway and onto the gravelled path. The Point is actually to the right across the grass - if you are amble. Continue ahead for the view southwards down Windermere, then follow the path to swing left above the shore line.
Reaching the T junction, turn left between railings. There is a slight gradient here as it climbs to the road. Cross the road and keep ahead with greenspace on your left and the cemetery to your right. This brings you out again at the entrance of Glebe Road beside the Tourist Information Centre. Cross Glebe Road back to the water front.
7 recommandé par les habitants
Cockshott Point
Glebe RoadA short walk so close to mine.
A short walk from the centre of Bowness is Cockshot Point on the lake shore. It’s the perfect place for a family picnic and a paddle in the lake. This beautiful spot offers views to Belle Isle just off the shore. Belle Isle is the largest and only inhabited island on Windermere.You can also see the famous Windermere car ferry making it's way back and forth across the lake.
Cockshot Point stroll from Bowness on Windermere
The compact centre of Bowness on Windermere and the waterfront hides a short very pleasant walk away from the crowds. The paths are either pavement or other hard surfaces so is suitable for most mobility scooters, and pushchairs.
The walk starts just down from the town centre at the water front where Windermere Cruises call in on their tours of the lake. You follow Glebe Road part way round and mostly beside the lake with views to Belle Isle just off the shore. Belle Isle is the largest and only inhabited island on Windermere. Northwards the view is to the fells of the Fairfield Horseshoe and Wansfell Pike which stand over Ambleside. You soon leave the road to head for Cockshot Point. At the far end you can watch the car ferry make its crossings back and forth to Far Sawrey. You then start heading back along hard surfaced tracks and tarmac between greenspaces and the cemetery to the water front.
Starting from the water front where the jetties are, turn right down Glebe Road signed "car parks". In about 50m (55 yards) on the left-hand side of the road is the Tourist Information Centre. Follow Glebe Road for approx 300m (330 yards).
Just past a car park on the left the road swings left, leave Glebe Road to continue ahead onto a slightly rough driveway signposted to Cockshot Point. Go through the metal gateway and onto the gravelled path. The Point is actually to the right across the grass - if you are amble. Continue ahead for the view southwards down Windermere, then follow the path to swing left above the shore line.
Reaching the T junction, turn left between railings. There is a slight gradient here as it climbs to the road. Cross the road and keep ahead with greenspace on your left and the cemetery to your right. This brings you out again at the entrance of Glebe Road beside the Tourist Information Centre. Cross Glebe Road back to the water front.