Hiking in The Lake District – 10 Hikes You Just GOTTA Do! 🚶♀️
It’s about time I spoke about one of my absolute favourite places on this green earth: the Lake District (Only an hour and half from where I live). If, like me, your heart does a little jig at the thought of lacing up hiking boots and hitting the trails, then, trust me, Hiking in The Lake District is an experience that needs to be penned onto your UK travel bucket list. From oh-so-gentle lakeside meanders to “holy sh*t, that’s a climb!” mountain ascents, this glorious patch of UNESCO World Heritage wonder has a trail with your name on it, promise! So, settle in and let The Travel Tinker spill the beans on ten of the very best hikes this utterly stunning bit of England has up its sleeve.
Why Hiking in The Lake District is Just... Chef's Kiss
There’s a certain something about the Lakes, isn’t there? A proper kind of magic that’s been pulling in poets, painters, and everyday adventurers like us for donkey’s years. It’s more than just jaw-dropping scenery (though, that’s a HUGE part of it!). It’s that feeling of glorious freedom as you puff your way up a slope, the taste of clean, crisp air, the cheery “morning!” from fellow walkers, and that immense, “I did it!”. It’s the kind of place where you can ditch the daily grind and just be. Let’s get started!
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Before You Even Think About Packing Your Rucksack: Tinker's Top Tips!
Right, a little bit of friendly advice before you dash off:
Weather Watch! (Seriously): Lake District weather is a fickle beast, it can throw all four seasons at you in an afternoon! Layers are your best mates, and waterproofs (jacket and overtrousers, don’t skimp!) are non-negotiable. Sun cream too, because you just never know!
Boots Made for Walking (and Clambering!): Sturdy, comfy hiking boots with decent ankle support are pretty much essential for most of these adventures. Your feet will send you thank-you cards, I promise.
Don’t Get Lost in a Good Book (or on a Fell): While many paths are pretty clear, don’t get too cocky. A map and compass (and the know-how to use ’em!) or a trusty GPS app are your safety blanket, especially up high where phone signal often waves goodbye.
Fuel for the Fells: Pack more water than you think you’ll need, and plenty of “oomph-giving” snacks. A hot flask of tea or coffee at a blustery viewpoint? Pure, unadulterated bliss! ☕
Leave Only Footprints (and Good Vibes): Take every scrap of litter home, stick to the paths to stop them looking like a muddy motorway, and give the sheep and cows a respectful nod from a distance. Let’s keep the Lakes looking lush!
🗺️ More guides to England, sure: 12 Natural Wonders You Need to Visit in Yorkshire
Our Top 10 Knock-Your-Socks-Off Lake District Hikes
1. Catbells: A Kitten of a Climb with a Lion's Roar of a View!
Often called a “proper little mountain,” and for very good reason, Catbells is a total crowd-pleaser. It’s a fairly short yomp but, oh boy, the payback in views over Derwentwater, Keswick, and the gang of fells all around is just epic. There are a couple of easy-peasy scrambly bits that just add to the giggle factor, making it a brilliant first taste of fell walking for families or if you’re feeling a bit rusty.
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Try to go early doors or later in the afternoon to dodge the main rush, especially in summer. Parking at Hawes End can be a bit of a bunfight.
⛰️ That Feeling: You know that heart-swell when you reach the top and that view opens up? Pure, unadulterated happiness.
🥾 Recommended Hikes: Catbells Hiking Trails
2. Tarn Hows: Accessible Awesomeness for Everyone
Fancy some knock-your-socks-off scenery without the leg-burning climb? Tarn Hows is your winner. This picture-postcard spot, wrapped in woodland and gentle fells, has a beautifully kept, mostly flat circular path. It’s a dream for pushchairs and mobility scooters (check out Miles Without Stiles for the full accessibility lowdown). Perfect for a leisurely potter and a picnic, with cheeky glimpses towards the Langdale Pikes.
💡 Little Known Fact: Tarn Hows looks like it’s been there forever, right? Actually, it’s a rather clever man-made landscape from the 19th century!
⛰️ That Feeling: A proper soul-soother of a walk. Just peace, quiet, and beautiful views.
🥾 Tinker’s Recommended Hikes: Hiking Trails at Tarn Hows
3. Orrest Head: Where Wainwright Got Bitten by the Fell Bug
You have to do this one. Seriously. This relatively short and sweet climb from Windermere village is special because it’s the very first fell that Alfred Wainwright, the absolute legend of Lakeland guidebooks, ever conquered. This is where his lifelong love affair with these hills began. The view from the top, sweeping over Lake Windermere and a whole host of fells, is just wonderful. You’ll totally get why he was hooked!
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Make a day of it and pair it with a boat trip on Windermere – classic Lakes!
⛰️ That Feeling: Standing where Wainwright stood, you can almost feel that same buzz of discovery.
4. Loughrigg Fell: The 360-Degree Showstopper
Don’t let Loughrigg Fell’s modest height fool you; it’s an absolute belter for views! Its spot right in the middle of things means you get mind-blowing 360-degree panoramas taking in Grasmere, Rydal Water, Windermere, and a “who’s who” of famous fells. There are squillions of paths to the top, so you can mix it up. It’s a brilliant fell for a good old explore, with secret little tarns and craggy bits.
📍 Best For: Viewpoint-chasers who don’t mind a bit of squelch underfoot in places!
⛰️ That Feeling: Like you’re right in the beating heart of the Lake District, wrapped in beauty.
🥾 My Recommended Routes: Loughrigg Hiking trails
🔥 Want to find all the best places to eat, shop, and explore? Use our Google Maps Legend! Everything you need all on the google maps app!
5. The Old Man of Coniston: A Hike with History
This popular chap looms rather impressively over Coniston village and the shimmering waters of Coniston Water. It’s a good, honest climb, and you’ll wander past all sorts of intriguing old slate quarry bits, a proper nod to the area’s hardworking past. The views from the summit cairn? Well, they’re as grand as you’d expect, stretching across the lake and sometimes even to Morecambe Bay if the weather’s playing ball.
ℹ️ Don’t Miss: The slightly spooky, but very beautiful, Low Water tarn, tucked away below the summit.
⛰️ That Feeling: A grand sense of achievement mixed with a bit of “ooh, imagine working here back then!”
6. Helvellyn via Striding Edge: For the Brave and Bonkers!
Okay, deep breaths, folks, this is where things get properly epic! Helvellyn is England’s third-highest peak, and getting to the top via Striding Edge is one of the UK’s most talked-about, heart-in-your-mouth mountain days. That narrow, rocky ridge? It’s not one for those who get wobbly knees looking down from a stepladder, you’ll need a good head for heights and to be comfy with a bit of scrambling. The buzz is immense, though! Swirral Edge is another (slightly less terrifying) scrambly way up, or there are “gentler” paths from Thirlmere.
⚠️ Seriously, Safety First: Only even think about Striding Edge in good weather, and if you’re an experienced scrambler who knows their stuff.
🔥 That Feeling: Pure, unfiltered exhilaration and enough mountaineering street cred to last a lifetime!
🥾 Our full-guide to Helvellyn is here.
What to know How to Plan or Save for a Trip? Here are our best:
7. Scafell Pike: Conquering England's Rooftop!
Right, we couldn’t not talk about the big one, could we? As part of any guide to Hiking in The Lake District, Scafell Pike is a must-mention. At 978 metres (that’s 3,209 ft!), it’s England’s highest mountain, and ticking it off the list is a proper bucket-list moment for loads of walkers. The most common route is from Wasdale Head it’s the shortest, but also super steep and pretty rugged. The views from the top on a clear day? Simply unbeatable. You feel like you can see the whole world.
🔹 Tinker’s Tip: Set that alarm early; it’s a long day out. The path is basically a jumble of rocks, so watch your ankles!
⛰️ That Feeling: That “king of the world” (or at least, king of England) feeling. Utter triumph!
8. Haystacks: Wainwright's Favourite Haunt
If it was good enough for Wainwright to pick as his final favourite spot (his ashes are scattered by Innominate Tarn, you know), then it’s good enough for us! Haystacks isn’t one of the big bruisers, but it’s overflowing with character and interesting nooks and crannies. A walk up Haystacks is a total delight, all crags, little hidden tarns (Innominate Tarn and Blackbeck Tarn are stunners), and lovely, lovely views towards Buttermere and Ennerdale.
🔥 Why Go? To wander a fell that perfectly sums up the intricate, rugged charm of the Lakes.
😃 That Feeling: A wonderfully enchanting, almost magical walk. You can see why AW loved it so.
9. Latrigg: Maximum Views, Minimum Effort!
Want maximum wow-factor for minimum oomph? Latrigg, just on the edge of Keswick, is your hero! A beautifully kept path, which even includes an accessible bit for mobility scooters (look up the “Latrigg Limited Mobility Path”), leads you gently up to a viewpoint that slaps you in the face (in a good way!) with stunning views over Keswick, Derwentwater, and the mighty Skiddaw range. Ideal for a quick evening walk or if your legs are staging a protest.
📍 Perfect For: Catching a sunset or when you’re pressed for time but still craving those epic Lakeland scenes.
⛰️ That Feeling: Pure, smug delight at bagging such an incredible view for so little puff!
10. Stickle Tarn & Pavey Ark: Langdale's Dramatic Heart
Ah, the Langdale Pikes. Instantly recognisable, aren’t they? Pure Lakeland drama. This hike takes you right into their magnificent, craggy embrace. The walk up to Stickle Tarn, tucked like a jewel beneath the massive cliffs of Pavey Ark, is steep, no doubt about it, but oh-so-worth-it. The tarn itself is a breathtaking spot to catch your breath. For the really adventurous, paths wiggle up Pavey Ark itself, including the infamous Jack’s Rake (that’s a Grade 1 scramble – experience absolutely vital!).
ℹ️ Fancy More? From Stickle Tarn, you can carry on to explore Harrison Stickle or Loft Crag.
⛰️ That Feeling: Being totally dwarfed by the sheer, rugged grandeur of the Langdale Pikes. It’s properly awe-inspiring.
Beyond the Boots: What Else Makes the Lakes Fab?
Look, hiking is king here, but what if your legs are screaming ‘no more!’ or you just fancy a change of pace?
Messing About on the Water: Jump on a steamer on Windermere, Ullswater, Coniston, or Derwentwater.
Village Hopping: Grasmere (hello, Wordsworth’s gingerbread!), Hawkshead (Beatrix Potter’s old stomping ground), bustling Ambleside, and Keswick are all utterly charming.
Pub Grub & Pints: Is there anything better than a well-earned pint and some hearty pub scran by a roaring fire after a day on the fells? Nope, didn’t think so! 🍻
Getting Wet (Intentionally!): Ghyll scrambling, kayaking, paddleboarding… go on, you know you want to!
Recommended Tours in The Lake District
Playing it Safe: How Not to End Up on the News 🧗♀️
Mountains are amazing, but they can be serious places. The local Mountain Rescue teams are absolute legends (all volunteers, too!), but your aim should be to never need them.
Weather, Weather, Weather: Check it religiously. The Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) is your bible. If it’s forecasting gales, heavy rain, or (heaven forbid in summer) snow, Striding Edge is a definite no-go. It’s just not worth the risk.
Know Your Limits (and Your Mates’): Be honest. If it feels too much, turn back. The mountain will still be there another day. It’s not weak to turn back; it’s smart.
Tell Someone Where You’re Going: Let a responsible person know your route and roughly when you expect to be back. Simple stuff, but important.
Map & Compass are King: Seriously, in mist, the Helvellyn plateau is a confusing place. Your phone is not enough.
Best Time to Go? Good Question!
- Spring (April – June): Often the sweet spot. Decent weather, long daylight hours, and it’s not too mobbed.
Summer (July – August): Can be glorious, but it’s peak season. That car park will be a bunfight. And the ridge can get busy, leading to queues at tricky bits like The Chimney.
Autumn (September – October): Stunning colours, crisp air. But the weather can be more “interesting,” and daylight hours are shrinking.
Winter (November – March): STOP. Unless you are a seasoned winter mountaineer with an ice axe, crampons, and the skills to use them properly, Striding Edge in winter is a whole different, much more dangerous, ball game. It’s a winter climb, not a hike. Don’t even think about it otherwise.
The Reward: That Post-Hike Pint in Glenridding
You’ve done it! You’re down! Your knees are aching, you’re probably a bit sweaty, but you’re buzzing! Time for the best bit: the pub. Glenridding has a couple of great boozers. The Traveller’s Rest is a classic walkers’ pub and you can’t miss it on the way down. That first sip of cold lager or ale, as you sink into a chair and relive the day’s drama? Pure, unadulterated joy.
Need Accommodation in The Lakes?
Blimey, I’ve waffled on a bit, haven’t I? But hopefully, you’ve got a good flavour now of the incredible Hiking in The Lake District adventures that are just sitting there, waiting for you to discover them. And take it from your ol’ mate The Travel Tinker, you won’t regret a single muddy boot print or aching calf muscle. Not one bit. 🌍 ✨
Over to You…
Have you conquered any of these mighty fells? Or do you have another secret favourite Lake District walk that you reckon deserves a massive shout-out? Share your tales from the trails, top tips, and favourite “wow” moments in the comments below – we’re all ears and love a good hiking yarn! Happy tinkering and even happier trails!👇🗣️
Adventure on,
The Travel Tinker Crew 🌍✨
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Your Burning Questions Answered (Hopefully!) - FAQs
What's the easiest Wainwright to bag in the Lake District?
Ooh, good question! For a proper ‘Wainwright bag’ without too much huffing and puffing, Orrest Head or Latrigg are brilliant bets. Tarn Hows offers a super-easy, accessible circular walk with lovely scenery, though it’s not strictly a Wainwright summit itself.
Do I need loads of fancy gear for hiking in the Lake District?
For most of these lovely strolls and climbs, yes, a bit of kit is key. Good hiking boots, waterproofs (top and bottom!), layers you can whip on and off, a map, and a compass (or reliable GPS) are your best friends. For the gnarlier routes like Striding Edge or Scafell Pike, you’ll need to be even more on the ball with your gear and prep.
When's the absolute best time of year for Hiking in The Lake District?
Honestly? The Lakes are gorgeous year-round, but if I had to pick, Spring (April-May) with its fresh greens and daffodils, and Autumn (September-October) with its golden colours, often hit the sweet spot for nice temperatures and fewer crowds. Summer (June-August) is glorious but can get a bit heaving, and winter (November-March) is stunning but needs proper winter mountaineering skills and kit for the high fells due to snow and ice.
Can my four-legged friend join the fun in the Lake District?
Absolutely! The Lake District is practically doggy paradise. 🐕 Just a few common-sense things: keep your furry pal under close control, especially near sheep and cows (on a lead is usually best), and be aware that some stiles can be a bit awkward for them. And, of course, scoop that poop!
Are there people who can show me the ropes with guided walks?
You bet! Loads of brilliant companies and individual guides offer walks for every ability, from gentle introductions to “eek, that’s high!” mountain days. It’s a fab option if you’re new to the area, a bit nervous about map reading, or just fancy having a local expert show you the hidden gems.
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Nick Harvey
Hi, I am Nick! Thank you for reading! The Travel Tinker is a resource designed to help you navigate the beauty of travel! Tinkering your plans as you browse!
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