6 Grasmere walks you need to bag on your next visit
If you’re staying in or near Grasmere – lucky you – you won’t have to get in the car to start enjoying the breathtaking scenery on your doorstep.
There are plenty of walks you can set off on from the village.
Get Your Blood Pumping And Some Air in Your Lungs
And remember, these are just ideas – there are plenty of alternative routes up and down the fells around Grasmere, so make sure you take a map and check the weather forecast before you set off.
Happy hiking.

Loughrigg Fell Circular from Grasmere
You probably won’t have this walk to yourself as it’s one of the most popular in the Lakes. But it’s popular for a reason. It’s not too much of a clamber (around 5km) and the panoramic views of lakes, tarns and fells from the summit are pure eye-candy – plus it makes a great first Wainwright too.
- You can start the walk at Red Bank Road, following it to the west side of the lake.
- After about a mile, there’s a footpath that takes you into Red Bank woods. Follow the path until you come to a road. Cross the road to continue on the path that leads you to the foot of the fell.
- Follow the well-trodden rocky path upwards to the right to head to the top, taking time to admire the views of Rydal Water on the way up.
- At the top, you can feast your eyes on Grasmere, Windermere, Elterwater, Thirlmere, the Langdale Pikes and the Coniston fells on clear days.
And, if you’re still feeling adventurous, you can go back down a different way and visit Rydal Cave too, before heading back to Grasmere.
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Helm Crag (The Lion and the Lamb)
For great views over Grasmere and beyond, it’s worth lacing up your hiking boots and tackling the short yet steep yomp up Helm Crag – also known as ‘The Lion and the Lamb’ because of the rocky formations that resemble, you guessed it, a lion and a lamb.
You can see Helm Crag’s distinctive outline clearly from the village, and while it might look daunting, the 6.5km route is doable in around 3 or four hours, depending on your fitness levels – set off in the morning along Easedale Road, through the Lancrigg woodland estate and then up the rocky staircase to the summit, and you can be back down for lunch.
Because it’s a popular walk, the paths to the top are well laid out and signposted so you’re unlikely to get lost. It can get a bit slippery in places after rain so make sure your boots are made for (proper) walking.
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Alcock Tarn from Grasmere
A lovely and easyish (it can get a bit boggy in places after a downpour) circular walk from the centre of Grasmere, with beautiful scenery, a gentle ascent on well-marked paths through woodland, and gorgeous views of Windermere, Grasmere and Helm Crag from the top. And when you get to the top, unpack a picnic, roll up your trousers and go for a paddle in the tarn.
- Start out at St Oswald’s church and head out of the village towards Dove Cottage.
- Walk up the old road towards White Moss Common, before turning left to follow the path to Brackenfell Woods.
- You’ll soon come to a bench (the first of many en route) where you can enjoy views across the valley, before turning left and following the signs up to Alcock Tarn, taking in Grey Crag as you go.
- The descent takes you down the fellside towards Greenhead Ghyll – look out for the gravity-fed Thirlmere aqueduct along the way.
At the bottom of the ghyll, it’s a short stroll back to the main road into Grasmere.
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Around Grasmere Water
This is a great low-level 5km walk to do with kids and takes in the village, woodland and the lake, with plenty of places to rest up for a picnic or just to admire the scenery while the kids bomb about.
- You can park in the main car park at Stock Lane and it’s a short walk into the village and the turn-off for the lake – you’ll see a sign just past the Grasmere Garden Village on Church Stile guiding you down to the lake side.
- Follow Red Bank Road until you come to a gate that opens out onto a path down to the water.
- Follow the path round to Deerbolts Woods.
- The path through the woods brings you out at the southern end of the lake. The shore here is a lovely spot to stop for something to eat and a paddle or a spot of stone skimming.
Leave the lake shore via the little wooden bridge and walk through the woods until you get back to the road leading into Grasmere.
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Grasmere to Silver How loop
The views over Grasmere and beyond from the top of Silver How (you’ll see it spelt Howe too) are well worth the not-very-much effort it takes to get there. On a good day (not always guaranteed) you can see the Langdale Pikes, Helm Crag, Steel Fell and Heron Pike – not bad, eh?
- The path to the top is well laid out and easy to navigate so it’s a perfect two-hour walk (5km) for the whole family – even the more reluctant members.
- You can start at Allan Bank (one of Wordsworth’s former homes) and follow the lane around the house until you come to a white farm house.
- A signpost then directs you left up a rocky path towards Silver How. Look out for Sour Milk Ghyll in the distance as you ascend.
- There’s a little bit of huffing and puffing on the final push, but when you get there – wow! And it’s a Wainwright bagged too.
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Easedale Tarn and Sour milk Ghyll
Family-friendly, the longish (around 8km) but gentle up and down walk up to Easedale Tarn takes in some fabulous scenery, including the waterfall at Sour Milk Ghyll – take your swimmers if it’s a nice day and have a dip to cool off.
- Start out on Easedale Road, then bear left over the bridge, and follow the clearly marked path alongside the beck.
- You’ll soon come to New Bridge – a stone bridge built to replace an old pack horse bridge.
- Cross the bridge and follow the path up towards Sour Milk Ghyll, and then it’s only a short walk to the tarn.
- Once you get there, the fell-surrounded large tarn is an impressive sight. There are plenty of places to roll out your picnic rug and have lunch, and the tarn is a great place for wild swimming – it does get deep in places though so be careful.
- Return to Grasmere the way you came.
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