Claife Heights and Lake Windermere

Mark Tracey Keiran and Kerris Douglas

You need to log in as a member of Walkingworld to access the details for this walk and have an active subscription. Please join, or log in above if you are already a member.

A walk which has all the ingredients of a fine lakeland walk, starting on the grassy banks on Lake Windermere. The walk initially follows the shoreline past pleasant open parkland before entering Belle Woods.

The route then climbs through the woods and out on to the open countryside of Claife Heights, passing a number of tarns and on a clear day giving great views of the surrounding peaks such as Old Man of Coniston and the Langdale Pikes.

The latter stages of the walk pass through the picturesque villages of Near and Far Sawrey. Beatrix Potter made her home at Hill Top in Near Sawrey, which is now under ownership of the National Trust and open to the public. Beatrix Potter wrote many of her most popular books while living in Hill Top and much of this area would have inspired many of her wonderful characters.

The ruin of Claife Station, a viewpoint popular in the late 18th century, can be found a short distance from the start point. Its huge windows were glazed in coloured glass to make the views more 'picturesque'.

England - North England - Cumbria - Lake District - South West

Features

Birds, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Lake/Loch, Museum, National Trust, Pub, Public Transport, Tea Shop, Wildlife, Woodland

5/13/2015 - Peter Duke

Really enjoyed this walk. A suggested alternative to descending part by road from Near Sawrey(Waymark 8) is to retrace your steps to Waymark 7 and take the very pretty bridle path route down to Far Sawrey to Waymark 9. We clocked fhe whole walk on GPS including this alternative and its 7.1miles (not 8)

6/19/2014 - Robert Hughes

A delightful an varied walk which provides unusual views from the West bank of Windermere especially of Troutbeck and the hills to its eastern side (Ill Bell etc). The view of the Langdales is brief but excellent over the little tarn. The directions are clear and easy to follow though the following updates may help. WM3: The first finger post now directs to 'Hawkshead' and the second 'Hawkshead via guideposts'. WM4: 'This soon becomes a wider track' would be better as 'This soon joins a wider track that passes a very small tarn and then' WM5: The faint path is now a clear track that passes through a field gate in a wall just after the view of the Langdales. WM6: The stream is the exit stream from the tarn and there is a gate as you join the enclosed track. WM9: There is a finger post (To Ferry) unsighted from the road just after joining the path.

5/19/2013 - Caroline Johnson

Really lovely walk starting with a long stretch of lakeside and including a variety of terrain. The pathways through sheep country were mostly enclosed so a very dog friendly walk. Cuckoo Brow Inn open for food all day and very welcoming for walkers and dogs. Highly recommended.

10/20/2012 - Tom and Joyce Kay

We found this walk to be truly enjoyable when the cloud base was too low for the high ground. Although all on paths the variety of terrain kept it interesting. However, the signage appears to have been changed but if the instructions are followed with the map there should be no problem. We also recorded about 300 m of climb throughout.

4/25/2012 - karen mcdermott

My friend and i did this walk on Mon 23 April it was a lovely dry day and very quiet it's a beautiful walk but at point 8 the Sawrey Hotel is now called the cuckoo brow inn a beautiful country pub/hotel with a great menu and friendly staff a very dog friendly walk too. would recomend it.

4/3/2012 - Sheila OBrien

Did this walk today and we found it to be a good dog friendly walk. My dog enjoyed the various terrains, going for a dip in Lake Windermere and the tarns. We didn't have to worry too much about sheep but they were around on the fields near tarns and Near and Far Sawrey, but we enjoyed long stretches of tracks without them, especially on lake shore and woods.

2/25/2007 - Roger Wade

Village pub in Near Sawrey has excellent homemade food! Perfect stop.