What to wear and take on a walk | Start points for guided walks |

Start points for guided walks

Bowness Bay Information Centre

Click for more information

Location: Bowness-on-Windermere

Walk: My First Fell - Bowness Family Walk


Bowness Knott car park

Click for more information

Location: Ennerdale

Walk: Wild Ennerdale


Britannia Inn, Elterwater

The Britannia Inn, Elterwater, Ambleside, Cumbria LA22 9HP

Location: Elterwater, near Ambleside

Walks: Elterwater's Slate Heritage, Loughrigg Fell and Elterwater, Over Lingmoor into Little Langdale, Waterfalls, Quarries and Lakeland Slate.


Brockhole on Windermere

Click for more information

Location: Between Ambleside and Windermere

Walks: Brockhole Family Ramble, Heritage Trail to Troutbeck, guided bike rides


Coniston Tourist Information Centre

Coniston Tourist Information Centre

Location: Coniston

The car park is located on the B5285 (Coniston to Hawkshead road) close to the village centre; the B5285 joins the A593 on the east side of the bridge in the centre of the village, close to the Yewdale hotel, Black Bull hotel and the parish church.

Walks: Coniston Copper Trail, Copper Mills and Miners, Coniston Old Man,  Coppermines Valley and Levers Water, Family Walk – Coppermines Valley, Monk Coniston Tree Walk, Woods, Tarns and Gills, Yew Beauty!


Dalegarth Station, Boot

Dalegarth station building

Location: Boot

Grid ref: NY 174 007

The station can be reached by train on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway from Ravenglass. By road navigate to the Eskdale Valley (several routes) and follow the valley road to Hardknott Pass from the King George Inn at grid reference SD149998.

By Ravenglass & Eskdale railway, take train from Ravenglass (or any intermediate station) and travel to Dalegarth; at Dalegarth leave platform and walk down to station car park.

By road from Eskdale Green, follow the road south east out of the village for about  0.6 ml (1km) to reach the King George Inn (at GR SD 1490 9982). Turn left, signed Hardknott, and follow the main valley road in a general north easterly direction for 1.7 mls (2.75 km) to reach Dalegarth (for Boot) station on the left. Turn into car park.

Walk: Eskdale Family Wander


Dove Cottage and Wordsworth Museum


Eskdale Green village car park

Eskdale green car park

Location: Eskdale

Grid ref: NY 142 002

Navigate to Eskdale Green from the A595 from either Holmrook if coming from north and west or via the Duddon Valley (over Birker Fell) if coming from the south.

Walk: Miterdale Meander


Eycott Hill Nature Reserve

Click for more information


Fell Gate car park - 0.8 km up Walna Scar Road, from Coniston

Location: Coniston

Grid ref: SD 289 970

Access the village from the north on the A593; just after passing the Black Bull hotel on the right, bear right over the bridge to pass a fuel filling station on the left. In about 50m turn right at a crossroads and follow the road (Walna Scar road) upwards – after an initial steep section continue upwards round several bends to reach a gate. Pass through the gate and onto a rough car park.

Walk: Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag (not in 2019)


Glen Mary Bridge / Tom Gill National Trust car park

Glen Mary National Trust car park

Location: Near Coniston

Grid ref: SD 322 999

The car park is located about 2 miles (3.4km) north east of Coniston on the right hand side of the A593 (Coniston to Ambleside road) just past Yew Tree farm (on left)

Walks: Black Crag and Yewdale, Hills, Gills and Falls


Grasmere, Stock Lane car park

Click for more information

Location: Grasmere

Walks: Greenburn Valley and Helm Crag, Navigation Skills for Beginners (Grasmere), Silver How and Easedale Tarn, Wordsworth's Grasmere.


Great Wood National Trust car park

Great Wood National Trust car park

Click for more information

Location: Near Keswick

Walk: Autumn Walk Above Derwent Water


Hawkshead LDNP car park

Click for more information

Location: Hawkshead

Walks: Historic Hawkshead, Over Latterbarrow to Wray Castle, Wordsworth's Hawkshead


High Dam

Click here for more information


Honister National Trust car park, behind the youth hostel

Honister car park

Location: Honister pass.

Walks: Glorious Green Gable, Haystacks – Wainwright’s Favourite Fell


Keswick Information Centre (The Moot Hall)

Moot Hall Keswick

Location: Keswick

Address: 12-14 Main St, Keswick CA12 5JR

Walks: Castlerigg Stone Circle, Delightful Derwent Water, Latrigg Summit, The Hidden Valley of Watendlath, Walla Crag by Ashness Bridge


Layby Central Braithwaite


Legburthwaite car park

Legburthwaite car park

Location: The Green, Thirlmere, off the B5322

From the A591, coming from Ambleside, turn right onto the B5322, signposted St-Johns-In-The-Vale. The car park is almost immediately on the left as you turn onto the road.

Walk: High Rigg – A Mountain in Miniature


Market Cross, Pooley Bridge


Monk Coniston LDNP car park


Mungrisdale village hall

Mungrisdale village hall

Photo: Graham Wood

From the M6, leave at junction 40, take the A66 towards Keswick. Approx. 9 miles turn right to Mungrisdale village and Caldbeck.

Walks – Blencathra Summit


Old Dungeon Ghyll NT car park


outside tea room, Dodd Wood car park, near Bassenthwaite, off the A591


Pelter Bridge car park, Rydal


Ravenglass 'Ratty' Railway Station

Ratty station at Ravensglass

Photo: John Dennis

Location: Ravenglass

The village is reached via a side road off the A595; the turning is well signed and is about 0.8 miles (1.3km) from the main entrance to Muncaster Castle if approaching from the east or about 2.5 miles (3.9km) from Holmrook if approaching from the north. Follow the side road into the village car park, passing under a bridge, taking care not to turn into either the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway car park or the British Rail station car park. After parking, cross the footbridge at the southern end of the car park to access the station platforms.

Walk – Steam to the Hills


Ravenglass village car park

Ravenglass village car park

Photo: John Dennis

Location: Ravenglass

Grid ref: SD085965

The village is reached via a side road off the A595; the turning is well signed and is about 0.8 miles (1.3km) from the main entrance to Muncaster Castle if approaching from the east or about 2.5 miles (3.9km) from Holmrook if approaching from the north. Follow the side road into the village car park, passing under a bridge, taking care not to turn into either the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway car park or the British Rail station car park.

Walk – Esk Estuary Escapade


Swirls car park

Swirls car park

Photo: Graham Wood


the Fish Hotel, Buttermere. Park in LDNP or NT car park


Tilberthwaite Quarry car park, near Coniston


Torver Parish Room


Tourist information point and P.O, Market Cross, Ambleside

Click here for more information


Ullswater Information Centre, Glenridding

Click here for more information


Wasdale Head Green

Wasdale head car park

Photo: John Dennis

Location: Wasdale

Grid reference: NY187085

Navigate to Wasdale from the A595 either from Gosforth or Santon Bridge. Follow the valley road, which runs beside the lake for most of its length, for several miles to reach Wasdale Head Green car park.

Walk - Family Wasdale Wander


Waterhead LDNP car park, Ambleside

Click here for more information


Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre

Whinlatter start

Click here for more information


Wilf's Café, Mill Yard, Staveley