Walks by Esthwaite Water
The walks you can reach around Esthwaite Water — the routes that start within about 5 km, and the Wainwright and Outlying fells within the same radius, ranked nearest first. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Esthwaite Water guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Esthwaite Water
- Hawkshead into the woods 0.8 km away7.5 km~283 m~2 h🏞️ Easy & familyA quiet woodland circuit from Beatrix Potter’s Hawkshead that climbs to the great cairn on Latterbarrow — a little fell with a big reward, looking clean down Windermere and across to the Coniston fells — then drops back through the trees. Dappled, sheltered and dog-friendly, with a proper viewpoint in the middle.
- Wray Castle & the Windermere west shore 3.8 km away9.6 km~114 m~2.1 h🏞️ Easy & familyA roughly 6-mile circular taking in the mock-Gothic Wray Castle and the quiet western shore of Windermere. A varied, low-level day — flat underfoot but a fair distance.
- Holme Fell and Black Fell 3.9 km away13.7 km~604 m~3.8 hTwo low wooded tops between Coniston and Tarn Hows, and a fine half-day when the high fells are under cloud — nothing above 315 m, though 50 path junctions near the line mean it pays to keep track of which one you are on.
- Tarn Hows circuit 3.9 km away2.9 km~61 m~0.7 h🏞️ Easy & familyA gentle, near-level circuit of one of the Lake District's prettiest tarns, ringed by pines with the Coniston and Langdale fells beyond. Easy underfoot and genuinely pushchair-friendly, with National Trust parking, toilets and a seasonal refreshment van.
- Carron Crag from Grizedale 4.1 km away11 km~388 m~2.8 hThe high point of Grizedale Forest, out and back in 11 km with 388 m of climbing and nothing steeper than about 9%. Easy for exposure but rated hard to navigate — forest tracks all look alike. Under three hours.
Fells within about 5 km
- Latterbarrow 1.8 km away244 mLatterbarrow at 244m (800ft) is a delightful, craggy little summit above Hawkshead, its rocky top — marked by a tall stone obelisk — giving outstanding views of Esthwaite Water and the surrounding wooded country.
- Claife Heights 2.2 km away270 mClaife Heights at 270m (886ft) is the long, forested ridge on the western shore of Windermere, giving fine views of the lake through the trees.
- Black Fell 4.5 km away323 m~2 h🚌 BusMarginal · 35Firm underfootBlack Fell at 323m (1,060ft) is a small, heathery summit above Tarn Hows, its top giving fine views of this most popular of Lakeland beauty spots.
- Carron Crag 4.7 km away314 mCarron Crag at 314m (1,030ft) is a Birkett top in the Grizedale Forest above the Furness Fells, its summit now partially cleared of conifers and giving views across Esthwaite Water and south to Morecambe Bay.
0 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 12 September — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go.
Map
● routes · ● fells within ~5 km
An interactive map of the route start points and the fells within about 5 km. Each marker links to its page; the same routes and fells are listed below.
Distances are straight-line from the centre of Esthwaite Water — ‘within ~5 km’ means as the crow flies, not that the walk necessarily starts there. Always plan your own route and check the bus before you travel.