Walks from Bowness-on-Windermere
The walks you can reach from Bowness-on-Windermere — 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 Bowness-on-Windermere guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Bowness-on-Windermere
- Orrest Head 2 km away4.2 km~167 m~1.1 h🏞️ Easy & familyWainwright's first Lakeland summit and still the best short introduction to the fells — a steady wooded climb from Windermere to a rocky crown with a sweeping panorama over the lake to the Coniston and Langdale skyline.
- Wray Castle & the Windermere west shore 4.8 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.
- Hawkshead into the woods 4.9 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.
Fells within about 5 km
- Brant Fell 1.3 km away191 mBrant Fell at 191m (627ft) is the rocky little top rising directly behind Bowness-on-Windermere, and among the most accessible of all Wainwright's Outlying Fells.
- Claife Heights 1.9 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.
- School Knott 2.5 km away232 mAt 232 m (761 ft), School Knott is a listed Lakeland top in the South Lakeland area — an overlooked summit away from the crowds.
- Orrest Head 2.6 km away238 mOrrest Head at 238m (781ft) is the famous viewpoint above Windermere, the first fell the young Alfred Wainwright climbed when he arrived in Lakeland — and the view that changed his life.
- Unnamed top (School Knott) 2.8 km away247 m
- Grandsire 3.1 km away251 mGrandsire is a low, grassy fell of 251m (823ft) in the gentle country south-east of Windermere, near Ings.
- Latterbarrow 3.9 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.
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 Bowness-on-Windermere — ‘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.