Walks from Lodore Falls
The walks you can reach from Lodore Falls — 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 Lodore Falls guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Lodore Falls
- Watendlath & the packhorse bridge 0.2 km away10.3 km~298 m~2.6 hA roughly 6.4-mile Borrowdale loop up to the hidden hamlet of Watendlath, its tarn and the much-photographed packhorse bridge, returning down the valley. A satisfying low-level half-day.
- Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell 1.7 km away17 km~792 m~4.7 hThe long boggy ridge south from Keswick — five tops in 17 km with 792 m of climbing, hard for both length and steepness but easy for exposure. About 4.7 hours.
- The Bowder Stone 2.2 km away0.6 km~11 m~0.1 h🏞️ Easy & familyA very short, level stroll to Borrowdale's famous balanced boulder — the house-sized Bowder Stone, with a wooden ladder to climb to the top. Maximum reward for minimum effort, and a guaranteed hit with children.
- Catbells: the short way up 3.1 km away5.7 km~388 m~1.8 hModerate🏞️ Easy & familyThe friendliest big view in the Lakes. Under 6 km from Hawse End to the shapely little summit above Derwentwater and back — short enough for an afternoon, steep enough to feel like a proper fell, and reachable without a car by launch across the lake or the bus from Keswick.
- Catbells, Maiden Moor & High Spy 3.1 km away13.8 km~824 m~4.1 hEasyA lovely, accessible ridge walk above the western shore of Derwentwater, and a great introduction to the fells. From Hawes End it climbs the shapely little peak of Catbells, then follows the airy but easy ridge south over Maiden Moor to High Spy, with Derwentwater and the Newlands valley spread out below. There are a few easy scrambly steps on Catbells that some guides don't mention, but nothing most people can't manage. A modest, rewarding day with some of the best views in the northern Lakes for the effort.
- Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town 3.4 km away12.1 km~729 m~3.6 hModerateA proper Newlands mountain day that most walkers drive straight past. The shapely Scope End ridge lifts you out of Little Town onto Hindscarth, then an airy walk along Hindscarth Edge carries you over to Dale Head above the head of the valley before a long descent back to the start. It's about 12 km with 730 m of ascent, with no scrambling — but the pulls are steep and the tops are big and open. Walk it on a day the Catbells car parks are overflowing and you'll have the ridge largely to yourself.
- Castle Crag, Brund Fell & Great Crag 3.9 km away14.1 km~795 m~4.1 hBorrowdale's small rough summits in one round — Castle Crag, King's How, Brund Fell and Great Crag. Nothing higher than 440 m, but with 58 path junctions near the line and four mapped crag features, it is a surprisingly easy day to wander off.
- The Borrowdale Fells (Rosthwaite Fell round) 3.9 km away13.1 km~802 m~4 hHard🏞️ Easy & familyA wild, little-trodden round of the rough Borrowdale fells above Rosthwaite and Stonethwaite — Bessyboot, Dovenest Top and Thornythwaite Fell — a maze of rocky knolls, hidden tarns and peat hags with huge views to the Scafells. Quiet and full of character, but pathless and boggy: a fair-weather fell day, not a wet-day plod.
- Raven Crag Easy Walk 4.2 km away5.8 km~312 m~1.7 hThe short climb to the crag above Thirlmere — 5.8 km and 312 m with a stage averaging 20%. Easy for length, terrain, navigation and exposure alike; the gradient is the only thing rated hard. Under two hours.
- Ashness Bridge & Surprise View 4.3 km away13.4 km~322 m~3.2 h🏞️ Easy & familyA circular of about 8.3 miles along the eastern shore of Derwentwater taking in the iconic Ashness Bridge and the Surprise View over the lake. Mostly low-level (it passes below Walla Crag, not over it).
- Ullscarf, Eagle Crag & Sergeant's Crag 4.8 km away14.8 km~720 m~4.2 hA rugged ~15 km round from Stonethwaite over three Wainwrights — the bold rocky nose of Eagle Crag, neighbouring Sergeant's Crag, and the broad whaleback of Ullscarf — returning down the quiet head of Borrowdale.
- Walla Crag and Bleaberry Fell from Keswick 4.8 km away12.5 km~655 m~3.6 hModerateA proper fell day that starts and finishes on foot from Keswick — no car needed. Walla Crag gives one of the great Derwentwater views for very little effort; Bleaberry Fell behind it is a rougher, boggier, quieter proposition that most people skip. Together they make a satisfying half-day horseshoe straight out of the town.
- Castlerigg Stone Circle (from Keswick) 4.8 km away7.7 km~185 m~1.9 h🏞️ Easy & familyA low-level circular of about 4.8 miles from Keswick out to the prehistoric Castlerigg Stone Circle and back through fields and woods. Gentle underfoot, but a genuine half-day walk rather than the quick roadside visit many expect.
- Friar's Crag & the Derwentwater shore 4.9 km away4.2 km~43 m~0.9 h🏞️ Easy & familyAn almost-level lakeshore stroll from Keswick to Friar's Crag — Ruskin's favourite view down Derwentwater to the Jaws of Borrowdale — on surfaced paths that suit pushchairs.
Fells within about 5 km
- Bleaberry Fell 2.3 km away590 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 32Summit likely clagged inBleaberry Fell at 590m (1,936ft) is a broad, heathery summit above Cat Bells and Derwent Water, giving one of the finest aerial views of the lake in the whole district.
- High Seat 2.3 km away609 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 30Summit likely clagged inHigh Seat at 608m (1,995ft) is the highest summit of the Bleaberry Fell–Armboth plateau above Thirlmere and Derwent Water — a broad, boggy moorland that Wainwright regarded as something of an endurance test, given the extensive wet ground.
- Grange Fell (Brund Fell) 2.4 km away417 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 17Too windy for the topsGrange Fell at 415m (1,362ft) is a rough, rocky summit above the village of Grange in Borrowdale, its craggy knolls and heathery terraces giving a charming, varied walk.
- Cat Bells (Catbells) 2.4 km away451 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsCatbells is one of Alfred Wainwright's great favourites, and his fondness for it shines through in The North-Western Fells — he saw it as a 'family fell,' approachable enough for grandparents and young children to climb together, yet rewarding with shapely, sun-warmed slopes and a genuinely striking position above Derwent Water.
- Maiden Moor 2.9 km away575 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 19Too windy for the topsMaiden Moor at 576m (1,890ft) is the broad ridge south of Catbells on the Newlands Horseshoe, giving outstanding views of Derwent Water from its open summit plateau.
- Walla Crag 2.9 km away379 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 31Summit likely clagged inWalla Crag at 379m (1,244ft) is the great rocky escarpment above Derwent Water, its summit giving one of the finest aerial views of the lake in the whole district.
- Castle Crag 3.1 km away290 m~2 h🚌 BusMarginal · 35Summit likely clagged inCastle Crag at 290m (951ft) is the lowest of all the Wainwright fells, yet one of the most dramatic — a rocky prow standing sentinel in the narrowest part of the Borrowdale gorge between Grange and Rosthwaite.
- High Tove 3.2 km away515 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 21Summit likely clagged inHigh Tove at 515m (1,690ft) is a modest, boggy summit on the Armboth plateau between Thirlmere and Borrowdale, its open top giving views across to the Helvellyn range and north to Skiddaw.
- Raven Crag 3.8 km away461 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 33Summit likely clagged inRaven Crag at 461m (1,512ft) is the dramatic cliff above Thirlmere, its great crag face one of the most impressive roadside crags in Lakeland.
- High Spy 3.9 km away653 m~3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsHigh Spy at 653m (2,142ft) is the high point of the Newlands Horseshoe ridge above Maiden Moor, its summit giving excellent views of Derwent Water to the north and the Dale Head group to the south.
- Great Crag (Stonethwaite) 4 km away449 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 31Summit likely clagged inGreat Crag at 449m (1,473ft) is a small, craggy summit above Watendlath, its rocky top giving fine views of the charming hamlet and tarn below and across to Glaramara and the Borrowdale fells.
- Armboth Fell (Armboth Fell South Top) 4.2 km away475 m~2.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 22Summit likely clagged inArmboth Fell at 479m (1,572ft) is a broad, peaty summit on the central plateau between Thirlmere and Watendlath, giving adequate views across to the Helvellyn range.
- Barrow 4.9 km away455 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 18Too windy for the topsBarrow at 455m (1,493ft) is a small, grassy summit above Braithwaite, giving one of the finest views of the Coledale valley and the Causey Pike ridge for its modest height.
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 Lodore Falls — ‘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.