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Walks near Lodore Falls

18 routes and 13 fells within about 5 km of Lodore Falls, 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

Effort is the size of the day, from the distance and the climb; each route’s own page grades the steepness, navigation, exposure and ground underfoot, and names the hardest.

• Watendlath & the packhorse bridge →Start 0.2 km away10.33 km~298 m~2½–3½ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessWalked in partPark: Surprise View (NT) (paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA 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 with one steep descent of about 33% over 250 m near the end.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 33% over 250 m.
• Maiden Moor and High Spy →Start 1.7 km away10.16 km~653 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessPlannedPark: unnamed layby south-east of Cat Bells · Bus: 77, 910 m walk from Brandelhow Park (outside)A loop of about 10.2 km from a layby on the lane below Cat Bells, with about 650 m of climbing: up the public bridleway from Manesty to Hause Gate, south along the ridge over Maiden Moor to High Spy, then steeply down a public footpath past Nitting Haws and back along the lanes past Manesty.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 32%.
• Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat, High Tove and Armboth Fell →Start 1.7 km away17.02 km~812 m~4¾–6½ hHard effort Hard: distance and steepnessWalked August 2025Park: Walla Crag car park (free) · Bus: 78 at the startThe long boggy ridge south from Keswick: five tops in 17 km with 812 m of climbing, hard for length and steepness. Beyond Bleaberry Fell the ground is wet and knolly with a faint path, and in mist it is easy to drift off line, so bring a map and compass and be ready to use them. The easy exposure grade is for the walking line. Walla Crag's summit edge is a steep, unfenced drop, so keep back from the lip. About 4¾–6½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained descent, about 26%. Exposure, terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
• The Bowder Stone →Start 2.2 km away1.16 km there and back~16 m~¼–½ hModerate: navigation🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedOut and back · Park: Quay Foot Quarry, Borrowdale (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA very short stroll to Borrowdale's famous balanced boulder — the house-sized Bowder Stone, with steel steps to climb to the top. About 0.6 km each way, so roughly 1.2 km there and back, plus your time at the stone.Terrain: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground.
• Catbells: the short way up →Start 3.1 km away5.67 km~407 m~1¾–2½ hEasy effort Hard: steepnessWalked May 2026Park: Skelgill Bank, north car park · Bus: 77 at the startThe friendliest big view in the Lakes. Under 6 km from Hawes 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, in season, the bus from Keswick.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 31%.
• Catbells, Maiden Moor & High Spy →Start 3.1 km away12.59 km~726 m~3½–5 hModerate effort Hard: steepnessWalked May 2026Park: Skelgill Bank, north car park · Bus: 77 at the startA ridge walk above the western shore of Derwentwater: from Hawes End over Catbells and Maiden Moor to High Spy, 12.6 km and 726 m. The pull onto Catbells is short and steep, about 36% over its steepest 250 m, with rocky steps where you may want your hands, and they are slippery when wet. High Spy has steep crags on both sides, so keep to the crest in wind or cloud. The ridge path is clear in good weather, but carry a map and compass for the cloud. The reward is Derwentwater and the Newlands valley below you the whole way.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 29%. Navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Cat Bells (Catbells) (13 June 2026), Maiden Moor (14 June 2026) and High Spy (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Scope End, Hindscarth & Dale Head from Little Town →Start 3.4 km away12.08 km~757 m~3½–5 hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) · Bus: 77, 2.7 km walk from Manesty, outside Cocklety HowA 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 760 m of ascent; the pulls are steep and the tops are big and open.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 43% over 250 m. Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: Hindscarth (14 June 2026) and Dale Head (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Little Dale Horseshoe →Start 3.4 km away10.77 km~793 m~3¼–4¾ hModerate effort Hard: steepness and navigationPlannedPark: Little Town, Newlands (paid, small) · Bus: 77, 2.7 km walk from Manesty, outside Cocklety HowA loop of about 10.8 km from Chapel Bridge in Newlands, round Little Dale, with about 790 m of climbing: along the lane and up High Snab Bank to Robinson, over to Hindscarth, and down the ridge over High Crags, Red Knott and Scope End.
• Castle Crag, Brund Fell & Great Crag →Start 3.9 km away14.11 km~838 m~4–5¾ hHard effort Hard: distance and steepnessWalked August 2025Park: Rosthwaite (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startBorrowdale's small rough summits in one round: Castle Crag, King's How, Brund Fell and Great Crag, 14.1 km and 838 m. None is higher than 449 m, and that is not the same as easy. One pull reaches about 36% over 250 m early on, the ground between the tops is rough, and with 58 path junctions near the line it is easy to wander off in cloud.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 31%. Terrain and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
• Castle Crag from Rosthwaite →Start 3.9 km away6.02 km~254 m~1½–2¼ hEasy effort Moderate: steepness and navigationWalked in partPark: Rosthwaite (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA loop of about 6 km from Rosthwaite over Castle Crag, with about 250 m of climbing: across the River Derwent on stepping stones, north along the river, up the bridleway beside Broadslack Gill and steeply on to the top, then down to the river and back to Rosthwaite over the same stones.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 21%.
• The Borrowdale Fells (Rosthwaite Fell round) →Start 3.9 km away13.23 km~850 m~4–5½ hHard effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Rosthwaite (NT, paid) · Bus: 78 at the startA 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. Full of character, but pathless and boggy: a fair-weather fell day, not a wet-day plod.Terrain and navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.
• The full circuit of Derwentwater from Keswick →Start 4.1 km away14.38 km~103 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Hard: distancePlannedPark: Lakeside long stay car park, Keswick (paid) · Bus: 78, 530 m walk from Keswick, outside Daleview HotelA loop of about 14.4 km right round Derwentwater from the Keswick landing stages, with about 100 m of climbing: south along the east shore past Friar's Crag to Lodore, over the River Derwent on a footbridge at the head of the lake, north along the west shore past Brandelhow and Hawes End to Portinscale, and back into Keswick through the town.
• Raven Crag from Thirlmere →Start 4.2 km away5.79 km~314 m~1½–2¼ hEasy effort Hard: steepnessWalked in partPark: Dam Triangle, Thirlmere (paid) · Bus: 555, 1.2 km walk from Stanah, at Dam road endThe short climb to the crag above Thirlmere: 5.8 km and 314 m, with a first stage averaging 20% and a steepest pull of about 25%. The path, the route-finding and the length are all easy; the gradient is the hard part. The top is a crag, so stay on the path at the viewpoint. About 1½–2¼ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest sustained climb, about 25%. Navigation: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; that stretch not walked. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 24 September 2026.
• Ashness Bridge & Surprise View →Start 4.3 km away13.43 km~322 m~3–4½ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessPlannedPark: Lakeside long stay car park, Keswick (paid) · Bus: 78, 350 m walk from Keswick, outside Daleview HotelA circular of about 13.4 km (8.3 miles) from Keswick 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 →Start 4.8 km away14.83 km~756 m~4–5¾ hHard effort Severe: steepnessWalked April 2026Park: Stonethwaite lane (layby) (free) · Bus: 78, 430 m walk from Rosthwaite, opposite Longthwaite road endA rugged ~15 km round from Stonethwaite over three Wainwrights: straight up the bold rocky nose of Eagle Crag, over Sergeant's Crag to the broad whaleback of Ullscarf, and back down Greenup Gill into the head of Borrowdale.
• Walla Crag and Bleaberry Fell from Keswick →Start 4.8 km away12.53 km~658 m~3½–5 hModerate effort Hard: steepnessPlannedPark: Keswick, Central Car Park (paid) · Bus: 555 at the startA 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 proposition. Together they make a satisfying half-day horseshoe straight out of the town.Terrain: our judgement from the map and the route’s record; not walked yet.
• Friar's Crag & the Derwentwater shore →Start 4.9 km away4.22 km~43 m~¾–1¼ hModerate: navigation🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedPark: Keswick Rugby Club car park (paid) · Bus: 554 at the startAn almost-level lakeshore stroll from Keswick to Friar's Crag — Ruskin's favourite view down Derwentwater to the Jaws of Borrowdale — on surfaced paths.
• The Difficult Route up Eagle Crag →Start 4.9 km away10.71 km~611 m~3–4¼ hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Stonethwaite village (roadside, free) · Bus: 78, 710 m walk from Rosthwaite, opposite Longthwaite road end

Fells within about 5 km

• Bleaberry Fell →2.3 km away590 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsBleaberry Fell at 590m (1,936ft) is a broad, heathery summit above the east side of Derwent Water, giving one of the finest aerial views of the lake in the whole district.
• High Seat →2.3 km away609 m~4½–5¾ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Seat at 609m (1,998ft) 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.Hazard notes checked by Lee McCoy: High Seat (14 June 2026); they draw on Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.
• Grange Fell (Brund Fell) →2.4 km away417 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsGrange Fell's highest point, Brund Fell, is 417m (1,369ft); the rock tor Wainwright took as the summit is about 70 m to the south-west and a metre or two lower.
• Cat Bells (Catbells) →2.4 km away451 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsCat Bells 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~4–5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsMaiden Moor at 575m (1,886ft) is the broad ridge south of Cat Bells on the Newlands Horseshoe, giving outstanding views of Derwent Water from its open summit plateau.
• Walla Crag →2.9 km away379 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsWalla Crag at 379m (1,243ft) 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~2–2½ h🚌 BusDecent · 64 · rated on 27 OctoberDry, firm underfootCastle 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~2½–3 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh 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~1¾–2¼ h🚌 BusDecent · 57 · rated on 27 OctoberDryRaven 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~4–5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo windy for the topsHigh Spy at 653m (2,143ft) 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~2½–3 h🚌 BusDecent · 55 · rated on 27 OctoberDryGreat 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~2½–3 h🚌 BusMarginal · 50 · rated on 27 OctoberDryArmboth Fell's Wainwright summit, the south top at 475m (1,558ft), is a broad, peaty top on the central plateau between Thirlmere and Watendlath, giving adequate views across to the Helvellyn range.
• Barrow →4.9 km away455 m~2–2½ h🚌 BusSave it · 20 · rated on 27 OctoberToo 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.

3 of the fells here are rated good to climb on 27 October — see live conditions →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab).

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.