Walks from Tarn Hows
The walks you can reach from Tarn Hows — 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 Tarn Hows guide for parking, buses and where to stay.
Walking routes near Tarn Hows
- Tarn Hows circuit 0.6 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.
- Holme Fell and Black Fell 0.7 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.
- Hawkshead into the woods 3 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.
- Slater Bridge & Cathedral Cave 3.7 km away2.2 km~92 m~0.6 h🏞️ Easy & familyA short, characterful loop from Little Langdale over the slate Slater Bridge and up to the cavernous Cathedral Cave, a relic of the old quarries. Uneven, rocky quarry ground in places — and a torch helps inside the cave.
- The Sun Pub Walk (Coniston) 3.7 km away6.4 km~202 m~1.6 h🏞️ Easy & familyA short circuit straight from the door of The Sun, climbing out of Coniston village toward the old Coppermines valley beside Church Beck before dropping back with the Old Man of Coniston at your shoulder and Coniston Water opening up ahead. Around 200 m of gentle climbing over 6.4 km — enough to earn a pint, not enough to spoil one.
- Coniston Old Man Round 4 km away17.4 km~1148 m~5.4 hModerateA satisfying round of the Coniston fells, and a simpler approach to the Old Man than my longer outing. From Coniston it climbs to the Old Man itself, then follows the high ridge over Brim Fell and Swirl How and back over Wetherlam, with Grey Friar an easy extra along the way. You can extend it further by adding Dow Crag. Big views over the southern fells and the sea, old copper-mine history underfoot, and a proper mountain feel without the biggest mileage.
- North of Coniston Birketts 4 km away7.7 km~458 m~2.3 hModerateThree quiet Birketts on the Yewdale fells north of Coniston — Long Crag, High Wythow and Low Wythow — on a short but steep loop that most walkers pass over for the Old Man across the valley. Moderate for the legs, harder for the map: faint paths and a clear-day-only navigation challenge, rewarded with rarely-trodden tops and a fine view over Coniston Water.
- Wray Castle & the Windermere west shore 4.4 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.
- Elterwater riverside loop 4.7 km away4.3 km~91 m~1 h🏞️ Easy & familyA short, near-level loop from Elterwater village along the River Brathay — easy, pretty and quick, with the Langdale Pikes ahead and plenty of water for a hot dog. A gentle leg-stretch or a lazy family afternoon.
- Loughrigg Tarn & Loughrigg Fell 4.8 km away9.8 km~382 m~2.6 hModerate🏞️ Easy & familyA big little walk: the classic loop taking in reed-fringed Loughrigg Tarn and the knobbly top of Loughrigg Fell, with one of the finest low-level views in the Lakes — Windermere, Grasmere and the Langdale Pikes all at once. Under 400 m of climb, endlessly varied, and grand for dogs.
- Lingmoor Fell from Elterwater 4.8 km away11.5 km~487 m~3.1 hModerateThe best low fell in Langdale, and the one that shows you the valley properly. Lingmoor sits between Great and Little Langdale, so the Pikes rear up across the dale in front of you the whole way along the ridge. Side Pike at the far end throws in a famous rock squeeze. Half the effort of the big Langdale rounds and arguably a better view of them.
- Elterwater & Skelwith Force 4.8 km away7.6 km~164 m~1.8 h🏞️ Easy & familyA riverside walk from pretty Elterwater past Skelwith Force to the reedy shores of Elter Water, with the Langdale Pikes filling the skyline — gentle, varied and largely level.
Fells within about 5 km
- Holme Fell 1.7 km away316 m~2 h🚌 BusSave it · 33Summit likely clagged inHolme Fell at 317m (1,040ft) is a delightful, craggy little summit above Yewdale near Coniston, its rocky outcrops of Uskdale Gap and Ivy Crag providing surprisingly varied and interesting walking for such a modest height.
- Black Fell 1.8 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.
- Latterbarrow 3.7 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.
- Wetherlam 4.4 km away763 m~3.5 h🚌 BusSave it · 20Too windy for the topsWetherlam at 762m (2,500ft) is the eastern buttress of the Coniston Fells, a broad, craggy summit that Wainwright described as giving some of the best views of the Helvellyn range of any southern fell.
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 Tarn Hows — ‘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.