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Walks from Troutbeck

16 routes and 8 fells within about 5 km of Troutbeck, nearest first. None of the walks here starts within 1 km of the village. Each fell carries today’s conditions and the bus where there is one. Planning the trip? See the full Troutbeck guide for parking, buses and where to stay.

Walking routes near Troutbeck

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.

• Capple Howe & Sallows →Start 1.2 km away8.68 km~490 m~2½–3½ hModerate effort Hard: steepness and navigationWalked in partPark: Church Bridge, Troutbeck (limited) (free) · Bus: 508 at the startSour Howes, Capple Howe and Sallows above Troutbeck — three modest tops in 8.7 km with 490 m of climbing and one stage averaging 16%. Rated hard to navigate; about 2½–3½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 26%. Navigation: estimated from the map, not checked on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
• Troutbeck Tongue from Troutbeck →Start 2.4 km away10.52 km~519 m~2¾–4 hModerate effort Hard: steepnessPlannedPark: unnamed layby north-west of Sour Howes · Bus: 508 at the start
• Wray Castle & the Windermere west shore →Start 3.1 km away9.58 km~114 m~2–3 hModerate effort Moderate: distance🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedPark: Wray Castle (NT, paid) · Bus: 505, 1.6 km walk from Low Wray, at Wray Castle Road EndA roughly 6-mile circular taking in the mock-Gothic Wray Castle and the western shore of Windermere. A varied, low-level day — flat underfoot but a fair distance.Measured from the GPX track: the distance.
• Windermere Station to Brockhole and Back →Start 3.2 km away9.12 km~153 m~2–3 hModerate effort Moderate: distance🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedOut and back · Park: Windermere Station car park (Northern, paid) · Bus: 505 at the startAn out-and-back of about 9.1 km from Windermere railway station to Brockhole on the shore of Windermere, through Troutbeck Bridge and along the shared cycle path beside the A591, with about 150 m of climbing.
• Orrest Head →Start 3.2 km away4.16 km~173 m~1–1½ hModerate: navigation🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedPark: Windermere Station car park (Northern, paid) · Bus: 505 at the startWainwright'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.
• Wansfell Pike and Baystones →Start 3.4 km away11.92 km~560 m~3¼–4½ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessWalked June 2023Park: Ambleside, Low Fold (paid) · Bus: 555 at the startThe pair above Ambleside — 11.9 km and 560 m, stages averaging about 12% with a 33% pull over 250 m onto Wansfell Pike, and easy for both navigation and exposure. A straightforward half-day at about 3¼–4½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained climb, about 31%. Exposure and navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
• Ambleside to the Old Post Office Tea Room, Troutbeck (over Wansfell) →Start 3.5 km away9.89 km~547 m~2¾–4 hModerate effort Severe: steepnessPlannedPark: Ambleside, Low Fold (paid) · Bus: 555 at the startA proper half-day loop with a reward built in: drop into pretty Troutbeck for tea and cake at the Old Post Office Tea Room, then climb over Wansfell Pike for a huge view down Windermere and back down to Ambleside. Around 550 m of up and down.
• Sour Howes, Sallows, Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick and Troutbeck Tongue in the sun! →Start 3.6 km away27.56 km~1424 m~7¾–10½ hSevere effort Severe: distanceWalked April 2025Park: Ambleside, Low Fold (paid) · Bus: 555 at the startThe longest day in this group — 27.6 km and 1,424 m over six tops of the Kentmere and Troutbeck skyline, with a steepest sustained descent of about 30%. Severe for length, hard for terrain and exposure; about 7¾–10½ hours.Measured from the GPX track: the distance; the steepest descent, about 33% over 250 m. Exposure and terrain: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
• Ambleside to Wray Castle →Start 3.6 km away6.54 km~189 m~1½–2¼ hEasy: distance, steepness and navigation🏞️ Easy & familyWalked April 2023One-way: finishes at Wray Castle · Start: Ambleside, Low Fold (paid) · Bus: 555, 360 m walk from Ambleside, at Hayes Garden CentreA one-way walk of about 6.5 km from the centre of Ambleside to Wray Castle above the north-west shore of Windermere: over the Bronwen Nixon footbridge, through Clappersgate and across Brathay Bridge, then by cycle path, compacted bridleway and a quiet lane over Low Wray Bridge. Lee walked it with family and a pram in April 2023.
• Long Hike to Fairfield from Ambleside →Start 3.6 km away22.39 km~1425 m~6¾–9¼ hSevere effort Severe: distanceWalked April 2023Park: Ambleside, Lake Road (paid) · Bus: 555, 340 m walk from Ambleside, at Hayes Garden CentreA big horseshoe day from Ambleside — 1,425 m of ascent in 22.4 km, opening with a relentless 739 m pull onto Red Screes. Fairfield's flat summit plateau is notoriously hard to navigate in cloud, and the day ends on the jarring stone steps down Nab Scar.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest descent, about 32% over 250 m. Navigation: graded by Lee on the ground. Summary checked by Lee McCoy, 26 August 2026.
• Ambleside over Miller Bridge →Start 3.6 km away3.16 km~162 m~¾–1¼ hEasy: distance, steepness and navigation🏞️ Easy & familyWalked April 2023One-way: finishes at Pine Rigg · Start: Ambleside, Low Fold (paid) · Bus: 555, 350 m walk from Ambleside, at Hayes Garden CentreA short one-way walk of about 3.2 km from the centre of Ambleside, across the River Rothay at Miller Bridge and up the bridleway towards Loughrigg, finishing near Pine Rigg. Town pavements, then a surfaced lane and a compacted bridleway, with about 160 m of climbing. Lee walked it with family and a pram in April 2023.
• Stock Ghyll Force →Start 3.9 km away1.92 km~89 m~½–¾ hModerate: navigation🏞️ Easy & familyWalked April 2026Park: Ambleside, King Street (paid) · Bus: 555, 810 m walk from Ambleside, at Hayes Garden CentreA short woodland loop from the middle of Ambleside to the 70-foot Stock Ghyll Force in its steep-sided gorge — at its thundering best after rain, and easily tacked on to a town visit.Measured from the GPX track: the steepest sustained descent, about 12%.
• Ambleside, Todd Crag, Rydal Cave →Start 4 km away10.38 km~394 m~2½–3¾ hModerate effort Hard: steepnessWalked in partPark: Ambleside, Market Place (4 on-street bays) · Bus: 555 at the startThe classic Ambleside circuit of Loughrigg Fell — up through Rothay Park and over Todd Crag past Lily Tarn, across the undulating top to the summit trig point, then down to Loughrigg Terrace above Grasmere and back along the fell's flank via Rydal Cave. Low in height, big in views, and the best-value 10 km in the central Lakes.
• Ambleside to Rydal, with Refreshments and Stepping Stones →Start 4 km away6.21 km~78 m~1¼–2 hEasy: distance, steepness, terrain and navigation🏞️ Easy & familyWalked in partOut and back · Park: Ambleside, Market Place (4 on-street bays) · Bus: 555 at the startAn out-and-back of about 6.2 km from Ambleside to Rydal along Under Loughrigg Road, the lane on the far side of the River Rothay from the main road. Cross Miller Bridge, pass the stepping stones over the river without crossing them, cross at Pelter Bridge into Rydal, where Rydal Hall’s Old School Room Tea Shop is mapped just off the line, and come back along the lane. Almost all surfaced lane and bridleway, with about 80 m of climbing.
• Loughrigg Terrace & Rydal Water →Start 4.2 km away10.71 km~288 m~2½–3½ hModerate effort Moderate: distance and navigation🏞️ Easy & familyWalked in partPark: Ambleside, Rydal Road (paid) · Bus: 555, 1.6 km walk from Ambleside, at Scandale BridgeA terrace walk from Ambleside over Loughrigg's southern slopes to the famous Loughrigg Terrace view down Grasmere, then past Rydal Cave and back under Loughrigg. Easy-moderate, with a little climbing and some rougher ground.
• The Royal Oak Pub Walk (Ambleside) →Start 4.2 km away5.94 km~68 m~1¼–1¾ hEasy: distance, steepness, terrain, navigation and exposure🏞️ Easy & familyPlannedPark: Ambleside, Rydal Road (paid) · Bus: 555 at the startAn easy, near-level amble from the heart of Ambleside out along the River Rothay and back — parkland, riverbank and quiet lanes beneath the wooded flanks of Loughrigg, with barely 70 m of climbing across 6 km. A gentle leg-stretch to bookend lunch at the Royal Oak.

Fells within about 5 km

• Orrest Head →2.5 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.
• Sour Howes →2.7 km away483 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40 · rated on 27 OctoberSummit likely clagged inSour Howes at 483m (1,585ft) is a broad, grassy summit above Troutbeck with good views south to Windermere.
• Baystones (Wansfell) →3.4 km away487 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40 · rated on 27 OctoberSummit likely clagged inBaystones at 487m (1,597ft) is the highest point of the Wansfell ridge above Ambleside and its Wainwright summit, giving outstanding views of Windermere and the Central Fells.
• Sallows →3.9 km away516 m~2½–3 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40 · rated on 27 OctoberSummit likely clagged inSallows at 516m (1,693ft) is a smooth, grassy summit on the Kentmere ridge above the Troutbeck valley, its open top giving views south to Windermere and east to the Kentmere fells.
• Latterbarrow →4.6 km away244 mLatterbarrow at 244m (801ft) 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.
• School Knott →4.8 km away232 mAt 232 m (760 ft), School Knott is a listed Lakeland top east of Windermere.
• Claife Heights →4.9 km away270 mClaife Heights at 270m (885ft) is the long, forested ridge on the western shore of Windermere, giving fine views of the lake through the trees.
• Troutbeck Tongue →5 km away364 m~2¾–4 h🚌 BusMarginal · 40 · rated on 27 OctoberSummit likely clagged inTroutbeck Tongue at 364m (1,194ft) is a long, narrow ridge jutting into the Troutbeck valley, its summit giving fine views of the valley and the Ill Bell ridge above.

None of the fells here are rated good to climb on 27 October — see fells to save for a bad day →
A prediction from our daily fell score, not a guarantee — always check the mountain forecast before you go. Our daily score covers the Wainwrights only, so the 4 Outlying fells here have no rating. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (opens in new tab).

Distances are straight-line from the centre of Troutbeck — ‘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.