Hawkshead into the woods
Key facts
✎️ Bags Latterbarrow (244 m) and its landmark cairn — a modest top with a view out of all proportion to its height.
Difficulty profile
Five independent axes, not one score — all field-checked on the ground here, with nothing left as a desk estimate.
Access & barriers
Can a dog, a buggy or dodgy knees manage this route? A quick read from the gates and stiles mapped along the way.
- Dog: Gates and kissing gates only — a dog can do the whole route.
- Buggy: Not a pushchair route.
- Knees: No sustained steep descent — kind on the knees.
On the line: 18 gates · 6 kissing gates
These are mapped barriers, from OpenStreetMap — coverage in the Lakes is good but not guaranteed complete. Spotted a stile or gate we’ve missed? Tell us (opens in new tab) and we’ll fix it. Barrier data as of 2026-07-09. Access data © OpenStreetMap contributors (via Overpass).
☀️ Daylight & turnaround
Daylight is short from October to February — check today’s sunrise and sunset before you set off, and carry a head-torch and spare batteries. On short days, decide your turn-back time before you start.
Why this matters: 78% of Mountain Rescue call-outs come after midday — the day runs out on the way home, not on the way up. See also walking in bad weather and today’s conditions.
1 Latterbarrow
Free mapping: OpenTopoMap / OpenStreetMap (switch layers top-right).
This walk covers about 7.54 km with around 283 m of ascent, taking in 1 summit. The map above shows the line; the elevation profile and stage notes are below.
Pacing
| Summit | Cumulative | Ascent | Time (fast–steady) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latterbarrow | 5.3 km | 273 m | 1:31–2:00 |
| Finish | 7.5 km | 283 m | 1:59–2:38 |
Naismith-based estimate — a fast/steady range. Your pace will vary.
The walk, stage by stage
Start → Latterbarrow (5.3 km, 273 m)
A gently climbing loop from the village up to the big cairn on Latterbarrow, then back down through the woods on good tracks.
Latterbarrow → Finish (2.3 km, 9 m)
Descent of about 174 m over 2.3 km.
Stage-by-stage field notes coming soon.
Summits bagged (1)
- Latterbarrow 244 m · South Lakeland · Outlying Fell
🅿️ Getting there & parking
Positions are approximate. Lakeland car parks fill before 9am on fine weekends.
💧 Water, shelter & getting away
On-route facilities © OpenStreetMap contributors — an absent marker does not mean the facility isn’t there.
🚌 Buses
Rural routes change seasonally — confirm on stagecoachbus.com (opens in new tab) or Traveline before travelling.
⚠️ Safety & conditions
- Forest tracks branch and re-cross — follow the waymarks.
- Muddy after rain; occasional forestry operations.
- Lanes near Hawkshead; livestock in the fields.
Check live conditions in the “From the fells” panel, on MWIS (opens in new tab) and the Met Office mountain forecast (opens in new tab) before you set off.
Make it easier or harder
Easier and harder options coming soon.
📚 Maps & guidebooks for Hawkshead into the woods
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