Loweswater walk - Holme Wood walk

Route: Loweswater and Holme Wood

Area : Western Lake District

Date of walk: 11th August 2022

Walkers: Andrew

Distance: 5.7 miles

Ascent: 1,000 feet

Weather: Sunny, cloudless and hot

This is one of my favourite local walks which, in the space of 6 miles, manages to cram in a huge variety of scenery including farmland, ancient woodland, a lake, a tarn, open moorland and a lonely valley. Along the way there are wonderful views over the Solway Plain looking north (including Scotland in clear weather) and to the high lakeland fells looking south

The country is in the middle of a drought and a heatwave, and in these temperatures a fell walk would have been unpleasant. I made an early start and parked as usual at Maggie’s Bridge where there is space for 8-10 cars (and during the school holidays it’s necessary to arrive early in order to be sure of a space). Instead of heading directly to Loweswater I followed the track to High Nook Farm, where Alfred Wainwright used to stay when he was researching his Guide to the Western Fells. After passing through the farm I carried on to the head of the valley before joining the wonderful terraced path above Holme Wood, known as the old coffin road from Loweswater to St Bees (the description may be fanciful but the name has stuck). The views from here are superb

The path contours around the sides of Carling Knott and Burnbank Fell and reaches a height of over 1,000 feet – higher than one or two lakeland fells. However the climbing is so gentle that it’s hardly noticed. I carried on towards Fangs Brow, on the very edge of the Lake District, before turning back at Iredale Place and following the path past Jenkinson Place and Hudson Place

I then descended into Holme Wood, and along the shore of Loweswater, passing by the bothy as I did so

The last section was an easy stroll along the track between Watergate Farm and Maggie’s Bridge. I’ve followed this route on numerous occasions at every time of the year and never tire of it

For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box

Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)