Walk By John Edmondson

Fact File:

Distance: 4½ miles (7.4km); Ascent: 740 feet (225m); Time: 3 hours

Terrain: Mainly grassy footpaths and 1-mile minor roads

Map: OS Explorer OL7

Start: Hawkshead car park, LA22 0NT, grid ref. SD 353 980

Latterbarrow route OS map (Image: Supplied)

Information

This fairly short walk from Hawkshead offers a high return in relation to the quality of views with the effort expended, or in the words of Wainwright, it’s "a circular walk needing little effort yet yielding much delight."

A relatively modest ascent to the 803-foot summit of Latterbarrow is rewarded by outstanding views over Windermere and the central Lakeland Fells.

Route Description

Walk to the centre of Hawkshead and turn right through the passageway beside the Red Lion and along Red Lion Yard to the main road.

Cross the road onto Black Beck Road to join the path signed Wray Castle and Ambleside.

QR code for OS route map (Image: Supplied) Follow the lane over a bridge and the bridleway across a meadow to a path junction.

Turn left (signed Wray Castle) to reach Scar House Lane.

Turn left and after 50 yards turn right onto a footpath alongside a fence and hedge to Loanthwaite Lane.

Its name is appropriate because in Cumbrian dialect ‘lownd lonnin’ means quiet lane.

Turn right and walk along the lane for ½ mile to a T-junction.

Turn left and after 70 yards turn right through a gate to an uphill path into the National Trust owned Latterbarrow.

After 200 yards, where the footpath divides at a rocky outcrop, take the path that forks left and walk up a path that is stepped in parts to the summit of Latterbarrow which is marked by an elegant obelisk.

The hill’s name derives from Old Norse words for lair (shelter) and berg for hill. The obelisk was erected in 1863-4 by Mr T Fidler.

From beside the summit there are splendid views, particularly in winter.

Latterbarrow summit (Image: Supplied) To the east are the fells of Ill Bell, High Street, Wansfell Pike and Red Screes; northwards there’s the Central Fells of the Fairfield Horseshoe and to the west, the summits of the Langdale Pikes, Bowfell, Wetherlam and the Old Man of Coniston.

Turn left (north-north east) and after a few yards an amazing view of Windermere appears ahead.

Descend to a go through a gate in a wall and follow the path down through woodland, crossing a stream before arriving at a stile leading to a forestry road.

Turn left passing Base Camp on the right and follow the stony lane down to the road junction.

Turn left pass High Wray Farm and walk along the quiet road for ½ mile.

After passing an ornate roadside well, turn right onto a lane descending to Tock How Farm.

Continue up the lane after it bends left for 130 yards and turn right onto the track signed Outgate.

Keep left onto the footpath signed ‘Loanthwaite, Hawkshead and Outgate’, going through a kissing gate next to a field gate.

Turn immediately left onto the footpath signed High Loanthwaite. Follow the grassy path keeping to the higher field, bypassing Outgate village on the right.

This leads to a double stile in a hedge and immediately after a small beck go left following waymarkers to the road at Loanthwaite.

Turn left and after the farm turn right onto the footpath signed ‘Hawkshead Village via Scar House Lane’.

Return to Hawkshead for about a mile along the paths used at the start of the walk (in the reverse direction).