Helm Crag and the Lion and the Lamb above Grasmere village and lake, Lake District
Central Lakes · 6 hand-picked walks

Grasmere Walks

Wordsworth's home village sits at the foot of some of the most loved walks in the Lakes — the unmistakable Lion and the Lamb on Helm Crag, the mountain bowl of Easedale Tarn, and gentle lake and poet walks. Most start from the two village car parks.

Browse the walks Plan your day

A hand-picked guide

The best walks from Grasmere

Grasmere — Wordsworth's home village — is one of the best walking bases in the Lakes, with everything from a flat lake circular to the steep, instantly recognisable Lion and the Lamb on Helm Crag. This is a hand-picked guide to the best walks from Grasmere, with distance, time, ascent, parking, start points and dog-friendly info for each. Begin with the gentle Grasmere lake loop and the historic Coffin Route to Rydal; step up to Helm Crag, the mountain bowl of Easedale Tarn, the view-rich Alcock Tarn and quiet Silver Howe. Almost everything starts from one of two village car parks — Broadgate Meadow for the fells, Stock Lane for the lake. For Dove Cottage, St Oswald's and the Wordsworth story, see the Grasmere hub.

Showing all 6 walks.

Easy

Easy walks from Grasmere

The Grasmere Lake circular walk, Grasmere, Lake District
The lake-edge path on the Grasmere lake walk, Grasmere, Lake District

Grasmere Lake circular

Gentle lake loop · Wordsworth country

Easy

Distance

~3 mi loop

Time

1.5–2 hrs

Ascent

Low · flat

Terrain

Lakeside paths, lanes

The gentle circuit of Grasmere lake — flat, family-friendly and quietly beautiful, looping the water in around three miles. It's the perfect easy half-day or first walk of a trip, passing through the heart of Wordsworth's country: Dove Cottage and the poet's grave at St Oswald's Church are close to the route. This card is the lake walk itself — for Dove Cottage, the Wordsworth story and the village attractions, see the Grasmere hub. Easy and dog-friendly throughout.

Start: Stock Lane car park, by the garden centre at the southern edge of the village (LA22 9SJ · grid NY 339 607)

Parking: Stock Lane car park (pay & display; toilets 30p) — free A591 laybys exist but fill early and add ~1 mile

Find it: Search "Stock Lane car park, Grasmere" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

Nearest pub: to confirm — being added in the pub-research pass.

Dog-friendly Lake views Circular Not a Wainwright
Search in Google Maps Add to my day plan
The Coffin Route terrace path from Grasmere to Rydal, Grasmere, Lake District
Lake views from the historic Coffin Route between Grasmere and Rydal, Grasmere, Lake District

Coffin Route to Rydal

Historic corpse road · scenic terrace path

Easy

Distance

~1.5 mi one way

Time

~45 min one way

Ascent

Low · gentle terrace

Terrain

Clear terrace path

The historic corpse road between Grasmere and Rydal — the path along which coffins were once carried to be buried at St Oswald's, when Rydal had no consecrated ground of its own. Today it's a gentle, scenic terrace path with lovely views over the lakes below, about 1.5 miles one way and often walked as part of a larger Rydal loop. From Rydal you can link to Rydal Water, the cave and Loughrigg — see the Ambleside walks page for the Rydal Water circular and Loughrigg, and the Rydal Cave guide for the slate cavern. Easy and dog-friendly.

Start: From Grasmere village, picking up the route near Dove Cottage / the A591 (heads east towards Rydal Mount)

Parking: Stock Lane or Broadgate Meadow car parks in Grasmere; Pelter Bridge at the Rydal end

Find it: Search "Coffin Route, Grasmere" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

Nearest pub: to confirm — being added in the pub-research pass.

Dog-friendly Lake views Heritage path Not a Wainwright
Search in Google Maps Add to my day plan
Moderate

Moderate walks from Grasmere

The Lion and the Lamb rock formation on Helm Crag above Grasmere, Lake District
The stone-stepped path up Helm Crag from Grasmere, Lake District

Helm Crag (the Lion and the Lamb)

Grasmere's signature fell · a Wainwright

Moderate

Distance

2.5–3 mi

Time

2–2.5 hrs

Summit

405 m

Terrain

Stone-stepped, then steep

Grasmere's signature fell — 405 metres, and instantly recognisable from the "Lion and the Lamb" rock formation on its crest, with the summit tower known as "the Howitzer". It's a short, steep, hugely rewarding climb of around 2.5–3 miles, starting on stone steps that quickly gain height. The very top is an exposed rock tower most walkers don't scramble; Wainwright famously noted that few reach the true summit. He also recommended it as a sunset walk — short enough to descend in fading light, with perfect evening colour. Combine it with Gibson Knott for one of the easiest ridge walks in the Lakes. It IS a Wainwright. Dog-friendly (lead near stock).

Start: Village → Easedale Road → past the Lancrigg Hotel → through woodland, then steep to the crest

Parking: Broadgate Meadow car park (card/phone pay, disabled spaces) — or A591 layby, which adds ~1 mile

Find it: Search "Broadgate Meadow car park, Grasmere" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

Nearest pub: to confirm — being added in the pub-research pass.

Dog-friendly (lead) Grasmere views Circular (via Gibson Knott) Wainwright
Search in Google Maps Add to my day plan
Easedale Tarn in its mountain bowl above Grasmere, Lake District
Sour Milk Gill waterfall on the path to Easedale Tarn, Grasmere, Lake District

Easedale Tarn

Classic mountain tarn · Sour Milk Gill

Moderate

Distance

~3.5 mi circular

Time

2–3 hrs

Ascent

Moderate · valley climb

Terrain

Well-signed valley path

The classic mountain tarn in a glacial bowl above Grasmere — a roughly 3.5-mile circular up the Easedale valley, passing the tumbling Sour Milk Gill waterfall on the way. It's well-signed, family-friendly and one of the most accessible mountain tarns in the Lakes: a beautiful place to paddle, picnic or swim. On a clear day the bowl of fells around the tarn is a genuine reward for moderate effort.

A wild-swimming spot. Easedale Tarn is featured in our Wild Swimming guide — open water is cold all year, so acclimatise slowly, never swim alone and know your limits.

Start: Easedale Road from the village, following signs up the Easedale valley

Parking: Broadgate Meadow car park (card/phone pay, disabled spaces)

Find it: Search "Broadgate Meadow car park, Grasmere" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

Nearest pub: to confirm — being added in the pub-research pass.

Dog-friendly Tarn & waterfall Circular Not a Wainwright
Search in Google Maps Add to my day plan
Alcock Tarn below Heron Pike above Grasmere, Lake District
The view over Grasmere village and lake from the Alcock Tarn walk, Grasmere, Lake District

Alcock Tarn

Sheltered tarn · big village view

Moderate

Distance

2.5–3 mi circular

Time

~2 hrs

Height

Below Heron Pike

Terrain

Fell path, steady climb

A small, sheltered tarn tucked below Heron Pike about half way up the hillside, with sweeping views over Grasmere village and lake to the Langdale Pikes — one of the best view-for-effort objectives above the village. It's a 2.5–3 mile circular climbing from near Dove Cottage, with summer paddling and no dangerous drops, which makes it a good child-friendly fell objective. For the Wordsworth and Dove Cottage story at the foot of the walk, see the Grasmere hub. It is NOT a Wainwright — it's a tarn, not a fell summit. Dog-friendly.

Start: From near Dove Cottage (Stock Lane), climbing the hillside above the village

Parking: Stock Lane car park (LA22 9SJ · grid NY 339 607; toilets 30p)

Find it: Search "Stock Lane car park, Grasmere" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

Nearest pub: to confirm — being added in the pub-research pass.

Dog-friendly Lake & village views Circular Not a Wainwright
Search in Google Maps Add to my day plan
The summit of Silver Howe with views over Grasmere, Lake District
The path up Silver Howe west of Grasmere, Lake District

Silver Howe

Quiet low fell · escape the crowds

Easy–Mod

Distance

~4 mi circular

Time

2–2.5 hrs

Summit

395 m

Terrain

Fell paths, steady climb

The low fell west of Grasmere — 395 metres, easy-to-moderate, and far quieter than Helm Crag, yet with superb views over Grasmere and Rydal Water below. It's the perfect "escape the crowds" choice on a busy day, a steady climb to a broad, view-rich top that can be extended along the ridge towards the Langdale Pikes for stronger walkers. It IS a Wainwright. Dog-friendly (lead near stock).

Start: From the village towards Allan Bank / the western shore, climbing onto the fell

Parking: Stock Lane car park (LA22 9SJ · grid NY 339 607; toilets 30p)

Find it: Search "Silver Howe, Grasmere" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

Nearest pub: to confirm — being added in the pub-research pass.

Dog-friendly (lead) Grasmere & Rydal views Circular Wainwright
Search in Google Maps Add to my day plan
Difficult

Bigger days from Grasmere

Grasmere is a gateway to big rounds, but they belong elsewhere. The classic Fairfield Horseshoe can be started from Grasmere, but it's covered in full on the Ambleside walks page — a serious mountain day of eight Wainwrights. For a tougher day closer to the village, the Helm Crag–Gibson Knott–Steel Fell ridge extends Helm Crag into a satisfying high-level round for stronger walkers. Either way, treat these as full mountain days: check the forecast, carry map, compass and layers, and allow plenty of time.

No walks match those filters.

Try clearing a feature or switching difficulty.

Keep exploring

More walks & nearby guides

Grasmere connects to the best of the central Lakes — the neighbouring walking villages, the swims, and the wider Wordsworth country.

Next valley

Ambleside walks

Loughrigg, the Fairfield Horseshoe and the Rydal Water circular.

Ambleside walks
By the lake

Windermere walks

Orrest Head, School Knott and the best walks above the lake.

Windermere walks
Cool off

Wild swimming

Easedale Tarn and more — the best swims near Grasmere.

Wild swimming guide
The full guide

All Lake District walks

Browse the best walks across the region by difficulty, type and area.

Lake District walks hub
Bowness walks Kendal walks Coniston walks Hawkshead walks Caves guide Things to do in Grasmere

Plan your whole Grasmere day around a walk

Free, no sign-up. Tell the planner which walk you fancy, your transport and the weather — it builds a timed day around it, with parking, lunch and bus times sorted.

Open the free Lakes Planner

Common questions

Grasmere walks, answered

What are the best walks from Grasmere?
Grasmere is one of the best walking villages in the Lakes. The signature walk is Helm Crag — the unmistakable Lion and the Lamb above the village — followed by the mountain bowl of Easedale Tarn and the gentle circular of Grasmere lake. Alcock Tarn and Silver Howe round out a superb spread, and almost everything starts from the two village car parks.
What is the Lion and the Lamb on Helm Crag?
The Lion and the Lamb is the famous rock formation on the crest of Helm Crag — a cluster of weathered rocks that, from the right angle, looks like a lion lying beside a lamb. The summit rock tower at the other end is known as the Howitzer. Both are visible from the village and make Helm Crag the most recognisable fell in Grasmere.
Is Helm Crag a Wainwright, and is it difficult?
Yes, Helm Crag (405m) is a Wainwright. It's a short but steep climb of about 2.5–3 miles, with a stone-stepped start that quickly gains height. The very top is an exposed rock tower (the Howitzer) that most walkers don't scramble — Wainwright famously noted that few reach the true summit. It's hugely rewarding for the effort and Wainwright recommended it as a sunset walk.
How long is the Easedale Tarn walk, and can you swim?
Easedale Tarn is roughly a 3.5-mile circular up the Easedale valley past the Sour Milk Gill waterfall — around 2–3 hours and well-signed. It's one of the most accessible mountain tarns in the Lakes, a lovely spot to paddle, picnic and swim. It is a wild-swimming spot; see our Wild Swimming guide for where Easedale Tarn is featured, and remember open water is cold all year — acclimatise slowly and never swim alone.
Is Alcock Tarn a Wainwright?
No — Alcock Tarn is a small tarn tucked below Heron Pike, not a fell summit, so it is not a Wainwright. It sits about half way up the hillside with sweeping views over Grasmere village and lake to the Langdales. It's a child-friendly objective with summer paddling and no dangerous drops, reached on a 2.5–3 mile circular from near Dove Cottage.
Where do you park in Grasmere?
Two village car parks cover everything. Broadgate Meadow on the northern edge (card/phone pay, disabled spaces) is the start for Helm Crag, Easedale Tarn and Alcock Tarn. Stock Lane (LA22 9SJ, grid NY 339 607, by the garden centre, toilets 30p) is the start for the lake circular and Silver Howe. Free A591 laybys exist but fill early and add about a mile.
Are there easy or family walks in Grasmere?
Yes — the gentle circular of Grasmere lake and the historic Coffin Route to Rydal are both flat, family-friendly and beautiful. The lower section of the Easedale Tarn valley is an easy out-and-back too, and Alcock Tarn is a child-friendly objective with summer paddling.