The limestone edge of Scout Scar above Kendal with views over Morecambe Bay and the Lake District
Limestone gateway · 5 hand-picked walks

Kendal Walks

Kendal sits on the limestone edge of the Lakes — its walks are gentle scars, woodland and riverside rather than high fells, and most start straight from the town centre. Distances, parking and dog info for all five.

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A hand-picked guide

The best walks from Kendal

Kendal sits on the limestone edge of the Lake District, so its walks are quite different from the high-fell towns: gentle scars, woodland and riverside rather than mountains, and most of them start straight from the town centre. This is a hand-picked guide to the best walks from Kendal, with distance, time, parking, start points and dog-friendly info for each. Begin with the easy Kendal Castle & River loop and Serpentine Woods; head out to the panoramic Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar circular and the Sizergh estate trails; and add Benson Knott for a quiet low fell. For the castle and Sizergh as attractions, see the Kendal hub.

Showing all 5 walks.

Easy

Easy walks from Kendal

Kendal Castle ruins above the River Kent, Kendal, Lake District
The riverside path along the River Kent on the Kendal Castle walk, Kendal, Lake District

Kendal Castle & River Walk

Town-centre loop · 12th-century ruins

Easy

Distance

~2 mi loop

Time

~1 hr

Ascent

Flat + one short hill

Terrain

Riverside & town paths

The classic town walk in Kendal — a mostly flat loop along the River Kent with one short climb to the 12th-century castle ruins on their hill above the town. The reward at the top is a wide view over Kendal's grey limestone roofs to the fells beyond. It's easy and family-friendly, around two miles, and starts right in the centre, so there's no rural parking to worry about. A perfect first walk or an easy hour between other things. Dog-friendly throughout. For the castle's history as an attraction, see the Kendal hub.

Start: Kendal town centre (near the Town Hall), crossing the River Kent towards the castle hill

Parking: Kendal town-centre pay & display car parks (walk in)

Find it: Search "Kendal Castle" in Google Maps from Kendal town centre · walkable from the centre

Nearest pub / refuel

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

Dog-friendly Castle ruins Circular Not a Wainwright
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The winding paths of Serpentine Woods on the edge of Kendal, Lake District
Victorian woodland walking paths at Serpentine Woods, Kendal, Lake District

Serpentine Woods

Victorian woodland · free, family-friendly

Easy

Distance

Short loops

Time

~30–45 min

Ascent

Gentle

Terrain

Woodland paths

A small Victorian woodland on the western edge of Kendal, laced with gently winding paths — the answer to "woodland walks from Kendal town centre". It's free, short and very family-friendly, with the main paths buggy-friendly, making it an easy outing for little legs or a quick green escape close to town. A lovely spot in bluebell season. Dog-friendly throughout, and walkable straight from the centre.

Start: Western edge of Kendal, a short walk up from the town centre

Parking: Free on-street parking nearby (confirm), or Kendal town-centre car parks

Find it: Search "Serpentine Woods, Kendal" in Google Maps from Kendal town centre

Nearest pub / refuel

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

Dog-friendly Woodland Short loops Not a Wainwright
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The Sizergh Castle estate and limestone pasture near Kendal, Lake District
Waymarked woodland trails through the Sizergh estate near Kendal, Lake District

Sizergh Castle estate walks

NT estate trails · easy day out

Easy–Mod

Distance

2–4 mi (route-dependent)

Time

1–2 hrs

Ascent

Low–moderate

Terrain

Waymarked estate trails

A National Trust estate about three miles south of Kendal, with 1,600 acres of limestone pasture, orchards and the woodland of Brigsteer Woods criss-crossed by waymarked trails. It's a proper easy day out — flexible loops to suit the legs you've brought, with a café and facilities at the centre and plenty for families. Choose a short orchard stroll or a longer woodland circuit. Dog-friendly on the estate trails. For the castle and gardens as a visit, see the Kendal hub.

Start: Sizergh Castle, ~3 miles south of Kendal off the A591

Parking: National Trust car park at Sizergh (charge; free for NT members) (confirm)

Find it: Search "Sizergh Castle, Kendal" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

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

Dog-friendly Estate & woodland Circular options Not a Wainwright
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Moderate

Moderate walks from Kendal

The limestone escarpment of Scout Scar above Kendal, Lake District
The Mushroom toposcope shelter at the top of Scout Scar near Kendal, Lake District

Scout Scar & Cunswick Scar circular

The big-view walk · two outlying fells, one loop

Moderate

Distance

4–5 mi circular

Time

2–3 hrs

High point

235 m (Scout Scar)

Terrain

Limestone scar & pasture

Kendal's signature walk: two Wainwright outlying fells — Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar — walked together as one easy circular. Scout Scar is a 235m limestone escarpment whose level top gives panoramas over Morecambe Bay, the Lakeland fells, the Dales and the Howgills, with "The Mushroom" — a domed stone toposcope shelter — marking the high point. The loop links across to neighbouring Cunswick Scar over well-maintained paths with low elevation gain, and part of it is a Miles Without Stiles accessible route. Family-friendly and dog-friendly (keep dogs on a lead near livestock).

Miles Without Stiles. Part of the Scout Scar route is an accessible, stile-free path — good for buggies and less mobile walkers.

Start: Free Scout Scar car park, Underbarrow Road — donation box, ~35 spaces, grid SD 488924, ///meant.healthier.flash, postcode LA8 8HB (satnav may overshoot — it's the second car park on the right after the A591 crossing from Kendal)

Parking: Scout Scar car park (free, donation box). Cunswick car park is ~200 yds before it — LA8 8HA, grid SD 489 924, ///early.wizard.cure

Find it: Search "Scout Scar car park, Underbarrow Road" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

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

Dog-friendly (lead) Big views (bay, fells, Dales) Circular Wainwright outlying fells
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The summit of Benson Knott above Kendal, Lake District
The quiet panorama from Benson Knott northeast of Kendal, Lake District

Benson Knott

Quiet low fell · the local's escape

Moderate

Distance

~3 mi

Time

~1.5–2 hrs

Summit

Low fell

Terrain

Field & fell paths

A low, quiet fell just northeast of Kendal that gives a genuine sense of escape for not much effort — far less walked than Scout Scar, with a fine panorama from the top across the Kentdale countryside and out to the fells. It's the completeness pick for walkers who want a proper little summit without the crowds or the drive: an honest, peaceful local hill. Dog-friendly (keep dogs on a lead near livestock).

Start: Northeast of Kendal, off the lanes towards the fell (exact start to confirm)

Parking: Limited roadside parking near the start (confirm) — park considerately

Find it: Search "Benson Knott, Kendal" in Google Maps

Nearest pub / refuel

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

Dog-friendly (lead) Quiet panorama Loop possible Not a Wainwright
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Difficult

Difficult fells & mountain days from Kendal

No high fells start from Kendal

No high fells start from Kendal — its walks are limestone scars, woodland and riverside. For the nearest serious walking head to the Kentmere round; for mountains, see Ambleside and Coniston.

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Keep exploring

More walks & nearby guides

Kendal is the gateway to the southern Lakes — the lake-town walks, the slate caves, and the swims are all close by.

The town

Things to do in Kendal

Kendal Castle, Sizergh and the rest of the town as a day out.

Kendal hub
Next town

Windermere walks

Orrest Head, School Knott and the lakeshore from Windermere.

Windermere walks
Go underground

Lake District caves

Rydal Cave, Cathedral Cave and the best slate caverns to explore.

Caves guide
The full guide

All Lake District walks

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

Lake District walks hub

Plan your whole Kendal 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

Kendal walks, answered

What is the Scout Scar Mushroom?
"The Mushroom" is the domed, circular stone shelter and toposcope (view-indicator) at the top of Scout Scar. It marks the high point of the escarpment and names the fells, the Lakeland skyline, Morecambe Bay, the Dales and the Howgills you can see from the edge — a favourite landmark on the walk.
Where do you park for Scout Scar?
Use the free Scout Scar car park on Underbarrow Road (donation box, around 35 spaces), grid reference SD 488924, what3words ///meant.healthier.flash, postcode LA8 8HB. The postcode covers a wide area, so satnav can overshoot — it's the second car park on the right after the A591 crossing from Kendal. The Cunswick Scar car park is about 200 yards before it (LA8 8HA, grid SD 489 924, ///early.wizard.cure).
What are the best walks from Kendal town centre?
Three stand out straight from town: the Kendal Castle & River walk (a flat ~2-mile loop along the River Kent to the 12th-century castle ruins), Serpentine Woods (a short, gentle Victorian woodland on the west edge of town), and Scout Scar — the limestone escarpment just west of Kendal, with huge views and "The Mushroom" shelter at the top. Sizergh Castle estate and Benson Knott add easy estate and quiet-fell options nearby.
How high is Scout Scar?
Scout Scar reaches 235m at its high point. It's a limestone escarpment rather than a high fell, so the climbing is modest — much of the walk runs along the level top of the scar with the views falling away to the west.
How long is the Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar circular?
Walked together as a circular, Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar make a roughly 4–5 mile loop from the Underbarrow Road car park, taking about 2–3 hours at an easy pace. It's well-maintained with low elevation gain, and part of it is a Miles Without Stiles accessible route.
Are there circular walks around Kendal?
Yes — the best are the Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar loop from Underbarrow Road, and the Kendal Castle & River loop along the River Kent from the town centre. Serpentine Woods and the Sizergh estate trails also work as easy circular routes.
Are there dog-friendly walks near Kendal?
Yes — all the walks on this page are dog-friendly. Keep dogs on a lead near livestock on Scout Scar, Cunswick Scar and Benson Knott, and during lambing season.