A walker on a Lake District fell looking over a lake to the mountains beyond
The complete walking guide

Lake District Walks

The complete guide to walking in the Lake District — hand-picked walks and hikes across 12 towns, with maps, parking, difficulty and dog-friendly info. Browse by difficulty, by type, or by area.

Walks by area Plan a full day

Where to start

The best walks and hikes in the Lake District

From flat lakeshore strolls to the highest mountain in England, the Lake District has a walk for every kind of day. This is the hub for the best Lake District walks and hikes — pulled together town by town, with distances, parking, postcodes, difficulty ratings and dog-friendly information for each route. Use the sections below to browse by difficulty (easy, moderate or difficult), by type (circular, family, dog-friendly, waterfall or short walks) or by area (pick the town you're based in). Every walk links through to a full guide, and the free planner can build a whole day around any of them.

By difficulty By type By area FAQ

By difficulty

Best Lake District walks by difficulty

From easy lakeshore walks to serious mountain hikes — pick the level that fits your day, then follow it down to the town guide.

Easy

Easy walks

Flat lakeshore and low viewpoints — short, well-signed and family-friendly. No serious hill walking needed.

Moderate

Moderate walks

Low fells and longer circuits — a real climb or a half-day, but within reach of most walkers on a clear day.

Difficult

Difficult hikes

The big mountain days and ridge hikes — the high fells, including England's highest. For experienced walkers with the right kit.

By type

Walks by type — circular, family, dog-friendly and more

The way most people actually search for a walk. Pick the kind of day you want.

Circular walks

Loops that never retrace your steps — like School Knott near Windermere via Common Wood, or the classic lake circuits.

Easy & low-level walks

Flat, low-level walks for beginners and families — lakeshore paths and gentle viewpoints like Orrest Head and Fell Foot.

Dog-friendly walks

Routes where dogs are welcome — every walk on our Windermere page is dog-friendly, with notes on where to use a lead.

Family walks & walks with kids

Short, pram-friendly and rewarding — Fell Foot Park and the lakeshore walks are made for younger legs.

Waterfall walks

Walks to the Lakes' best waterfalls — like Stock Ghyll Force near Ambleside. Guide coming soon.

Short walks & walks with pubs

Two-hour walks and routes that finish at a fell pub — the Lakes tradition. More towns coming soon.

By area

Lake District walks by town

Based somewhere in particular? Pick your town for the best walks that genuinely start nearby. More town guides are being added — Windermere is live now.

Windermere, Lake District Live

Windermere walks

5 walks — Orrest Head, Fell Foot, Gummers How and more. The family and station base.

See Windermere walks
Ambleside, Lake District Live

Ambleside walks

8 walks — Stock Ghyll Force, Loughrigg, Wansfell and the Fairfield Horseshoe.

See Ambleside walks
Bowness-on-Windermere, Lake District Live

Bowness walks

5 walks — Claife Viewing Station, Brant Fell and the easiest Lakeland fells.

See Bowness walks
Buttermere, Lake District Soon

Buttermere walks

The classic lake circuit and high passes.

Buttermere hub
Coniston, Lake District Live

Coniston walks

5 walks — the Old Man of Coniston, Coppermines and Coniston Water.

See Coniston walks
Glenridding and Ullswater, Lake District Live

Glenridding walks

8 walks — Helvellyn, Striding Edge, Aira Force and the Ullswater Way.

See Glenridding walks
Grasmere, Lake District Live

Grasmere walks

6 walks — Helm Crag, Easedale Tarn and the Lion and the Lamb.

See Grasmere walks
Hawkshead, Lake District Live

Hawkshead walks

4 walks — Tarn Hows, Latterbarrow and Grizedale Forest.

See Hawkshead walks
Kendal, Lake District Live

Kendal walks

5 walks — Scout Scar, Cunswick Scar and the best walks from town.

See Kendal walks
Keswick and Derwentwater, Lake District Live

Keswick walks

8 walks — Catbells, Friars Crag, Walla Crag and the best of Derwentwater.

See Keswick walks
Penrith and the Eden Valley, Cumbria Live

Penrith walks

7 walks — the Eamont Way, Lacy's Caves and Eden Valley heritage.

See Penrith walks
Wasdale and Wast Water, Lake District Live

Wasdale walks

6 walks — Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Wastwater.

See Wasdale walks

Plan a full day around any of these walks

Free, no sign-up. Pick a walk, tell the planner your transport and the weather, and it builds a timed day around it — parking, lunch and bus times included.

Open the free Lakes Planner

Common questions

Lake District walks, answered

What are the best walks in the Lake District?
The best Lake District walks span every difficulty: easy lakeshore and viewpoint walks like Orrest Head above Windermere; classic fells such as Loughrigg and Helvellyn; and big mountain days on Scafell Pike. The right walk depends on your fitness, the weather and where you are based — browse by area, difficulty or type to find one that fits your day.
What are the best easy walks in the Lake District for beginners?
For beginners, the best easy Lake District walks are flat lakeshore routes and low viewpoints: Orrest Head and the lakeshore at Fell Foot near Windermere, the Rydal Water circuit near Ambleside, and the gentle paths around Grasmere. These are short, well-signed, mostly flat and reachable without serious hill walking.
Are there dog-friendly walks in the Lake District?
Yes — most Lake District walks are dog-friendly, including all five walks on our Windermere page. Lakeshore and low-fell walks are ideal for dogs, though you should keep them on a lead near livestock on open farmland and fells during lambing season.
What are the best circular walks in the Lake District?
Popular circular Lake District walks include the Rydal Water loop, the Buttermere lakeshore circuit, Tarn Hows near Hawkshead, and School Knott near Windermere via Common Wood. Circular routes let you avoid retracing your steps and often pack in more variety of scenery.
What are the best 2-hour or short walks in the Lake District?
For a good walk in around two hours, try Orrest Head or Gummers How near Windermere, the Rydal Water circuit near Ambleside, or the Tarn Hows loop near Hawkshead. Each gives a strong view or a complete lake circuit without committing to a full mountain day.
Where are the best walks with pubs in the Lake District?
Some of the best Lake District walks finish at a pub: the Ambleside-to-Grasmere walk, the Langdale valley routes ending at the Old Dungeon Ghyll, and the Buttermere circuit past the Fish Inn. Pairing a walk with a fell pub is a Lakes tradition — check our town pages for routes with a pub at the end.
What are the best walks near Windermere, Ambleside and Keswick?
Near Windermere, the best walks are Orrest Head, Gummers How and the lakeshore at Fell Foot. Near Ambleside, Loughrigg Fell and the Fairfield Horseshoe stand out. Near Keswick, Catbells and the Derwentwater shore are the classics. Browse each town's walks page for full details, maps and parking.