Route: Holehird and Orrest Head
Area: South Lakes
Date of walk: 21st May 2015
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.0 miles
Weather: Cloudy with some sunny spells
Holehird Gardens is home to the Lakeland Horticultural Society, a renowned garden in a beautiful setting, and Orrest Head is a low lying fell with fabulous views which so enchanted a young Alfred Wainwright that he was inspired to write his classic guides to the lakeland fells
What better then than to combine the two in a single walk? Looking at the OS map, a circular route seemed to suggest itself and with this in mind we set off and parked at Holehird. Entrance to the garden is free but a voluntary contribution of £4 is suggested. Miserly is the man who puts less than that in the box provided – it’s worth double the amount
After spending an hour or two wandering around the superb gardens and the adjoining woodland we set off on the walk to Orrest Head. This took us over rolling farmland, which lacked the drama of lakeland proper, but which was lovely all the same
The ascent of Orrest Head was a simple affair and I can see why Wainwright was so enchanted by the scene from it summit, though today the views were hazy and some imagination was needed
The return route was through ancient woodland and hilly countryside and was a pleasure every step of the way
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)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel and pheasant in the garden before we set off this morning
We would start the walk to Orrest Head by exiting via the fell gate shown on the plan, but before that we went round the gardens…
The hillside setting gives wonderful views into lakeland - the Langdale Pikes are prominent, though it’s very hazy today
The Walled Garden
Auricula theatre
One of the performers
We leave the Walled Garden
The Tufa House in the alpine section
Windermere
The Langdale Pikes in the distance
The Tarn
We visit Highlands Wood, where the wild bluebells are at their height
Windermere as we leave Highlands Wood to start the walk to Orrest Head
We walk back into Holehird Gardens and make our way to the fell gate
Looking back to the fell gate from the fell side
Just beyond Far Orrest
A short section along the lane after Near Orrest, looking towards Orrest Head
Approaching Orrest Head
Walking up the easy slopes of Orrest Head
...quite suddenly, we emerged from the trees and were on a bare headland, and, as though a curtain had dramatically been torn aside, beheld a truly magnificent view - a young Alfred Wainwright’s first view of lakeland
Windermere
We descend into the woods below
Elleray Wood
Walking along Elleray Bank
Wild garlic in High Hay Wood
St Catherine’s Wood
A short section along the lane before we turn right just beyond Crosses Farm
We walk across Howe Hill
Approaching Far Orrest
We leave the track from Far Orrest here, and turn left to re-enter Holehird via the fell gate
The Walled Garden again and the end of a great walk
