Route: Silver How
Area: Central Lake District
Date of walk: 19th March 2025
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.2 miles
Ascent: 1,200 feet
Weather: Sunny
Silver How is the first lakeland fell we climbed, more years ago than I can remember, though I do recall that it seemed like a grand adventure at the time. It’s a modest fell in height by lakeland standards, but is set in a wonderful position between Langdale and Easedale and commands lovely views over both
We parked in the Red Bank car park near St Oswald’s Church Grasmere and walked out of the village along the private road to Allan Bank, the former home of Wordsworth – ‘the loveliest spot that man hath ever found’. We followed the lane around the house, eventually emerging onto open fellside. There were some lovely retropective views of Grasmere village and the surrounding fells as we climbed up the fairly rough, but easy path. Beyond a zone of juniper trees we crossed Wray Gill. The junction is easily missed and involves a short steep down and up over the gully created by the gill. The summit of Silver How soon came into view and after a final push we were admiring the wonderful views of Grasmere, Rydal Water, Windermere and much else besides. Follow the link for a panorama:
We carried on down the undulating ridge, admiring the views over Grasmere on our left and Langdale on our right. We passed by the cairns on Spedding Crag and Dow Bank and when we reached Hammerscar Plantation we descended to Red Bank, a quiet road beside the shore of Grasmere, which we followed this back into the village
For a slightly longer version of this superb walk click here
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
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
We walk out of Grasmere in the direction of Allan Bank
We enter the grounds of Allan Bank, once home to William Wordsworth and National Trust co-founder Canon Rawnsley
We fork off to the right here, Allan Bank is on the left
Seat Sandal ahead as we follow the track
Views back to Grasmere as we continue uphill...
We pass by this cottage
On the nursery slopes of Silver How
Looking back to Seat Sandal and Fairfield beyond
We follow the path between the dry stone walls
The path curves round to the left
Looking back
We pass through an area of juniper trees
Silver How ahead
Grasmere below
An important junction as we turn left here to cross Wray Gill and climb up the other side of the gully
Miles of open fellside on our right, with the Langdale Pikes in the distance
Looking back to Grasmere, Seat Sandal and Fairfield
Rydal Water comes into view as we approach the summit
Grasmere and Rydal Water from the summit of Silver How
Windermere in the distance as we look along the descent ridge
Down we go - it's an undulating path with a couple of steepish rocky sections along the way
Views of Grasmere and Rydal Water as we descend
Looking back to Silver How from a cairn below the summit
Great Langdale and Chapel Stile below on our right
A lovely walk along the ridge of Silver How, with no-one else around
A view back along the path, with the Langdale Pikes in the distance
We arrive at Spedding Crag. Silver How is on the left
We pass by a small tarn and beyond it turn left at Hemmerscar Plantation to start the return into Grasmere village
Heading back to Grasmere now as we pass through this gate
We follow the path towards Grasmere...
We descend a rough path which brings us to Red Bank, a quiet lane which takes us back into Grasmere...
We arrive back in Grasmere village and from here it's a short stroll back to the start
St Oswald's Church Grasmere at the end of a wonderful walk
