Route: Loweswater
Area: Western Lake District
Date of walk: 1st January 2016
Walkers: Andrew, Gilly, David 1, Tom and David 2
Distance: 4.2 miles
Ascent: 900 feet
Weather: Overcast and blustery
With one of our party feeling slightly the worse for wear after last night’s celebrations, we decided to revisit Loweswater for our New Year’s Day walk, and parked in one of the roadside spaces at Waterend. We followed the path across the head of the lake – Loweswater is unique in that its waters flow into the Lake District rather than away from it. From here we joined the path towards Fangs Brow. The weather was gloomy and overcast, but there was excellent visibility and we could clearly make out the Solway Firth and the hills of Scotland in the distance
Near Fangs Brow we headed back towards Loweswater along the lovely elevated path which contours round the slopes of Burnbank Fell and Carling Knott and from which there are tremendous views over Loweswater and the North Western Fells
When we reached the edge of Holme Wood we left the main path and descended into the wood, visiting Holme Force before carrying on to the lakeshore. We completed the circuit at Hudson Place and from there it was a short walk back to the start
It had been an enjoyable way to bring in the New Year and a good hangover cure for one of the younger members of our little group of walkers
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)
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Red squirrel in the garden before we set off this morning
The start of the walk - a parking space with a view
Holme Wood and Loweswater
The path across the foot of the lake
Grasmoor
A line of gnarled old trees on the way to Fangs Brow
Grasmoor again as we gain height
Iredale Place
The Solway Firth and Criffel in Scotland from near Fangs Brow
Bonnie
Walking towards Burnbank Fell
Grasmoor again
Mellbreak in the middle of the picture
Whiteside beyond the foot of Low Fell
Further along the elevated path
Looking down to Holme Wood and Loweswater
Crummock Water in the distance
Walking towards Holme Wood
Whiteside
Head of Loweswater and foot of Crummock Water
Holme Beck, which separates Burnbank Fell from Carling Knott
We leave the elevated path here to descend into Holme Wood
Holme Force
We arrive at the shore of Loweswater
Grasmoor
David and Tom with Auntie Gilly
Almost back to the start, and a final look across to Loweswater
A fitting way to end the walk - in the nearby Kirkstile Inn
