Where  - Tarn Hows, Lake District
Distance 7.7 miles / 12.4km
(Total) Ascent 1500ft / 464m
High Point 846ft / 258m (Disabled only)  Car Park above the Tarn SD330 994

Car Parking NT Car park in middle of Coniston – SD303 975 – very expensive and they actually charge per 20 minutes
Coniston Sports Club currently charge £3 to park all day – 304 978
ToiletsAt the car park in Coniston centre – you’ll need 20p!
RefreshmentsVarious cafes and pubs in Coniston
Map requiredOL7, English Lakes South East - click here to buy it from Amazon
 

1

304 975

Leave the car park and head right, down Tilberthwaite Avenue/B5285. Just before crossing Yewdale Beck, turn left up Sheperds Bridge Lane. Carry on past the sports centre (unless you’ve elected to start from there for the cheaper parking !) then take the bridge on the right and the path that goes left at the end of the bridge

2

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Follow the obvious track (it’s part of the Cumbria Way), passing to the left of  the odd looking recently renovated building and carry on up the hill

3

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Where the paths fork, take the path to the right, heading for the stile that takes you into the woods. When descending through the woods, keep an eye open to the right for the view over the top end of Coniston.

4

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Once out of the woods the path becomes a grassy track

5

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At the stony track, head right through the NT farmyard, turning left along the road for a few yards before taking the well lamed and signposted bridleway on the left

6

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Cross the minor road and carry on uphill through the woods

7

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Where the path forks, take the right hand fork (sp – Tarn Hows Old Car Park), going through the style at the top and cross the road into the small car park (now reserved for disabled drivers only) From here you get a great view over the Tarn, there is a panorama naming the peaks you can see and there are several places to sit and eat lunch

8

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From here, you could follow the road down to meet the well made track that skirts the tarn, or you can just follow the path that heads through the bracken down to the same track, heading counter-clockwise around the side of the tarn

9

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You have a choice here, the right hand fork (SP Skelwith Bridge and Elterwater) will take you to the top of the tarn, but the left hand fork skirts the side of the tarn and is much more interesting

10

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Both paths meet here at the top of the tarn, another suitable place for lunch before you set off back round the western side of the tarn

11

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At the bottom of the tarn is a small dam where the beck exits the tarn – take the path that follows the beck down a pleasantly interesting little valley – surprisingly rocky and rugged in places and quite a contrast after the work of the footpath fairies around the tarn

12

321 998

Take the footbridge into the car park – from here, there is no need to walk on the A593 – cut through the car park and at the far side there is a small gate leading into a field – it doesn’t look like many people use this route, but have faith and walk alongside the field edge

13

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Leave the field at the kissing gate, cross the road and head up the drive to Yew Tree Farm, passing round the right of the farm. Once round the back of the farm, the track heads west

14

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At the end of the track join the lane at Sheperds Bridge, then join the bridleway alongside the road, following this back into Coniston

15

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You can carry straight on here until you meet a minor road, down which you head left into the town. Alternatively, if you have parked at the sports centre, go left down the short path, right at then end, then a dogleg left and right takes to back down Shepherds Bridge Lane

Download this route as a pdf file from HERE