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Latterbarrow from Hawkshead

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Lesser Fells

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 4.0 miles / 6.5 km    Ascent - 700 feet / 212 metres

Time - 2 hours 40 minutes    Grade - easy

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Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Latterbarrow from Hawkshead
Click image to visit gallery of 9 images.

This relative small Lakeland fell occupies a wonderful position close to Hawkshead. Topped by a large stone column or obelisk the summit area offers grandstand views of a wide panorama of higher fells that also includes Lake Windermere.

The start of this Lake District circular walk is the main car park in the busy village of Hawkshead (grid ref. SD353980). Exit the car park and walk to the bypass. Turn left along this road and after approximately 200 metres take the signed footpath on the right. This leads down to open country. Reaching a junction of paths (grid ref SD354985), continue straight ahead to exit into Scar House Lane. Bear left and then almost immediately right along the signed path crossing fields to reach Loanthwaite Lane (grid ref. SD356991). Turn right along this quiet country byway to a T-junction.

Turn left along the lane and after a short distance go right along a signed path to enter the lower slopes of Latterbarrow. Always impatient to get to the top, I took the first clear path on the left to make a direct ascent of Latterbarrow, soon arriving at the summit with its superb obelisk (grid ref. SD367991). It was sadly one of those days when the clarity of light was poor but the view was still impressive.

Leave the summit in a southerly direction towards the conifer trees (there was some felling of trees in progress in 2009 so they may have disappeared when you walk the route). You will find a stile (grid ref. SD367988). Cross this, bear left and continue on the clear path which leads in a great arc to a bridleway (grid ref. SD372985). This section is also subject to some felling of trees. Reaching the bridleway, turn right along this and descend to the road between Colthouse and Gillbank. Turn left along the road and almost immediately right down another lane.

After a short way take the signed footpath on your left. This well-signed path leads you across Scar House Lane to a junction of paths passed earlier in the walk (grid ref. SD354985). Turn left here and retrace your steps back to Hawkshead.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2053 Claife Heights & Near Sawreyeasy2.5 miles
Walk 3320 Grizedale Tarn circulareasy2.5 miles
Walk 1217 Dow Crag & the Old Man of Conistonmod/hard8.5 miles
Walk 1761 Tom Heights and Tarn Howseasy/mod7.0 miles
Walk 3028 Tarn Hows & Tom Gilleasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 3220 Wetherlam via Red Dellmoderate7.0 miles
Walk 3697 Loughrigg Fell from Skelwith Bridgeeasy/mod4.5 miles
Walk 2033 Tilberthwaite & Wetherlammoderate5.0 miles
Walk 3590 Orrest Head & Allen Knott from Windermereeasy4.4 miles
Walk 3638 Satterthwaite Bridge Circulareasy3.2 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Walking the Lake District Fells - Buttermere

Walking the Lake District Fells - ButtermerePart of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 32 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from the Buttermere, Lorton and Newlands valleys, with highlights including Haystacks, High Stile, Grasmoor and the fells of the Coledale Round. Suggestions for longer ridge routes are also included.
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Great Mountain Days in the Lake District

Great Mountain Days in the Lake DistrictAn inspirational guidebook to 50 challenging walks on the high fells of the Lake District. The graded circular routes, between 4 and 14 miles in length, cover classic Lakeland summits like Fairfield, Scafell Pike, Great Gable and Blencathra, to the lesser-known High Spy, King's How and Brund Fell.
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