Walking Britain Lake District Walk
Walla Crag from Great Wood
Maps | |||
| Ordnance Survey Explorer OL4 | Sheet Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Explorer OL4 | Digital Map | 1:25k | BUY |
| Ordnance Survey Landranger 90 | Sheet Map | 1:50k | BUY |
| Anquet OS Landranger 90 | Digital Map | 1:50k | BUY |
It is recommended you take a map. The preferred scale is 1:25k. | |||
Walk Route Description
Click thumbnails for larger images.
The low fells of Lakeland offer many superb walks and this is no exception. Offering grand panoramas over lakes and fells some effort is required to gain some height but the rewards are excellent. In clear weather this Lake District circular walk offers views to some of the highest mountains in England and you will also be rewarded with a grandstand view of Derwentwater and Keswick.
Click thumbnails for larger images.
The walk starts in the National Trust car park in Great Wood (Grid ref. NY271211). This can be reached from the B5289 Keswick to Borrowdale road about 2 kilometres south of Keswick. After parking walk locate the southern pedestrian exit. This path leads towards a bridge over Car Gill (Grid ref. NY 271210).
Go over the bridge and continue straight ahead. This path gradually climbs below the crags of Brown Knotts to reach Ashness Bridge, which is often the subject of picture postcards. Having enjoyed the view retrace your steps a short way as far as the wall and take the right hand path.
This path leads uphill with a couple of short sections where you might need hands. The view improves as you get higher with an excellent panorama south, which on a clear day, will include Scafell Pike (England' highest mountain). Eventually the grade eases and ahead you will see the top of Walla Crag, which is located on the other side of the stone wall.
After enjoying the view continue along the path for a short way before crossing the wall into open country once more. The onward route continues north with the wall to your left on a broad easy to follow path. Ahead the views are towards Blencathra. The path descends quite steeply at times to reach a lane at Rakefoot (Grid ref. NY 283221). Go down the lane for a short way keeping a careful watch for a half hidden path on your left (Grid ref. NY 282222) which should be followed down to the bridge over the beck and downhill towards Keswick.
At the first path junction (Grid ref. NY 280223) turn left on a path signed to "Great Wood" Entering woodland you keep left at the first path junction continuing to join a forest track . This leads downhill under Walla Crag to reach Great Wood car park in just over a kilometre.
Note - You can omit the section to Ashness Bridge by taking the signed path on the north bank of Car Gill (Grid ref. NY 271210). This path is steep and is stepped for most of the way and leads you almost directly to the top of Walla Crag.
Other walks nearby
Walk 2587 Castlerigg Stone Circle & St John's in the Vale - easy/mod - 8.5 miles/13.8 km
Walk 1108 Ashness Bridge & Grange Fell from Borrowdale - moderate - 9.0 miles/14.6 km
Walk 3029 Derwentwater & Walla Crag from Keswick - easy/mod - 6.5 miles/10.6 km
Walk 3037 High Seat & Bleaberry Fell from Keswick - moderate - 9.0 miles/14.6 km
Walk 2321 Shores of Derwentwater from Keswick - easy - 3.5 miles/5.7 km
Walk 2036 Catbells from Gutherscale (Route A) - easy/mod - 4.0 miles/6.5 km
Walk 3525 Catbells from Gutherscale (Route B) - easy/mod - 4.0 miles/6.5 km
Walk 3119 Catbells, Dale Head & Hindscarth - The Newlands Horseshoe - mod/hard - 12.0 miles/19.5 km
Walk 1155 Causey Pike from Stoneycroft, nr. Braithwaite - moderate - 6.3 miles/10.2 km
Walk 1268 Cat Bells & High Spy from Grange - moderate - 8.0 miles/13 km
Recommended Books & eBooks
Walking the Lake District Fells - Mardale and the Far East
Part of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 36 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from the Ullswater, Haweswater, Troutbeck, Kentmere and Longsleddale valleys, with highlights including High Street, Place Fell and the Kentmere fells. Suggestions for longer ridge routes are also included.
More information
Walking the Lake District Fells - Langdale
Part of the Walking the Lake District Fells series, this guidebook covers a wide range of routes to 25 Lakeland summits that can be climbed from the Great Langdale valley, Ambleside and Grasmere, with highlights including Scafell Pike, Bowfell, the Langdale Pikes and Helm Crag (the Lion and the Lamb). Includes suggestions for longer ridge routes.
More information
The National Trails
This inspirational guidebook looks at each of the UK's 19 National Trails, with information that allows ease of comparison and contrast, inspiring you to find out more and to take up a long-distance challenge. Some Trails are short and easy, others much longer, many have strong themes - they may follow a coastline, or traverse ranges of hills.
More information
