logo Walking Britain
Home About Holidays FAQ Email MENU ☰

Red Tarn & Birkhouse Moor from Glenridding

Lake District Walk

Nat Park - Lake District - Lake District Eastern Fells

County/Area - Cumbria

Author - Lou Johnson

Length - 6.0 miles / 9.8 km    Ascent - 2000 feet / 606 metres

Time - 5 hours 0 minutes    Grade - moderate

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL5Sheet Map1:25kBUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL5Digital Map1:25kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Red Tarn & Birkhouse Moor from Glenridding
Click image to see photo description.

Visiting one of the major summits of the Lake District is often the objective of a walk. However lower-level walks can often offer equally scenic walking as in the case of this route to Red tarn below Helvellyn. The walk offers some views of the high peaks, excellent walking and immersion in beautiful Lakeland scenery all typical of many Lake District walks.

The start is Glenridding on the shores of Ullswater where a large pay and display car park is located on the west side of the A592 (grid ref. NY386169). After parking exit the car park and turn right over Glenridding Beck. Turn first right in front of the shop following the bridleway to Helvellyn. Continue along the bridleway bearing right at the first junction towards Gillside. The bridleway continues with the Beck on your right-hand past a campsite to reach a lane (grid ref. NY386169).

Turn left, walking uphill to Helvellyn via Miresbeck. Ignore the path on the right to Greenside and continue to a path junction (grid ref. NY377167). Turn right and continue climbing to a stile (grid ref. NY376166). Turn right and, with the intake wall on your right, continue up Glenridding. The path ahead is well trodden and, after a level section by the intake wall, turn southwest and climb steadily past a sheepfold (grid ref. NY357168) and up beside Red Tarn Beck to Red Tarn (grid ref. NY350154).

After enjoying the magnificent surroundings of Red Tarn which includes Catstye Cam, Helvellyn, Swirral Edge and Striding Edge take the path heading east from the Tarn out-flow to the Hole-in-the-Wall (grid ref. NY359155). Turn left along the wall (wall to your right) and continue straight ahead to reach the cairn on Birkhouse Moor (grid ref. NY365164) from where you can enjoy a wide panorama of the surrounding fells and much of the route you have just undertaken.

To continue, retrace your steps back to the main path and turn left, again keeping the wall on your right. After about 600 metres beside the wall turn left at a large cairn to descend quite steeply into Little Cove where you re-join the outward route at a stile (grid ref. NY376166). From here retrace your steps back to the start.

Other walks nearby

Walk 1230 Birks & Arnison Cragmoderate5.5 miles
Walk 1520 Helvellyn & Fairfield Horseshoe from Patterdalevery hard13.0 miles
Walk 2047 Place Fell from Patterdalemoderate7.5 miles
Walk 2425 Boredale Circular from Patterdalemod/hard11.5 miles
Walk 3670 Angle Tarn and Hayeswatermoderate8.3 miles
Walk 1110 Angletarn Pikesmoderate7.0 miles
Walk 2060 The Angletarn Pikes and Brock Crags from Hartsopmoderate8.0 miles
Walk 3388 Hayeswater and Angle Tarn from Hartsopmod/hard11.5 miles
Walk 2386 Red Screes via Dove Cragmod/hard8.6 miles
Walk 2039 Gowbarrow Fell circularmoderate3.5 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

Hadrian's Wall Path

Hadrian's Wall PathHadrians Wall Path guidebook to walk the 84 mile National Trail. Described in both directions, the main description is west to east between Bowness-on-Solway and Wallsend, Newcastle, with extensions to Maryport and South Shields. With extensive historical information related to this World Heritage site and separate 1:25,000 OS map booklet included.
More information

Outdoor Adventures with Children - Lake District

Outdoor Adventures with Children - Lake DistrictGuidebook to 40 outdoor adventures in the Lake District with children under 12, including walking, cycling, orienteering, paddling, boating, hostelling and more. Graded activities for varying age ranges or for families with children of different ages.
More information

Messaging & Social Media

Message Walking Britain and follow the latest news.

Facebook  Twitter

Mountain Weather

Stay safe on the mountains with detailed weather forecasts - for iOS devices or for Android devices.