April Walking from Hawkshead

Our second walk of the season will be to the beautiful village of Hawkshead in Cumbria on;

Saturday 18th April 2009
The coach will leave the car park at the back of Iceland at 8.00am

The village of Hawkshead is a place of charm and character with an atmosphere which is timeless. It boasts whitewashed buildings, narrow streets, alleyways, quaint corners, courtyards and cobbled streets.

View towards the Fairfield range from the churchyard of St Michaels

The village was once an important market town for the wool industry until its decline in the early 19th Century. Hawkshead is now a popular area with the tourists due to its association with William Wordsworth in his early days of his life. It was here that inspired William to write some of his earliest poems. In "The Prelude", completed in 1805, Wordsworth describes the village and the surrounding countryside.

You can see the Old Grammar school where William Wordsworth attended between the years of 1779 and 1787 and the cottage of Ann Tyson where he lodged. At the school you can see the original desks, including the one belonging to Wordsworth and still bearing his name carved into it.

Above the school is the Church of St. Michael which dates from the 16th Century and overlooks the village. Inside you will discover interesting wall paintings.

Several buildings in Hawkshead and land that overlooks Esthwaite Water was given to the National Trust by Beatrix Potter. In the village there is the Beatrix Potter Gallery which displays her original drawings and information about her life

The ancient church of St Michaels, sitting on the hill above the village
(Click on any picture to enlarge)

There will be three walks;

• A Walk led by Jenny
• B Walk led by Shirley & Joan
• C Walk led by Norman

Walk details will be posted by Saturday 11th April if not before, (click on link above).

Some photos of Hawkshead

Hawkshead from Latterbarrow


Methodist Chapel and Minstrel Gallery coffee shop

Grandy Nooks tea room

Leather lane

Walk Routes at Hawkshead 2009

click on image to enlarge

B Walk
Leader: Joan & Shirley
Distance: 8 Miles
Height Gain:

This is a pleasant 8 mile undulating walk through farmland,woodland and fields.
Leaving Hawkshead car park we make our way to Outgate and then skirting Blelham Tarn

we follow a well used path and make our way to the lunch stop ,before a gentle uphill climb to reach Latterbarrow. From the cairn there are lovely views over Windermere and from then on it is all downhill back to Hawkshead for a well earned cuppa etc.
The coach will leave at 5pm.

A Walk

Leader: Jenny Matthias

Distance: 9+ miles

Height Gain:

After leaving the car park we will climb up past the church and fields to Hawkshead Hill, where we have a little road walking to a path which will take us to Tarn Hows.

We descend into Yewdale and cross the road to start climbing up to Holme Fell 1024ft. Uskdale Gap on the way up is quite stony with many tree roots. From the top we should get wonderful views, if the day is clear!

We descend to some old reservoirs (watch the bog) then on to a farm track via Hodge Close and Oxen Fell.

When crossing the A593 we will join the Cumbria Way to Knipe Fold where once more we will hit the road down to the Old Courthouse and a little amble by the river will bring us into Hawkshead.

There are lots of ups and downs in this route and a good pace will be needed but it is not as testing as many Lake District walks can be.

More Photographs of Holme Fell Area

C Walk

Leader: Norman Jones

Distance: 6+ miles

Height Gain:

After our early refreshments we leave the village through the churchyard andfollow undulating footpaths through fields to a few houses at Hawkshead Hill. To the rear of the church, beyond a small cemetery is an open air baptistery which is worth a visit.

Continue along the minor road for a short distance, then onto a path, which climbs steadily for about ¾ mile to the road at Tarn Hows. We shall probably have lunch somewhere along the Tarnside path.

After lunch we continue beyond the northern end of the Tarn, then it’s uphill to join a rough stony bridleway. This path leads into a lane and the pretty hamlet of Knipe Fold. It’s soon back onto a field path climbing up to Hawkshead Hill where we retrace our earlier route back to Hawkshead for relaxation.

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