The best walks and hikes around Grasmere

Where the feared became the inspiring

A change in the way people perceived mountains gradually occurred during the late 18th century. Before this time, mountainous landscapes were seen as ugly and fearful, as places to be reviled. The likes of Wordsworth, Coleridge, Burns and Scott were about to change all of that. A movement inspired by these artistic pioneers saw mountains instead thought of as sublime places of raw beauty, as places to explore and experience. The English Lake District was at the centre of this shift and, due to Wordsworth, Grasmere was at the very heart of it.

Today, walks in Grasmere are a perfect introduction to Lakeland walking, with archetypal lakeside scenery, quaint villages and green hills topped with rocky ramparts. Circular, or indeed figure-of-eight, routes around Rydal Water and Grasmere are wonderful, blending woodland, grassland and lakeside paths that all boast splendid mountain views.

Modest hills and brooding peaks

To really appreciate the romantic power of this landscape, the allure that Wordsworth found so irresistible, you have to get up amongst its fells. Whilst an adventure onto the hulking Fairfield range is excellent, perhaps the best hiking trails around Grasmere explore the uniquely characterful, smaller hills that surround the village.

Looming over the village, Helm Crag is a superb objective and curiously the one peak that legendary guidebook writer Alfred Wainwright did not actually summit. This was because of the airy scramble to top of the rocky outcrop that adorns its 1,329-foot (405 m) zenith, which has also earned the fell the famous moniker ‘the Lion and the Lamb’ due to its appearance from the valley.

The centre of a hub around which several valleys splay outwards, Loughrigg Fell is an adventure much greater than its 1,099 feet (335 m) would suggest. With stunning views in all directions, ease of access, dark caves and wonderful tarns all to explore, this is one little hill that packs an almighty punch.

How to avoid peak Gras Vegas

Hikes in Grasmere are popular. Its sublime beauty comes at a cost during peak season, earning it the nickname ‘Gras Vegas’. School holidays and weekends are when the accessible routes here are busiest, so think carefully about when to plan a visit. If a weekend in August is unavoidable, hit the trails early or late in the day.