Lake District summer hikes

These are all amazing all-year-round.

rydal water & Grasmere

We hiked this during our summer trip to the Lake District. It is a beautiful 9K circular hike from Grasmere. There are some sheep in fenced fields, but if your dog is capable of jumping it, I suggest you leash them in those areas. The majority of the walk is off-lead and there are parts where your dog can swim. The lake is fast moving so it is totally safe for them to swim in, but always be cautious and check any signs near the shore as there are some lakes (like in Windermere) that are home to blue-green algae, which is very dangerous and toxic to dogs & humans. There are also tons of little streams for your pup to swim in, beautiful hills and evergreen forests that all make gorgeous photo locations.

SHEEP? Yes but over a tall, 6ft wall.

STEEP? No.

SLIPPERY? No.

OFF-LEAD? For the majority, yes.

SPOTS FOR SWIMMING? Yes.

CROWD? Not much at all.

MUDDY? Not really, but Lulu rolled in fox poo during this trek so you may want to be prepared for that.

Parking location: 1 Stock Ln, Grasmere, Ambleside LA22 9SJ

orrest head

A beautiful, short but steep walk through the woods up to the Orrest Head peak. The trail is very close to Windermere train station, so it’s a perfect if you are staying locally. It takes about an hour to get to the peak and back. Your dog can be off-lead entirely, but there are some sheep over the 7-foot wall, so be careful if you have a really high-jumper. There are two trails to reach the peak: you can either walk the long way on the trail that winds through the forest, or climb the stairs to the peak if you just want to go for the pictures. Once you reach the top, there is a gorgeous 360-degree view of Windermere with farmlands and lakes all around. Take advantage of grabbing some gorgeous pictures up there with your dog. There are multiple ways down, but we were quite cautious about the sheep and did not want to take any risks.

SHEEP? Few, but over a 7ft wall.

STEEP? It’s at an incline, but not the steepest of climbs if you choose to not climb the stairs.

SLIPPERY? No.

OFF-LEAD? For the majority, yes.

SPOTS FOR SWIMMING? No.

CROWD? Not much at all.

MUDDY? No.

Parking location: Station Precinct, Windermere LA23 1AH

aira force & aira beck

One of the highlights of our trip. Aira force is a beautiful waterfall just 10 minutes from the Aira Force car park. Beware that it is particularly busy in the summer months, especially because it is quite easy to get to. Getting a picture at the main waterfall was a big challenge and probably one of our least favourite photo locations of the trip as the bars at the viewing point was not as attractive and natural as expected. But after reaching the main waterfall, go to the top of the bridge and continue your walk.

Continue walking following against the stream, there will be a few sudden drops so be careful. Your dog will have to be on lead for a little while, but at some point you will reach a gorgeous, slower stream with tiny, mini waterfalls, no bigger than 2-feet-tall. Because most people come for the main Aira Force, it gets pretty quiet and serene as you continue your walk up the stream. You will see a small little “beach” where you can let your dog off-lead and let them swim. It is also the perfect place for a couple of photos and for you to dip your feet in if you’d like to.

Continue walking in the woods against the flow of the stream, do not cross any gate or bridge, as you may get into fields with sheep. Because this place is by the water, there are no sheep near the area and it is completely safe for your dog to be off-lead in certain areas. There are some places with some larger waterfalls, so you can definitely take some beautiful pictures of your dog that would be way better than any with Aira force. We loved this path as it was sheep free, mostly off-lead and had those classic Lake District views.

SHEEP? Yes if you follow the directions on the site. No, if you just stay in the woods and around the waterfalls and stream.

STEEP? No.

SLIPPERY? In some spots.

OFF-LEAD? For the majority, yes.

SPOTS FOR SWIMMING? Yes.

CROWD? Crowded in the summertime. Very quiet in the winter.

MUDDY? No.

Parking Location: Matterdale, Penrith CA11 0JY, UK

best photo locations

bowness on windermere

Beautiful location for some coastal pictures. It is quite touristy and very popular during the summertime.

Lake District visitor centre, windermere

Beautiful park for an on-lead walk. There is a gorgeous garden with so many beautiful, colourful flowers that give excellent photo opportunities.

the belsfield hotel, windermere

We came here for afternoon tea (they are dog-friendly outside). During the summer, they had a beautiful field of blue hydrangeas that made an amazing photo location, especially with the bright blue lake in the background.