Lake District winter hikes

All of these walks are good any time of year.

Aira Force & Gowbarrow

This was our favourite walk in the summer and we had to return for our winter trip. It is really foggy in the winter, so be cautious on your drive over to Aira Force as visibility was quite low. The best part about visiting Aira Force in the winter was the lack of tourists. The walk was much quieter, but still manageable, and not too slippery. After you pass the main Aira Force waterfall, continue along the path, going against the flow of the beck. As you get further into the woods, there are areas where your dog can swim. Beware of some sudden drops though. We let Lulu off-lead for the entire woodland walk because she’s super cautious, but it can be dangerous in some parts. If you keep walking against the river, you will come to a gate that opens to farmland. There are several signs that let you know to keep your dog on-lead because of livestock grazing in those areas. Follow the national trust signs until they lead you to begin climbing to the peak of Gowbarrow fells. It is a really steep climb but the views are worth it. There were very few sheep grazing in these areas, but we still kept Lulu on-lead as soon as we left the woods to be safe. We did not complete the entire trail on the National Trust site as it was much longer than 3 hours in reality and we were losing daylight. We just climbed to the peak of Gowbarrow and went back the way we came. I suggest you wear hiking boots, warm leggings/trousers (that you don’t mind getting dirty just in case you slip when climbing down Gowbarrow), and bring a warm jacket.

SHEEP? Yes (after Aira Beck woods).

STEEP? Yes (when climbing to the Gowbarrow peak).

SLIPPERY? In some parts.

OFF-LEAD? For the majority, yes.

SPOTS FOR SWIMMING? Yes.

CROWD? Not much at all (in the winter).

MUDDY? Slightly when climbing Gowbarrow, but we let Lulu swim when we returned to Aira Beck and it all washed off.

Parking: Matterdale, Penrith CA11 0JY, UK

Elterwater and skelwith bridge

This was a new walk we tried during our winter trip. The views in every part of it were absolutely stunning, especially with all the fog covering the mountains. The entire trail was mostly paved and not steep at all. There were some areas with livestock, but the directions given indicate exact areas where dogs need to be on-lead. There are also signs all over this trail, which were really helpful. We did the four-mile hike and completed it in about two hours (we stopped to take pictures many times). I highly recommend you try this walk any time of year.

SHEEP? Yes (Indicated on signs during the trail and on the website)

STEEP? No.

SLIPPERY? No.

OFF-LEAD? Mostly.

SPOTS FOR SWIMMING? Yes.

CROWD? Not much at all (in the winter).

MUDDY? Slightly. Upon finishing the walk & returning to the car park, you may want to begin the walk again to let your dog wash off in the stream near the car park.

Parking: LA22 9HR

Ambleside champion tree trail

Also a new walk we tried during this winter trip. It can definitely be done any time of year as well. It’s a very steep, short, circular walk, though we parked in Ambleside Pier and did not follow the directions. It is very similar to the Orrest Head hike, except there isn’t quite a clear viewing point at the top and it is much steeper. This one tired Lulu out as much as our other longer walks, but this only took an hour. It is a beautiful, wooded walk with a waterfall running down the middle. You can view the tallest tree in Cumbria here. The walk is entirely off-lead. If you parked in Ambleside pier like us, you have to walk on the A591, (stay on the sidewalk nearest to the lake as the sidewalk on the other side ends and there is no where to walk. Turn left at Stagshaw gardens (you may want to google map it to “Stagshaw Gardens” to reach there. Follow the trail on the website, but instead of climbing down, cross the bridge at the waterfall and climb down from there. You will arrive in Ambleside, just in front of where you parked. Alternatively, you can park in Stagshaw gardens and do a circular loop.

SHEEP? They are visible, but fenced away.

STEEP? Very.

SLIPPERY? No.

OFF-LEAD? Entirely.

SPOTS FOR SWIMMING? Some small areas.

CROWD? Not much at all (in the winter).

MUDDY? Not at all.

Winter Photo locations

The Wateredge Inn in Ambleside has a beautiful view of Windermere Lake. There is a ledge where your dog can sit and you can fully capture the lake with the mountains in the back.