Hawkshead Walks

6.2 miles (10 km)

Hawkshead is a lovely little Lakeland village situated at the northern end of Esthwaite Water. It's a great place to visit with pretty streets, lots of nice cafes and an interesting history. Must see attractions include William Wordsworth's Grammar School which was founded in 1585. For a small fee you can tour the school and see the original desks�with William Wordsworth's own carvings on them.
The village is also home to the wonderful Beatrix Potter Gallery. The gallery is�run by the�National Trust�and situated in a 17th-century stone-built house. Here you can browse the original sketches and�watercolours�painted by Potter for her children's stories.
The area is also great for walkers with lots of trails to try. This is a popular circular walk which will take you to several of the highlights of the area. You'll climb to Latterbarrow Hill and along to Claife Heights before descending to the home of Beatrix Potter at Hill Top. The route then heads along Esthwaite Water to return to the village. There's much to enjoy on the walk with great views, woodland trails, pretty tarns and the bonus of finishing in Near Sawrey where you can visit Hill Top and enjoy refreshments at the pub..
The walk starts in the centre of the village and follows footpaths past the police station to Crag Wood and onto Loanthwaite Lane. You then climb to Latterbarrow which reaches a height of 803 feet (245�m) with splendid views over Esthwaite Water and Lake Windermere.
The route then descends to the woodland trails on Claife Heights before passing Wise Een Tarn and Moss Eccles tarn. Beatrix Potter owned Moss Eccles and donated it to the National Trust after her death. The tarn is stocked with�water lilies�and fish, and surrounded by�pretty rhododendrons.
The next section then descends to the little village of Near Sawrey and Hill Top. The fascinating house is the 17th century former home of children's author and illustrator�Beatrix Potter. You can tour the house and gardens where expert guides will tell you all about the life and works of Beatrix Potter.
In Near Sawrey you can enjoy refeshments at the nice pub before picking up a new footpath running along Esthwaite Water. This will lead you back to Hawkshead where the route finishes.

Postcode

LA22 0NT - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Hawkshead Ordnance Survey Map - view and print off detailed OS map

Hawkshead Open Street Map - view and print off detailed map

Hawkshead OS Map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Hawkshead Open Street Map - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Walks near Hawkshead

Esthwaite Water - Enjoy a short stroll down to Esthwaite Water from the village of Hawkshead on this easy walk in the Lake District
Hill Top to Moss Eccles Tarn - Hill Top is the 17th century former home of children's author and illustrator�Beatrix Potter.
Wray Castle - This walk takes you around the grounds of the National Trust owned Wray Castle and then up to the nearby Blelham Tarn
Grizedale Forest - This huge forest in the Lake District has several way-marked cycling and walking trails to enjoy
Latterbarrow - This is a fairly easy climb to Latterbarrow Hill in the Lake District
Claife Heights - Claife Heights lies between Lake Windermere and Esthwaite Water in the Lake District
Hawkshead to Tarn Hows Walk - This route visits the lovely Tarn Hows from the village of Hawkshead

Pubs/Cafes

The 17th century Sun Inn in the village is a popular option for walkers. They do really good food including an excellent fish and chips. It's a friendly place and can be easily found in the village on Main Street with a postcode of LA22 0NT for your sat navs. The inn also provides good quality accommodation and is very dog friendly if you have your pet with you.

Photos

Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead - geograph.org.uk - 503308

Beatrix Potter Gallery, Hawkshead. The cream building on the right is owned by the National Trust and houses a collection of Beatrix Potter's drawings including the original letter that started the story of Peter Rabbit. The building was actually the office of William Heelis, the solicitor who dealt with the purchase of Hill Top Farm for Miss Potter in 1905. He eventually married her in 1913 when she was 47. The building on the left is the National Trust's office and ticket shop for the Gallery. The public house next to the Gallery is the Red Lion.