Tarn Hows in the Lake District

Although I have been to Tarn Hows with crag rat Rainer many moons ago, I had never been with Claire, so a visit from my parents seemed like the idea opportunity to have another look at this beauty spot.

Tarn Hows is an amazingly picturesque spot out in the middle of the southern half of the Lake District. It was formerly owned by Beatrix Potter, before she passed the land onto the National Trust. Although a popular destinantion, it is quite remote to get to by car, but within walking distance of many places - Coniston, Hawkshead, Ambleside and the Langdales to name but a few. I think next time we come we'll start off from somewhere like Coniston and head past Tarn Hows on our way to Black Crag or one of the other nearby fells.

We took my folks on a whistle-stop tour of the lakes, stopping in Keswick, Hawkshead and Grasmere along the way. On a day with very changeable weather including some heavy downpours, we were extremely lucky to get sunshine and no rain on our walk around Tarn Hows.

This is a lovely gentle walk around the lake, nearly all on level ground which makes it accessible to pushchair and wheelchairs.  The views are pretty good, from the top of the tarns near the car park you get a good panorama of some fells further afield towards Langdale, and walking around the tarns you get some good views of Wetherlam and the Coniston fells.

The Tarns themselves are great to look at too, with a variety of woodlands, wetland and moorland around, as well as some unusual looking grazing cows - which we later learned are Belted Galloways.

The walk is short and pleasant and well worth a stop off on a Lake District visit.