Tarn Hows
Area: In the valleys
Posted By: graham
A thoughtfully graded path is well suited to disabled walkers, thoughvisitors in wheelchairs will need a strong companion for safety on some
of the steeper inclines. This agreeable walk, also suitable for
children, follows well-marked pathways and is at its best in early
spring
Start from the Waterhead car park and go left around the head of Coniston
Water to meet the B5385. Cross the road and turn right, through a gate
to follow a fenced path alongside the road. The path rejoins the road
at Boon Crag Cottage , near the turning to Boon Crag Farm. The
cottage and farm used to be part of the vast Monk Coniston Estate, now
in the ownership of the National Trust. The estate formerly belonged to
James Garth Marshall, Member of Parliament for Leeds, who studied the
metamorphic rocks of the surrounding area and contributed significantly
to modern geological understanding.
Go past Boon Crag Cottage and the farm turning, and after the next
cottage, go left through a gate into a field. Keeping parallel with the
B-road, press on to reach the side road that leads up to Tarn Hows.
Cross it to reach a bridleway (signposted to Tarn Hows) and follow
this, rising gradually and pleasantly through pines, past a series of
small pools and through a wall gap, until the track levels, before
crossing a beck.
Keep on, ignoring branching pathways until you arrive at a fork. Go
right, ascending by a narrowing path beside a wall. Soon, turn left,
once more on a wider trail, and follow a wall to meet a road, beyond
which lies a parking area for the disabled. Within strides you are
following a well-made track that completely circles Tarn Hows , a
fascinating tour, with outstanding views and reassuring glimpses of
familiar fells, among them the Old Man of Coniston, Wetherlam, the
Langdale Pikes and perhaps Helvellyn on a clear day.
It is far from evident these days, but Tarn Hows was originally created
to supply water to a saw mill in Yewdale, its overflow spilling in
dashing style down the ravine of Tom Gill. Later, it was owned by Mrs
William Heelis, better known as Beatrix Potter, who sold half to the
National Trust for what it cost to buy, and bequeathed the remainder.
Anyone wanting a much briefer visit to Tarn Hows can ascend through
delightful oak woodlands from Glen Mary Bridge, via Tom Gill, visiting
its shady, crag-enfolded waterfall. John Ruskin, who lived at Brantwood
on the shores of Coniston Water, felt Tom Gill deserved a more
picturesque name and so bestowed upon it the title 'Glen Mary', hence
Glen Mary Bridge, as its foot.
The complete circuit of the tarn brings you back to the outflow, beyond
which you go through a gate to a track ascending to the road. Follow
the road, right, past the car park and continue for almost half a mile
to a signposted footpath on the right. The path, flanked by a wall and
mature oak woodland, leads to Tarn Hows Cottage .
Take a path signposted to Low Yewdale and Coniston, passing through two
gates before turning right on to a broad, descending track to Yewdale
Beck. Go left, beside the beck, cross a stile, heading for a gate and
bridge. Do not cross the beck.
Through a gate, turn left still beside the beck and then rising between
walls and fences before easing down to Boon Crag Farm (4). Keep on,
between farm buildings to rejoin the main road at Boon Crag Cottage,
where you turn right, to retrace your steps to the car park.
Route Grade Easy
Start Point Waterhead Car Park Coniston
(Map Ref: 316978)
Finish Point Waterhead Car Park Coniston
(Map Ref: 316978)
Distance 5.0 miles
Approx Time 2 - 3 hours
Parking Waterhead Car Park Coniston
