Best Forest Walks in the Lake District
We know where to find the best forest walks in the Lake District, if you want to get away from the summer crowds.
The woodland and forest trails of the Lakes provide a perfect escape route. And they also provide shade, if the weather is too hot for the exposed high fells.
But in any weather, the woods and forests in the Lake District are places for adventure, quiet reflection, or getting close to nature. The choice is yours. So where are the best forest walks in the Lake District?
Wray Castle
We’ll start with one of our local favourites, only a few miles from us at the Cedar Manor. The Wray Castle estate has acres of mature woodland, with plenty of paths, lakeshore and parkland to stroll through and enjoy. It’s one of the most spectacular and ambitious villa estates in the Lake District. It’s not really a Gothic castle, but a Victorian folly, built by a businessman as a city retreat.
The best way to get there is by boat, on the Green Cruise from Waterhead, a delightful 15-minute sail across Windermere. From the jetty, walk up the track to the imposing castle. Pick up a leaflet in the castle entrance and follow a self-guided trail around the estate. There are three new short waymarked trails this year. Then head down to the lakeshore for a picnic. Or call in at Joey’s café for coffee and cake.
There are fascinating, ancient trees around the castle itself, and lovely woodland to walk through, heading to the shore near Watbarrow Point. This is the most accessible of the best forest walks in the Lake District.
Dodd Wood
A few miles north of Keswick, beside Bassenthwaite lake, is Dodd Wood, an area of woodland managed by the Forestry Commission. Here there’s a network of waymarked trails through some huge Douglas firs, one of the best forest walks in the Lake District.
The routes range from short trails of 1 and 1.5 miles ideal for younger children to the longer and steeper Dodd summit trail. If you follow the track up to the top of Dodd you'll be rewarded with fabulous 360 degree views of the northern Lake District. And there’s a chance to see rare wildlife, too including our favourite red squirrels.
Just across the road you will find Mirehouse and Gardens. This is the family home of the Speddings, and the historic house and its grounds are wonderful to explore. There are natural playgrounds, a lakeside walk to the shores of Bassenthwaite, terraced lawns, a bee garden and a heather maze.
Birdwatchers head to this area but you need to bring your own binoculars. The osprey chicks will have flown the nest by now, sorry.
Ennerdale Forest
In the shadow of the highest mountains, in the relatively unspoiled and much quieter north-western Lake District, is Ennerdale. This is one of England’s most vibrant natural environments and one of the longest-running wild land restoration projects in the UK.
It’s remote. The valley rises abruptly out of the coastal plain of West Cumbria. It’s tranquil, and can be wild at times, with a feeling more of Scotland or Scandinavia. Forest roads and trails are maintained by Forestry England, National Trust and United Utilities.
It’s a great area for cycling as well one of the best forest walks. And there’s The Gather Café, a local community-owned and run visitor information centre, shop and café in Ennerdale Bridge.
Grizedale Forest
Who can honestly say that at some point they’ve not been lost in Grizedale Forest? It’s an adventure every time, and while the tracks are colour-coded and waymarked, the trees are so huge that you can lose your sense of direction. Don’t worry; all routes lead back to the visitor centre and the café.
You can hire bikes here, and you can try the high-ropes of Go Ape, but we like to follow the sculpture trails, to discover sculptures by some of the leading names in contemporary art. And they come as a delicious surprise, sometimes hidden among the trees till the last moment.
The current collection includes permanent and temporary sculpture by artists spanning the long history of art at Grizedale Forest. Maps of the sculptures currently in place can be picked up at the visitor information point at the forest.
Whinlatter Forest
In the northern lakes, to the west of Keswick, is one of our favourite places to go walking, cycling – or running. For Whinlatter Forest is home to the world’s steepest parkrun, the one with more feet of ascent than any other. Every Saturday morning at 9am, runners and walkers turn up to have a go at what’s become a parkrun legend.
But you can walk the route, and lots of other lovely trails through the forest, at any time. The surfaces are good, and though the gradients are indeed steep, the views of the distant fells are amazing when you emerge above the trees. Whinlatter has it all: stunning views, fantastic walks, exhilarating mountain biking, rare wildlife and adventure play.
It’s also an ideal place to come for some forest bathing. This Japanese practice is a process of relaxation, known in Japan as “shinrin yoku”. It's a simple method of being calm and quiet amongst the trees, observing nature around you while breathing deeply. It is known to help both adults and children de-stress and boost health and wellbeing in a natural way.