Parking
Use parking in Broughton-in-Furness near Market Square, then walk to the railway-start access by the Parsonage Room. Toilets and refreshments are in town rather than along the path; park without blocking local access.
Overview
About Broughton Railway
Why go
- Gradual former-railway route
- Woodland, fields and small tarns
Heads up
- Limited facilities once you leave Broughton
- Rougher ground beyond the improved section
From the railway start access near the Parsonage Room in Broughton-in-Furness, the path climbs gently along the old track bed. The first section of roughly 2 km has an improved compacted stone surface with a gradual ascent and no steep gradients. Along the way there is a bench with views near two small tarns on the Broughton Tower estate, a natural place to pause before turning back. The improved surface ends just past Mireside Farm at the signed turnaround, and the path beyond that point is rougher underfoot.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe walk and the payoffMap & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation15–65 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Lake District alerts
- ClosureChapel Stile footpath closed for retaining-wall riskPart of Footpath 543030 between Chapel Stile and Baysbrown campsite is closed because a retaining wall beside the path could collapse and material it supports could fall across the footpath.Official details
- ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallThe section of Footpath 408037 leading towards Stanley Ghyll Lower Falls is closed because severe rockfall damage has made the path unstable and further rockfall remains a danger.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake District Tour Guide
Your drive to Broughton Railway, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Broughton Railway: A Gentle Walk to the Tarns0:00 / 0:52
“You're coming up on the Broughton Railway walk, a gentle outing through fields and woodland with two small tarns along the way.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Broughton: No Battleaxes at the Fair
- Oystercatchers: A Bill for Opening Shells
- Duddon Iron Furnace: How the Ruins Worked
- Caddisflies: A House That Walks
- 298 audio storiesacross Lake District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Eurasian Otter, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 265 trails, 89 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Broughton Railway
Route and distanceThis is an out and back walk along the old Broughton to Coniston railway line, which closed in…
This is an out and back walk along the old Broughton to Coniston railway line, which closed in 1958. The complete visitor distance is 4.5 km, which is the full return outing; the physical corridor is stored once as a single line, so you walk it in both directions. Allow about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on pace and stops.
Difficulty and footingEasy overall, with a steady gentle rise rather than climbs.
Easy overall, with a steady gentle rise rather than climbs. Footing is compacted stone on the improved section and rougher ground once you pass the improved surface. The corridor is mostly open or lightly wooded, so shade is limited and there is no technical exposure. Be honest with yourself about the far end: it is the roughest part of the outing, and many visitors turn at the signed turnaround.
Route for all contextThe walk is presented as a Miles Without Stiles route for all, and the improved compacted stone…
The walk is presented as a Miles Without Stiles route for all, and the improved compacted stone section is the part best suited to wheels and pushchairs. It is not a fully surfaced accessible route from end to end, because the ground past Mireside Farm is rougher. Mobility scooters should be class 2 or 3.
Access and facilitiesThe path can also be reached through Wilson Park, but the short connecting link between the…
The path can also be reached through Wilson Park, but the short connecting link between the park and the railway path is steep and rough and suits only some users. That connector is not part of the stored railway path route, so plan for it separately if you use it. There are no facilities along the path itself. Parking, toilets and refreshments are available in Broughton-in-Furness.
Dogs and courtesyThe route is a public bridleway, so expect to share it with riders and cyclists.
The route is a public bridleway, so expect to share it with riders and cyclists. Local guidance asks walkers to keep dogs close around the farm.
PhotographyThe bench near the two small tarns is the most rewarding stop for photos, and the straight,…
The bench near the two small tarns is the most rewarding stop for photos, and the straight, level lines of the old track bed make simple framing easy in either direction.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake District
81 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
13 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
76 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
51 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
233 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
176 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
