Octavia Hill Walk at Brandelhow Park

This is a 2.4-mile (about 3.9 km) circular walk, with the distance covering the complete loop from Hawes End Jetty and back, including the short jetty approach. From the jetty, follow the broad track south through Brandelhow's parkland to Low Brandelhow, then stay by the lake past the Cupped Hands sculpture to High Brandelhow. Turn sharply onto the higher woodland track and return past the Douglas firs, stone barn, and Hawes End Adventure Centre.

This is easy by Lake District standards: low-level, mostly even ground with gentle inclines and no summit climb. The lakeshore and woodland return are less polished than the opening track, with roots, rocks, narrow rough ground, and patches that can become muddy. The quiet side of Derwent Water is the main draw, with jetties, wooded shore, views across to the fells, and a genuine sense of place around Brandelhow, the National Trust's birthplace in the Lake District. Look for kingfishers, woodpeckers, nuthatches, roe deer, red squirrels, and autumn fungi without treating wildlife sightings as guaranteed.

Early or late daylight gives the lake and shore softer light, while the woodland keeps parts of the route shaded. If you want a shorter, more immediately scenic lakeside outing, Friar's Crag from Keswick is the simpler choice; this loop is quieter and more wooded.

The full loop starts and finishes at Hawes End Jetty. Dogs are welcome under close control, especially around livestock during lambing season. The lower section through the first part of the walk is wheelchair-accessible on a wide, fairly flat compact-earth track, but the complete loop is not fully accessible because the later shoreline and upper woodland sections are rougher.