Parking
Start at the National Trust Sizergh Castle car park, signed from the A590 near Kendal. The route leaves from the car park end by the cafe and information centre.
Overview
About Sizergh and Holeslack Wood
Why go
- Accessible path through fields and ancient woodland
- Historic farm, orchard and veteran trees
Heads up
- Moderate inclines can challenge some wheelchairs
- Less scenic drama than the nearby fell walks
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation61–109 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
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 Sizergh and Holeslack Wood, 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
Sizergh: House, Garden and Holeslack0:00 / 1:12
“You're approaching Sizergh, where a medieval house and a garden full of different spaces make a rewarding stop together.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Helsington: Local Faces Among the Angels
- Lyth Valley: The Damson Story
- Hawfinches: A Beak That Cracks Cherry Stones
- Levens Hall: Three Centuries of Clipping
- 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 Sizergh and Holeslack Wood
The routeA closed circular loop of 1.94 km (1.21 miles), walked once and finishing back where it starts.
A closed circular loop of 1.94 km (1.21 miles), walked once and finishing back where it starts. Allow about 1 hour with stops. This is a level-graded estate and woodland walk on the Sizergh estate, not a high-fell hike, and it is laid out as a designated accessible route suitable for prams, buggies, off-road mobility scooters, wheelchairs and visitors with reduced mobility.
The sequenceFrom the lower, northern end of the Sizergh Castle car park, go through the gate into the field…
From the lower, northern end of the Sizergh Castle car park, go through the gate into the field and follow the surfaced path up towards Holeslack Farm. The way continues through Rash Spring woodland, around the historic Holeslack farm buildings and past a traditional Westmorland orchard, then into Holeslack Wood. A short optional boardwalk and willow bird screen sits by the pond as a side spur. The loop then crosses the historic deer park and follows an old track lined by hedge and limestone wall before descending past veteran sweet chestnuts to the car park.
What you getAncient woodland with mosses and lichens, wild garlic and bluebells in spring, fungi in autumn
- Ancient woodland with mosses and lichens, wild garlic and bluebells in spring, fungi in autumn
- Orchard blossom in spring and fruit later in the year
- Historic farm buildings, including a summer house built in the shape of a lime kiln
- A pond, veteran trees, and glimpses back towards Sizergh Castle
- Possible sightings of hawfinches, ducks and moorhens, though nothing is guaranteed
Effort and surfaceEasy overall and mostly well surfaced, with gates and a few field and estate sections.
Easy overall and mostly well surfaced, with gates and a few field and estate sections. There are two moderate inclines that can be hard work for attended manual wheelchairs. No scrambling and no serious exposure. Route users on mobility scooters need a class 2 or 3 machine; two all terrain mobility vehicles can be hired on the estate.
Access and parkingStart at the Sizergh Castle car park, postcode LA8 8AE (satnav LA8 8DZ), signed from the A590…
Start at the Sizergh Castle car park, postcode LA8 8AE (satnav LA8 8DZ), signed from the A590 near Kendal. The official start point is grid reference SD 49721 87848. Cafe, information centre, shop and toilets are at the car park end of the estate.
DogsDogs are welcome on this estate route but must be kept on leads because livestock are present.
Dogs are welcome on this estate route but must be kept on leads because livestock are present. Dogs are not permitted in the formal garden. Assistance dogs are welcome throughout.
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.
