Parking
Start at Brockhole Visitor Centre, Brockhole, Windermere LA23 1FF, using the visitor-centre car park. Begin from Brockhole rather than Townend’s separate property parking. Buses run from Windermere and Ambleside.
Overview
About Townend and Troutbeck Valley Walk
Why go
- Historic Townend farmhouse and traditional Troutbeck buildings
- Windermere and fell views without a high-summit climb
- Public-transport-friendly starting point
Heads up
- Busy A591 crossings and several stiles
- Paths can turn muddy after rain
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation112–287 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 Townend and Troutbeck Valley Walk, 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
Brockhole: Lakeshore, Gardens and Play0:00 / 1:11
“You're nearing Brockhole on Windermere, where lakeshore paths, gardens and an adventure playground make a useful stop for a family break.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Wray Castle: Grounds and Blelham Tarn
- Red Nab: A Walk to High Wray Bay
- Townend: Inside the Browne Family Home
- Ravens: An Upside-Down Flight
- 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 Townend and Troutbeck Valley Walk
RouteThis is a 4-mile circular walk from Brockhole Visitor Centre, with the distance treated as the…
This is a 4-mile circular walk from Brockhole Visitor Centre, with the distance treated as the complete loop. The route follows the A591 edge, Wain Lane, Middlerigg Tarn, Troutbeck village and Townend, then returns by Robin Lane, a stile-linked track and Mirk Lane.
What you will seeThe payoff is a very Lake District mix of fell views, green fields, stone walls and traditional…
The payoff is a very Lake District mix of fell views, green fields, stone walls and traditional slate-roofed buildings. Wain Lane is an old cart lane, and the route passes the 17th-century Townend farmhouse before climbing gently to a clear view of Windermere. Look for Herdwick sheep in the fields and the old iron gates marking the aqueduct route.
Effort and footingThe official rating is moderate, but this is a low-level walk rather than a summit day.
The official rating is moderate, but this is a low-level walk rather than a summit day. Allow about 2 hours 30 minutes at an ordinary pace with stops. Expect country roads, bridleways and footpaths, several stiles, and uneven ground that can be muddy after wet weather. Sturdy walking shoes or boots are sensible.
Access and dogsStart at Brockhole Visitor Centre.
Start at Brockhole Visitor Centre. The route is mostly level, but the stiles make it unsuitable for wheelchairs and pushchairs. Dogs are welcome, with close control and leads near livestock. The Robin Lane viewpoint is best on a clear day, when Windermere and the surrounding fells have the strongest definition.
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.
