Parking
Use Wray Castle car park, Low Wray (LA22 0JA), the official start and finish. Access is from the B5286; the route starts from the back of the car park.
Overview
About Wray to Latterbarrow Circular Walk
Why go
- Latterbarrow summit views
- Lake and castle at both ends
- Varied fields, woodland and lanes
Heads up
- Stiles and kissing gates
- Road walking and traffic corner
- Views are concentrated in sections
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation50–227 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 Wray to Latterbarrow Circular 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
Wray Castle: Grounds and Blelham Tarn0:00 / 1:12
“You're approaching Wray Castle, where turrets and woodland make an unusual backdrop to a walk beside Windermere. The towers and arrow slits look medieval, but this was built as a Victorian country house.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Brockhole: Lakeshore, Gardens and Play
- Stagshaw: The Champion Tree Trail
- Red Nab: A Walk to High Wray Bay
- Beatrix Potter: Mushrooms Under the Microscope
- 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 Wray to Latterbarrow Circular Walk
The RouteA circular loop of 4.8 miles (7.68 km) total, usually walked in about 2.5 hours.
A circular loop of 4.8 miles (7.68 km) total, usually walked in about 2.5 hours. It starts and finishes at the Wray Castle car park, with about 290 m of climbing spread across a few distinct pulls.
How It Unfolds1. Set off along the lakeshore, passing a large boathouse.
1. Set off along the lakeshore, passing a large boathouse.
2. Turn up through fields, over a stone stile and onto a road.
3. Follow the track toward High Wray Basecamp and into forestry woodland.
4. Take the winding footpath, cross a stream and climb to the 244 m summit of Latterbarrow, marked by its stone monument.
5. Descend on a wall-side path, cross another stream and reach the road at Loanthwaite Lane.
6. Pick up the signed High Tock How footpath through fields, over a stream and stile, and through a farmyard.
7. Continue past Hole House toward Wray church, then back to the castle and car park.
ViewsThe summit of Latterbarrow is the high point of the walk.
The summit of Latterbarrow is the high point of the walk. On the stretch heading back toward Wray church you get Blelham Tarn below, with the Fairfield Horseshoe and Red Screes on the skyline. Between those points the walking is lake edge, fields, forestry woodland and farm lanes.
Footing and DifficultyRated moderate.
Rated moderate. The route uses countryside footpaths, tracks and roads, with repeated climbs and descents, several stiles and kissing gates, stream crossings and a footbridge.
DrawbacksThere are road sections, including one corner where traffic needs real care.
- There are road sections, including one corner where traffic needs real care.
- Stiles and kissing gates make the loop awkward for anyone with limited mobility.
- The named views are concentrated in two parts of the loop.
Access and PracticalitiesStart and finish at Wray Castle car park, where there are toilets, a cafe, designated blue…
Start and finish at Wray Castle car park, where there are toilets, a cafe, designated blue badge parking and accessible toilets. The official route is described as dog friendly, though the stiles and kissing gates may make it awkward with a dog.
If You Want Something EasierThe shorter 3.
The shorter 3.5 mile Wray Castle to Blelham Tarn loop is an official alternative without the summit climb, and is the better pick if the stiles and ascent sound like too much.
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.
