Miles Without Stiles 8: Brockhole
Details
Route type: For many. A short route around the beautiful grounds of the Lake District Visitor Centre at Brockhole, taking in Windermere lakeshore OS Explorer Map OL7
Distance: 1.5 km, 0.9 miles
Start and end point: Brockhole pay and display car park - grid ref. NY 390010
Facilities: Accessible toilets and café on site, plus disabled car parking bay near the visitor centre
Getting there: Bus: 555 and 599 services operate all year round. Boat: Windermere Lake Cruises call at Brockhole jetty from Ambleside and Bowness. Car: A591 Windermere to Ambleside road. Brockhole is about 4 km from Windermere.
Conditions update
Some routes have suffered water damage after the floods of November 2009, with sections washed away or affected by flood debris. We are checking all routes. In the meantime be prepared that present surface conditions may not be as good as originally described. Please report any damage you encounter to David Robinson at david.robinson@lakedistrict.gov.uk or 01768 871409.
Route
Brockhole house and gardens are owned and managed by the Lake District National Park. It offers many attractions, including a famous walled garden, woodland and meadow trails, adventure playground and visitor centre.
From the main car park, follow a tarmac ramp behind the information point and toilet block. Continue along the tarmac path to a gate and wild flower meadow. A gate in the corner of a dry stone wall brings you to the shores of Lake Windermere and ancient Birkett Wood.
A circuit of the lakeshore runs past Windermere Lake Cruises’ jetty. Turn left by the bowling green and, 200 metres further, you reach a picnic shelter. From here, a tarmac path takes you back to the car park.
There are short sections of 1:12 gradients on this circuit. There are other, easy to use, paths and trails through the grounds but these also have steeper gradients.
Map
