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Hawkshead Village – Grizedale Valley loop from Hawkshead

Hawkshead Village – Grizedale Valley loop from Hawkshead

Moderate

riders

Hawkshead Village – Grizedale Valley loop from Hawkshead

01:53

31.7km

460m

Road cycling

Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: August 13, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Lake District National Park

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

278 m

Hawkshead Village

Highlight • Settlement

Hawkshead is an ancient township that has flourished since Norse times, belonging to Furness Abbey until the 12th Century. The monks owned Hawkshead Hall, just outside the village, of which the National Trust owned Hawkshead Courthouse is all that remains. After the dissolution of the monasteries in 1537, Hawkshead grew as a market town, with many buildings dating from the 17th Century.

Hawkshead is still the same tiny village of higgledy-piggledy houses, archways, and squares beloved by William Wordsworth and Beatrix Potter. Cars are banned from the village, there being a large car park on the outskirts of the village. Tourism is now the main industry of Hawkshead, with many pleasant inns, guest houses, teashops and gift shops.

Whilst at school in Hawkshead, William lodged with Ann Tyson and her husband, who were in their sixties, first in the village, then at Colthouse where they moved in 1783. Anne Tyson’s cottage is now used as a holiday cottage.

The Old Grammar School was founded in 1585 by the Archbishop of York, Edwin Sandys. The ground floor classroom retains many old desks covered in carving done by the boys, including the poet William Wordsworth and his brother John. The school closed in 1909. Upstairs in the headmaster’s study and a classroom containing an exhibition relating to the history of the school, the founder and William Wordsworth.

The Beatrix Potter Gallery, a 17th Century building, was once the office of the local solicitor William Heelis, who married Beatrix Potterin 1913, and has remained largely unaltered since his day. The Gallery, now owned byThe National Trust, houses an annually changing exhibition of a selection of Beatrix Potter’s original drawings and illustrations. The National Trust also own many other buildings in the village, thus preserving its almost museum like air.

About half a mile out of Hawkshead is the hamlet of Colthouse. Here is one of the oldest Quaker meeting houses in Cumbria.

The 17th Century Church of St Michael & All Angels stands high looking out over the village, and has fine views to Esthwaite Water, Claife Heights, Latterbarrow, Helvellyn and the Langdales.

Tip by

2.40 km

Climb from Hawkshead to Moor Top and Grizedale

Highlight • Climb

A lumpy long climb up from Hawkshead Village to Moor Top and Grizedale beyond

Tip by

4.94 km

Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre and Café

Highlight • Rest Area

The Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre is the central point for exploring the vast forest area in the heart of the Lake District. It is managed by Forestry England and offers walking maps, accessible facilities, bike hire, and serves as a starting point for hiking, cycling, and Go Ape adventures.

Showing Translation

Tip by

5.08 km

Grizedale Valley

Highlight • Forest

Grizedale is a well-known forest area, located between Coniston Water and Lake Windermere in the southern part of the Lake District. The forest is managed by Forestry England and is known for its outdoor adventures, extensive routes with contemporary art sculptures, and as the home of the only native red deer population in England.
(Forestry England)

Showing Translation

Tip by

8.64 km

Waterfalls Picnic Spot in Lake District National Park

Highlight • Waterfall

10.7 km

Quakers' Wood

Forest

23.4 km

Sharp Turn Before Bridge, Lake District National Park

Highlight • Trail

Extremely narrow sharp turn into a bridge that needs to be taken slowly and with care - there's no signage to warn you that this fast descent could be dangerous. Take care. I ended up in an ambulance. Don't make the same mistake.

Tip by

24.9 km

Winding Road Through Lake District Valley

Highlight • Viewpoint

28.7 km

Rocky Trail Finish – Lake District National Park

Highlight • Climb

The end of the trail spits you straight out onto a road. Anchor on early.

Tip by

31.7 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

31.5 km

149 m

Surfaces

25.0 km

6.54 km

149 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (210 m)

Lowest point (0 m)

Weather

Friday 14 August

20°C

11°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

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Hawkshead Village – Grizedale Valley loop from Hawkshead

Hawkshead Village

Climb from Hawkshead to Moor Top and Grizedale

Grizedale Forest Visitor Centre and Café

Grizedale Valley

Waterfalls Picnic Spot in Lake District National Park

Sharp Turn Before Bridge, Lake District National Park

Winding Road Through Lake District Valley

Rocky Trail Finish – Lake District National Park

Nearby routes

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