Orrest Head

Orrest Head:

Orrest Head is a hill in the Lake District National Park. It can be located on the eastern shores of Windermere, the closest postcode is LA23 1AW, you can also type Orrest Head into Google Maps and your destination will be found.

If you are after a lovely family friendly walk in Windermere then this is for you. At only 2 miles in total, and with an accessible route to the top, this walk is manageable for many.

There is no designated car park for Orrest Head however, there is a large lay-by close to the beginning of this walk on the A591. Alternatively you could begin this walk at Booths car park where you are able to stay for free for 3 hours, the walk is relatively short and shouldn’t take you longer than this.

Slide four also shows the car park tariff for those wanting to park very close to the start of this walk, close to Windermere Hotel. Charges apply, see slide 4. This is also where you will find The Orrest Head Bar, on a summers day this would make for a lovely stop for a drink while sat outside.

The Orrest Head Bar at the start/finish of this walk.

The Orrest Head walk sign to look out for.

The Orrest Head sign at the start of the walk!

The car park sign for those who park at Windermere Hotel.

Route:

The walk up to Orrest Head starts from Church Street, just off the A591. There is a large sign at the beginning of the walk, see Slide 2. If you are struggling to find the base of this walk then look out for The Orrest Head Bar and start from here.

The route itself is extremely easy to follow, there is an easy to follow map at the base of the walk where you can choose to walk the red route (slightly harder and with steps) or the blue Miles Without Stiles route which is accessible for many. On this occasion we decided to follow the blue signs to the top, which is the easier of the two routes.

There are 13 way markers to help you on your way to reaching the top, my children really enjoyed counting them and ticking them off as they headed up the hill. Whilst the route is steep in parts it is a gradual incline and therefore suitable for all walkers, even if you aren’t that fit. The shortness of this walk, as well as the gradual incline, make this walk a perfect one for little legs.

You really cannot go wrong, just follow the signs to the top and then head back down the same way! Don’t forget to watch out for the Gruffalo at the half way point!

The views at the top are spectacular…. on a clear day! Sadly we took these photos on a very wet day making visibility difficult. Due to the fact this walk is predominately set under trees, it is a great walk for those wet Lake District days!