From the shores of England’s deepest lake to the summit of its highest peak, we share the greatest hikes in the Lake District National Park
England’s Lake District is home to some of the nation’s most picturesque panoramas. The park’s craggy ridges, hidden tarns and glistening lakes have enticed walkers ever since the first ‘Lake Poets’ of Wordsworth and Coleridge put pen to paper in the 19th century.
The Lake District is the UK’s most visited national park with over 15 million annual visitors. It is also home to the Wainwright Fells, 214 hills and mountains described in Alfred Wainwright’s classic seven-volume Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells (1955-66).
The UNESCO-listed park is also home to England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike at 978m (3,209ft), and the infamous Helvellyn at 950m (3,117ft) with its hair-raising Striding Edge ridge.
Along with the mountains are of course the 16 principal lakes from which the park takes its name, as well as numerous smaller tarns, making it ideal for water sports including sailing, canoeing, fishing and wild swimming.
But it’s the hiking trails that really show ‘Lakeland’ at its finest. Pick the ones that suit you best with our comprehensive list of the 100 greatest hikes in the Lake District National Park.
greatest hikes in the Lake District National Park
Home to over 100,000 trails, AllTrails is one of the world’s leading hiking apps. It has over 20 million users globally and is widely downloaded across the UK.
With over 10,000 reviews of over 650 Lake District hikes, we believe the ‘AllTrails method’ is a great way to identify the park’s finest trails.
AllTrails user reviews are calculated using a five-star rating system with one star being terrible, two stars poor, three stars average, four stars good and five stars excellent.
To find the greatest hikes in the Lake District National Park, we’ve selected the highest-rated hikes according to their average rating on AllTrails.
1. Scafell Pike from Wasdale Head
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 9.3 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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2. Helvellyn
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.9 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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3. Rydal and Fairfield Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 15.9 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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4. Cat bells via Allerdale Ramble
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.8 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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5. Scafell Pike from Seathwaite Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 20.0 km
Duration: 6-8 hours
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6. The Old Man of Coniston Extended Loop
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 13.0 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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7. Derwent Water Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 17.4 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
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8. Hawes End, Cat Bells and Derwent Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.6 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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9. Buttermere Haystacks Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.9 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
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10. Orrest Head Circular Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 4.5 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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11. Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7.1 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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12. Helvellyn Circular via Striding Edge
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 13.5 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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13. Scafell Pike Circular via Wasdale Head Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 11.6 km
Duration: 2-4 hours
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14. Old Man Coniston from Walna Scar Road
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 7.6 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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15. Gatesgarth and Buttermere Circular
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 6.9 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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16. Braithwaite and Craghill Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 15.6 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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17. Scafell Pike from Wasdale Campsite
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 7.9 km
Duration: 2-4 hours
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18. Skiddaw
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10.0 km
Duration: 2-4 hours
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19. Cat Bells, Maiden Moor and High Spy Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 12.9 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
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20. Old Man of Coniston and Brim Fell Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 8.5 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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21. Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, Skiddaw and Bakestall
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 11.6 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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22. Stockghyll Force
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 1.8 km
Duration: 30 mins
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23. Helvellyn, Swirrel Edge and Striding Edge Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 12.1 km
Duration: 2-4 hours
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24. Skelwith Force, Colwith Force, Cathedral Quarry
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.5 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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25. Tarn Hows
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.9 km
Duration: 1 hour
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26. Buttermere, Red Pike and Bleabury Tarn Circular Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.1 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
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27. Langdale Pikes: Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle and Pike Of Stickle
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 8.9 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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28. Aira Force Circular Walk
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.1 km
Duration: 1 hour
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29. Scales and Blencathra Circular via Sharp Edge
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 8.4 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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30. Helvellyn Circular via Greenside
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.9 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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31. Walla Crag via Ashness Bridge
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 9.7 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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32. The Old Man of Coniston Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.3 km
Duration: 2 hours
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33. Bowness-on-Windermere and Queen Adelaide’s Hill
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.9 km
Duration: 2 hours
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34. Glenridding and Helvellyn Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.9 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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35. Kentmere Circular Walk
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 19.0 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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36. Glenridding to Helvellyn
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10.5 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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37. Ennerdale Water Circular Walk
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 11.4 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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38. Blencathra via Sharp Edge
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 14.2 km
Duration: 4-6 hours
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39. Newlands Horseshoe
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 17.2 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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40. Rannerdale Knotts
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.6 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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41. Fellbarrow and Low Fell Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.8 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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42. Harrison Stickle and Langdale Pikes Circular Walk
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 6.3 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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43. Buttermere Circular
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 7.7 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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44. Helvellyn from Swirls
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 10.1 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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45. Easedale Tarn Round
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7.6 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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46. Grasmere, Great Rigg, Grisedale Tarn and Fairfield Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 10.8 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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47. Binsey Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2.4 km
Duration: 1 hour
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48. Hellvyln Loop
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 22.0 km
Duration: 6-8 hours
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49. Walla Crag from Hope Park
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10.8 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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50. Latrigg from Keswick
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.0 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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51. Gatesgarth and Haystacks Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7.7 km
Duration: 2-4 hours
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52. Bowness on Windermere Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.5 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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53. Scafell Pike Loop via Lake Head Car Park
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 8.5 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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54. The Old Man of Coniston and Coniston Waterfall
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 6.4 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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55. Rydal and Grasmere
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 8.7 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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56. Helm Crag Circular Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7.7 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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57. Causey Pike from Stoneygill Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 8.9 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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58. Skelwith Force from Elterwater
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 5.6 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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59. Walna Scar
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 13.4 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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60. Gowbarrow Fell Small Circular
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 6.9 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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61. Coast to Coast Walk Segment 1: St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 23.5 km
Duration: 6-8 hours
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62. High Dam and Rusland Heights
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.1 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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63. Dow Crag and Swirl How Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 14.8 km
Duration: 4-6 hours
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64. Goats Water
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.6 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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65. Blencathra and Blease Fell
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 13.8 km
Duration: 4-6 hours
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66. Bowfell and Esk Pike Circular
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 15.3 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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67. Cat Bells to Manesty
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.7 km
Duration: 1 hour
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68. Ling Fell and Sale Fell Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.3 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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69. Lords Seat Loop Trail
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 7.9 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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70. Langstrath Valley
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.9 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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71. High Rigg and Low Rigg Circular Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 10.9 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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72. High Wray
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 10.1 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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73. Great Langdale to Rosthwaite
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 14.8 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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74. DERWENT WATER AND WALLA CRAG CIRCULAR
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 11.7 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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75. Raven Crag
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 2.1 km
Duration: 1 hour
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76. Hawkshead to Lake Windermere Circular Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 13.5 km
Duration: 3-5 hour
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77. Windermere Lake Shore Short Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5.0 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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78. Cat Bells to High Spy
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 17.4 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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79. 10 in 10 Challenge
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 26.6 km
Duration: 8-10 hours
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80. Barrow Fell Circular
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 4.5 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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81. Skiddaw via Carl Side
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 15.4 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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82. Old Man of Coniston and Swirl How
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 11.4 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
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83. Old Man of Coniston via Goats Water and Brim Fell
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 12.7 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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84. Great Stickle and Pike of Stickle
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.3 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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85. Ullswater Round
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 32.5 km
Duration: 8-10 hours
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86. Loughrigg Fell and River Rothay Circular
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5.3 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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87. Ullswater Shore Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 21.1 km
Duration: 5-7 hours
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88. Lank Rigg, Crag Fell and Grike
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 11.6 km
Duration: 4-5 hours
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89. Nab Scar, Heron Pike, Stone Arthur
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 13.0 km
Duration: 4-6 hours
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90. Dove Crag and the Priests Cave
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.2 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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91. Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 10.3 km
Duration: 2-4 hours
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92. Helms Crag and Easedale Tarn
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.5 km
Duration: 2-3 hours
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93. Elter Water and Loughrigg Tarn
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 11.3 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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94. Whitbarrow Scar via Lord’s Seat
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 11.7 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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95. Martindale Horseshoe
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 23.2 km
Duration: 6-8 hours
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96. Langdale Pikes Circular Route
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 11.4 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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97. Glenridding Dodd, Heron Pike and Sheffield Pike
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 9.3 km
Duration: 3-4 hours
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98. Tom Gill, Tarn Hows and Tom Heights Circular Walk
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 5.0 km
Duration: 1-2 hours
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99. High Street and Mardale Ill Bel
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 11.7 km
Duration: 3-5 hours
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100. Lakes 3000 Modified Route
Difficulty: Hard
Distance: 79.3 km
Duration: 3-4 days
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