Lodore Falls, Watendlath, Grange Fell, and the Bowder Stone circular

Return to the car park entrance and turn right along the road heading back towards Keswick. There is a narrow footway of sorts on the other side of the road. Below the wall to your left you may find a narrow meandering footpath, but you'll have to negotiate quite a few boggy patches, streams, and come back to the road anyway. Turn left over Grange Bridge, which is really two bridges, and head into Grange.

Continue through the village and follow the road as it swings right.

Pass the Borrowdale Gates hotel on your right and in 600m (660 yards) just past the bridge over Ellers Beck go through the gate again on your right, signposted "public footpath", onto a muddy track alongside the beck.

Go through the gate the far end of the field and continue to the next gate. Again go through and bear right. A wooden boardwalk crosses a boggy section. Follow the path round a small knoll to reach a wider gravel path. Bear right to follow the southern shore of Derwent Water. The path connects with another boardwalk which continues across the wetlands to the "Chinese Bridge".

Cross the bridge, and continue on the track beyond to the road. Go through the gate onto the road, and turn left on the the footway alongside the road towards the Lodore Falls hotel.

Continue along the road in front of the hotel, take care with the traffic along this busy stretch, pass the hotel and grounds to the corner. On the right hand side of the road, beside the field gate, turn right onto a rough path that heads back through the woods to the falls viewpoint and bench behind the hotel.

Having viewed the falls from beside the bench turn left and locate the path to traverse the hillside in Lodore Wood. The path splits in a distinct 'Y', take the left fork. This climbs a little steeply but never excessively so, unlike the 'path' directly beside the falls. Keep left, seemingly this path continues along the hillside in the wrong direction!

It does eventually turn sharp right. Follow the path on its narrow terrace zigzagging ever higher. If you reach a very narrow and slightly dodgy section below Gowder Crag heading for a small knoll it means you missed the zig left just behind you. Return and continue up the hillside until reaching a fence and step stile.

Cross the stile, with rudimentary dog gate alongside, and bear right. In a few metres the path meanders left slightly between the knolls of Hogs Earth.

Reaching the wide gravel path turn left.

Follow this path as it traverses above a bowl with Watendlath Beck in the bottom. In 200m (220 yards) turn sharp left onto a track climbing gently, bear right and reaching the rough track bear right again. At the end of the track go through the gate and turn right along the cobbled path alongside the wall. Cross the footbridge and at the other end notice the stone direction indicator set into the path. Turn left for Watendlath.

Follow the path with the beck on your left all the way to Watendlath. Approaching an enclosure wall the path turns right up a few steps to a gate, go through and continue on the path above the wall. Just before you reach the village the path bears left and descends to rejoin alongside the beck. Bear right as directed, and down to the gate beside the stone packhorse bridge. Go through the gate and bear right to the tarn.

Visitors to Watendlath will want to cross the bridge, return to the tarn afterwards.

Go through another gate, shortly after at the parting of the bridleways take the right hand branch to climb steeply initially on a rough track. At the top of Puddingstone Bank the views behind really open out to much of the central ridge above Watendlath.

Approaching the wall and gate bear right and climb the wet grassy path alongside the wall. Bear left and climb over the ladder stile. Bear right and continue climbing upwards beside a small stream. At the lone tree bear left and follow the path as it meanders a bit more to the complicated top of Grange Fell. Of the rocky knolls the highest appears to be the one on the right as you get to the boggy col between them. There is no cairn.

In poor weather it would be inadvisable to wander around the wide expanse of Grange Fell.

Return back down to the stile and then to the gate on the bridleway.

Turn right and go through the gate this time, continue on the bridleway as it drops down the other side of Puddingstone Bank.

Reaching a small knoll and conifer plantation bear left and continue on the wide bridleway.

When it reaches the wall in 100m (110 yards) or so, on the right go through the gate. There is a large stone sign alongside it to "Keswick" and "Bowder Stone". This less frequented bridleway is narrow initially before becoming much wider and more like a track.

Traverse below the plantation and then on into the deciduous Frith Wood. The track meanders a bit but is easily followed.

Eventually reaching the road near Red Brow go through the gate onto the road. Turn right and cross the road to the footway on the other side.

In 400m (440 yards), after rounding a knoll take the footpath on the right signed "Bowder Stone", cross the road and go through the gate. Climb the track beyond, it soon reaches the stone and climbing club buildings.

Continue on the track past the stone, in a little over 500m (550 yards) bear right up the steps to the car park.