Plan your walk |
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DISTANCE: 2 miles (3.2km) TIME: 1 hour START/END: NY315140 Small car park on a minor road that runs along the southern and western edge of Thirlmere, just off the A591 TERRAIN: Moderate; wet areas MAPS: |
The walk starts at the ‘Dobgill’ car park which is on the minor road along the west side of Thirlmere. Turn left off the A591 Ambleside to Keswick road at the junction just south of the head of the lake, and the car park is almost a mile (1.5km) along the minor road on the left. Leave the car park, turn right onto the road and walk south along it.
After crossing Dob Gill, ignore the public bridleway going uphill and continue along the road for another 220yds (200m) before turning right through a gate. Don’t follow the public bridleway ahead, but turn right again over a stile and follow the path up to 
.
The crag has a viewpoint of the fell of Helvellyn on the other side of Thirlmere, although the summit is too far back to be seen.
Continue up the path to join the bridleway and follow this steeply uphill.
Go over the stile and continue up through the woods, cross the tarn outlet by a footbridge and walk on beside the tarn, following the footpath arrows.
Viewpoint over Harrop Tarn. This is a peaceful tarn, fringed by conifers. A gradual silting of the tarn means it is shallow and thick with reeds at the edges. At the eastern edge of the tarn Dob Gill emerges to fall in a series of waterfalls into Thirlmere.
Ignore the bridleway going straight on and which climbs up and over to Watendlath, and instead turn right here onto a good forest track and follow this through the woods.
When you come to a gate at the edge of the woods, go through it and follow the track round the zig-zags and down to the road.
Turn sharp right onto the road and follow this back to the starting point. Alternatively you can follow a waymarked path through the woods below the road.
There is a good viewpoint for Thirlmere and Helvellyn just as you join the road
