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Tarn Hows, Black Fell, Holme Fell

This is a wonderful walk of fells, tarns, waterfalls and even an old quarry now used as a climbing venue. Starting at the convenient parking place and picturesque Tarn Hows it follows the banks of the tarn for a while before branching off to Black Fell where there are splendid views to all points of the compass. Following bridleways and footpaths, it crosses the Ambleside to Coniston road to head past the quarry at Hodge Close before climbing Holme Fell. From there you pass the delightful Yew Tree Tarn to cross the Coniston road once more. Climbing up beside Tom Gill through woodland you come across a 30 foot tall waterfall. This is the outfall of Tarn Hows which you return to just a little further on.

Tarn Hows is a very well known Lake District visitor attraction. What is less well known is that the tarn used to be three smaller ones called High, Middle and Low Tarn. In 1862 James Marshall gained the land and set about building a dam to raise the level, and with other landscaping largely created the Tarn Hows we see today. Later he sold it to Beatrix Heelis, better known as Beatrix Potter, who passed it eventually to the National Trust for safe keeping.

The car park at Tarn Hows is the largest car park and has public facilities, also parking is available at Glen Mary Bridge and beside Yew Tree Tarn.

N.B. We've had feedback from someone who's done this walk recently that some of the signposts (of which we mention quite a few) have gone missing so please bear that in mind when doing this walk but we will re-survey it as soon as possible and update as appropriate.