Burnbank Fell, Holme Force and the woods

At the north western end of the layby go through the gate signposted public footpath "Holme Wood ¼" to follow the path alongside the hedgerow. Go through the gap into the field to the right, and then bear left to cross the footbridge over Dub Beck, and a gate. Cross the wet boggy ground at the end of Loweswater on the raised gravel footpath and go through the gate onto the farm driveway. Turn left and follow the road up to Hudson Place.

Keep left through Hudson Place and take the gate on the left into a rough narrow lane. Drop down and at the bottom go through another gate, bear right on the track.

Go through yet another gate into the National Trust Holme Wood.

Keep right through the wood, in 300m (330 yards) turn right between tall guardian trees onto a rough track. In spring the woods here are covered in bluebells. At first the track climbs only gently, but it soon steepens. The sound of Holme Force gets louder as the path swings left to pass below it. Much of the upper falls are hidden in the trees. Continue along the track which tends to be wet and soft.

In 400m (440 yards) from the force turn sharp right to climb steeply on a rough terraced path. At the end of the path, go through the kissing gate and bear right onto the track heading into the ravine of Holme Beck. Cross the beck by the bridge and continue around the shoulder. The ground rises steeply to your left, and falls away to your right.

Follow the wide terraced path beneath Burnbank Fell, from which there are fantastic views across Loweswater and to the Grasmoor fells. Reaching the gate go through.

Turn left and cross the grass, skirt a patch of bracken on the right hand side, then picking up a faint path bear left to climb steeply along a vague shelf. Follow the path as it passes above old mine workings to a small cairn - marked as 'pile of stones' on the OS 25K map.

Bear right still climbing to another cairn, keep following the path and in only a few more metres the gradient eases. The path then makes for a fence corner, yet unseen over the brow, south east across a grass and moss boggy expanse.

The small summit cairn is across the fence which can be stepped over with little problem.

Hop back over the fence and retrace your steps, heading north east back across the boggy ground to the two cairns above the mine workings, and down to the gate on the terrace. Turn right through the gate and follow the terrace back across Holme Beck then in 100m (110 yards) leave the track and bear left taking the gate into Holme Wood again.

Follow the path descending all the way through the woods, go directly across any side tracks, to the shore of Loweswater beside another gate. Don't go through - that way leads to Maggie's Bridge.

Turn left and follow the gravelled track along the shore line. Just over the bridge the track splits, bear right to go past the National Trust bothy and continue along the shoreline.

Rejoining the track, bear right to the gate leaving Holme Wood and back across the enclosures, along the lane up to Hudson Place.

Turn right and go through the edge of the yard and exit via the road. In 200m (220 yards) as the road turns left, turn right through the gateway and follow the path across the boggy ground, over the footbridge with the gate, and fields, back to the parking area.