The Troutbeck Round Walk from Ambleside

The Troutbeck Round 
Total feet of climbing  600; 3.25 miles; 1.5 hours
Troutbeck is one of the more interesting and appealing villages in the Lake District. It has an unusual situation and layout strung along the western slopes of the valley it occupies giving every house a commanding view of the dale. This walk follows a route round the spur of fell-land that rises above the village mostly by way of enclosed trackways.



On the outward journey there are views of lake Windermere. But the best views are perhaps those obtained on reaching the highest part of the walk when there comes in to view the even higher peaks of Ill Bell and Froswick.

Beginning from the Mortal Man Inn, walk in a southerly direction on the main road through the village. On reaching the village post office, sited in the ground floor of the village institute, bear right past the village institute's flag pole on to a signposted public bridleway: Robin Lane. (0.5 mile)

After three quarters of a mile the lane becomes gated. At this point branching off to the left through another gateway is a signposted bridleway to Skelghyll. Ignore this bridleway and continue on the lane which now becomes Hundreds Road. Passing through a final gate the trackway becomes unenclosed and loops round to the left over a small stone bridge. (1.5 miles)

Just before crossing the bridge leading off to the right is a signposted path to Wansfell and Nanny Lane. The path is waymarked with small wooden posts on which are fixed round signs bearing a white arrow. The path eventually links up to a much broader path leading down from the top of Wansfell at a point where it passes through a metal gate. Here turn right and follow the more prominent path downhill. Within a few hundred yards the path joins an enclosed trackway: Nanny Lane. (0.5 mile)

Here turn right and follow Nanny Lane downhill to Troutbeck. On reaching the roadway turn left. The Mortal Man is a hundred and fifty yards further on. (0.75 mile)