8.0
2 ratings

Tarn Hows Viewpoint Benches

Hawkshead, Cumbria, England

Easy stroll1.5 hr walk 0 have been

Found by Best Bench research

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Several documented benches and rest places frame Wetherlam, the Coniston Fells and Langdale Pikes reflected in the tarn.

Bench Score breakdown

The View100%8.0

Trail intel

Shared by walkers to plan the day, never to change the Bench Score

Local charm8.0
Hike difficulty2.0
Accessibility8.0

Just as important as the Bench Score, and often the deciding factor on the day — but none of it is a judgement on the view, so it stays out of the Bench Score.

The view is the whole Bench Score. Average of 2 scores submitted. How Bench Scores work

Point A to point B

A · Start of the walk
Tarn Hows main car park
Find the three words for this start point
54.38770, -3.03310
B · The bench
54.38840, -3.03150
/// what3words for this exact spot

Trail at a glance

Walk
about 1 hr 30 min each way, from the person who found it
Grade
Easy strollwhat this means
Start & parking
Tarn Hows main car park · National Trust main car park at Tarn Hows; blue-badge spaces include nearby accessible picnic seating.
Fees & access
Route source: Lake District National Park Tarn Hows Miles Without Stiles route. Class 2 or 3 mobility scooters recommended. · Pushchair & wheelchair friendly
Route data
Part-mapped

Know before you go

  • Route source: Lake District National Park Tarn Hows Miles Without Stiles route. Class 2 or 3 mobility scooters recommended.
  • Compact stone paths can be rough and steep, reaching around 1 in 5 in places.

Community-submitted, so check it yourself before you go. Read the disclaimer

Part-mapped

Most of the walk is on recorded paths, but the last stretch is unmapped ground. Treat the timings as a range.

The dashed line is straight from A to B — check the walking directions for the real path. P marks parking.

Every step of the walk

About 1 hr 30 min each way — from the person who found this bench

Plotting the footpath route…

Plan it on a proper map

Many of these walks are well-known routes already documented in detail. Where that is the case, use the people who survey them rather than trusting us. These services are independent of us — some may ask you to sign in or subscribe for full detail.

For benches in national parks or on waymarked trails, the park or trail's own website is always the best source. Read our disclaimer.

Parking near the start

Looking for car parks…

Parking notes from the person who found it

National Trust main car park at Tarn Hows; blue-badge spaces include nearby accessible picnic seating.

Car parks come from OpenStreetMap and may be out of date — check signage on the day. In the UK, pay-by-phone bays (RingGo and similar) are usually signed at the bay rather than mapped, so look for the location code on the sign.

Landmarks along the way

  1. 1Upper viewpointAccessible picnic bench with a broad fell view
  2. 2Tarn circuitMultiple benches and rest places around the water

What the walk is really like

Pushchair and wheelchair friendly — the whole route is firm and wide enough for wheels.

Seasons and conditions: Compact stone paths can be rough and steep, reaching around 1 in 5 in places.

Before you go

Route source: Lake District National Park Tarn Hows Miles Without Stiles route. Class 2 or 3 mobility scooters recommended.

Told to us by the person who submitted this bench — double-check anything seasonal.

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What people said

  • Editorial starting score using the global view scale; community ratings will refine it.

    Best Bench HQ · 17 Sep 2026

  • Editorial starting score using the global view scale; community ratings will refine it.

    Best Bench HQ · 17 Sep 2026

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