Great Walks & Runs From Blencowe Hall

Aside from rambling through the nearby Lake District Fells, there are a number of walking/running routes starting right from Blencowe Hall & its cottages. We have created some OS map routes for these routes and found some other route map guides which are attached to the bottom of this page as PDFs which can be viewed, saved or printed depending on preference.

A ramble to Greystoke and through the castle grounds – Turn right out of Blencowe Hall following the single lane road to Greystoke. There is also another footpath in the village leading past the main church and into the fields beyond.

We recommend calling in at the friendly village Post Office & Shop in Greystoke which has a super selection of sweets and local baked goods and or stopping in at the Boot & Shoe pub in Greystoke for lunch/dinner/drinks. The team at the pub are welcoming and it is well known for its curries as well as traditional Cumberland dishes – we go there regularly and always leave feeling relaxed and very full!

A more or less square loop route along the lanes from Blencowe is to turn left out of Blencowe Hall, take the next left up the hillside in the village, follow this to the top of the hill then take the first turn left to Johnby, then left again at the “T” junction in the village of Johnby, down the hill into Greystoke, left at the Cycle Cafe and back again to Blencowe Hall. These are all quiet roads – great for cycling, running or walking.

A run or gentle walk from Blencowe of just under four miles – head out from Blencowe Hall, left into the village, over the stone bridge crossing the Petterill and on through the village to the farm on the right hand side just past the Smithy. Watch carefully for the public footpath sign which leads you through a farm yard track then onto a bridleway through the fields (with a great view back over Blencowe Hall) and then on to Greystoke and back around via the quiet country road joining Greystoke and Blencowe.

A four mile or so square loop on the level. Turn left out of Blencowe Hall and through Blencowe village past the Crown Inn Pub and straight past the horse farms. Take the first right hand turn signposted Laithes and head down this lane into the village of Laithes passing the sawmill on the right hand side. Pass straight out through the village along the single lane road and follow the road around until you come to the first right hand turn, turn right and follow the lane along through some fields and eventually past a woods on the right hand side. Turn right at the “T” junction after the woods and head back into the Village of Blencowe passing Willy Whitelaws’ large stone Victorian mansion on the left hand side, on into Blencowe then cross the stone bridge over the River Petterill and turn left to head back to Blencowe Hall.

This walk begins at Greystoke Cross in the centre of the village green. It explores a little of the eastern flank of the village on the approach to the former collegiate church of St Andrews. From there it moves beyond the village through the extensive premises of the Greystoke Racing Stables, then into more open countryside. Returning to the village the walk passes by newer residential properties and the boundary wall to the Greystoke Castle estate.

This walk begins on Ellonby Road at Skelton. It passes through a section of the village and visits St Michael’s church (C13th origin). It then leaves the village and crosses fields to the shallow valley of Lamb Beck and back to the western part of Skelton village. From here local roads take the route past a playground and picnic area to the north of the village, to return past farms, the historic Methodist chapel and the Village Hall along the northern main street. A shorter option is to return directly to the start past Victorian and more recent properties along Ellonby Road.

This walk begins at the entranceway to Blencowe Hall, Cazenovia Hall, Riverain and Wythburn. It visits the villages of Blencow, Greystoke Gill and Greystoke, utilizing field paths, tracks and stretches of local road between. On several occasions it crosses the fledgling River Petteril. Sheep, cattle and horses could be encountered on the walk.

This walk starts from Mungrisdale village and firstly climbs alongside ‘The Tongue” to then turn across the dramatic escarpment of Bannerdale Crags. It next drops down to cross the col at the head of the River Glenderamackin before ascending, with some scree, to traverse the ‘Saddleback’ ridge of Blencathra. The descent back to Mungrisdale is via Scales Fell and the long broad ridge of Souther Fell.

A vibrant tone of grey permeates through this walk, derived from the underlying bones of carboniferous limestone. This distinctly nonLakeland rock crops up variously to offer up many surprises in this seven-mile loop on the doorstep of the National Park. Six and a half miles – four hours NATURE OF THE WALK : Easy tracks and some rough damp trackless pasture on the Open Access land.