High Rigg & Tewet Tarn - Monday 8 June 2026
Route
Legburthwaite - Wren Crag - Long Band - High Rigg - St John’s Hause - Low Rigg - Tewet Tarn - Shundraw - Moss Dikes - Threlkeld Bridge - Railway Path - Low Briery - Keswick
Parking
As this was a linear walk we caught the 555 Bus from Keswick to Legburthwaite and walked back.
Mileage
9.7 miles
Terrain
Mountain paths with some road walking on quiet lanes
Weather
Sunshine & light breezes
Time Taken
4hrs 35mins
Total Ascent
1641ft (500m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Robbie
Legburthwaite - Wren Crag - Long Band - High Rigg - St John’s Hause - Low Rigg - Tewet Tarn - Shundraw - Moss Dikes - Threlkeld Bridge - Railway Path - Low Briery - Keswick
Parking
As this was a linear walk we caught the 555 Bus from Keswick to Legburthwaite and walked back.
Mileage
9.7 miles
Terrain
Mountain paths with some road walking on quiet lanes
Weather
Sunshine & light breezes
Time Taken
4hrs 35mins
Total Ascent
1641ft (500m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL4 - The English Lakes (North Western)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Robbie
GPX Files
From 1 March 2025 GPX files will not be available directly from the walk page as there is difficulty in using a downloadable version from the website. To that end, if you require a GPX File please get in touch via the Contact Form below and we will gladly forward it to you - thank you.
From 1 March 2025 GPX files will not be available directly from the walk page as there is difficulty in using a downloadable version from the website. To that end, if you require a GPX File please get in touch via the Contact Form below and we will gladly forward it to you - thank you.
Route Map
The walk today started at Legburthwaite from the access lane between the A591 & the B5322 opposite the entrance to the road to the Thirlmere Dam. There is parking here for approximately a dozen or so cars, however get here early as this is a popular spot particularly in the summer months.
From the start we headed north for 140 yards along the A591 to reach a gate & stile. At the time of writing (Oct 26) the gate was padlocked therefore I lifted Robbie up and over.
Once through the gate, almost immediately (70 yards) the path splits - Robbie has guessed correctly and we head to the left. The path to the right heads to the banks of St John’s Beck and no further.
Shortly after the path splits again and once more we head to the left as the route climbs to Wren Crag. The path to the right is the returning path on the circular route which comes in from Low Bridge End Farm. It is a lovely circumnavigation of High Rigg and a blog of the walk can be found here.
Sunshine, tarns, hills, bogs, treats - Robbie was looking forward to his day
The path leaves the woods and continues through bracken towards Wren Crag which can be seen ahead
Looking across to Castle Rock with Watson’s Dodd beyond
Raven Crag & The Benn from the lower slopes of Wren Crag
Looking south from the approach to Wren Crag - the fell in the centre of shot is Great How
“Why oh why can’t you two keep up??"
The final approach to Wren Crag
With Robbie on the summit of Wren Crag looking to Blencathra
From the summit of Wren Crag the route drops down into a col below the ridge of Long Band
Robbie having a ball in the first tarn (Click Play to view)
Bram Crag & Wanthwaite Crags with Clough Head beyond
At the end of Long Band the path drops down to a col and crosses the fence line via the protruding stumps of an old stile. Predictably, the fence line here is very low and can easily be crossed - hopefully both the fence and stile will be repaired soon.
Looking back to Long Band, Great How & Thirlmere with the Helvellyn range beyond
Has someone been doing some more arsing about in another tarn??
Yes he has
Robbie’s swimming pool - very welcome on a warm day. The path passes to the right of the tarn along the fence line.
The many lumps, bumps and paths that adorn High Rigg
Not long after the tarn, the main path crosses a wall ladder stile
The path then handrails the wall to the right of Moss Crag
Robbie doing his bestest "fell dog conquering the world" impression
The summit of High Rigg looking to Clough Head
This modest fell (1171ft) has often been described as "the Lake District in miniature" with its rocky crags, hillocks, boggy sections and tiny tarns - not to mention the fantastic views. Wainwright said that the full transit from Smaithwaite to Tewet Tarn "is a splendid little expedition admirably suited to old and rickety fell walkers long past their best" (High Rigg 3).
The Skiddaw group & Lonscale Fell from the summit of High Rigg
Blencathra from High Rigg - the pointed summit distant left is Great Calva
Clough Head, Calfhow Pike & Great Dodd across St John’s in the Vale
As Angie & Robbie begin the descent of High Rigg I captured them both on this panorama of Skiddaw & Blencathra
Robbie watches me closely as I make my descent from High Rigg
Slightly off path is a small slate memorial that is marked on the OS Map. The following words are inscribed upon it:
IN MEMORY OF
DAVID GERALD
PENNYCOOK
WHO LOVED THESE FELLS
DIED 13 JUNE 1964
AGED 10 YEARS
Despite an extensive search I cannot find any further detail on this memorial
IN MEMORY OF
DAVID GERALD
PENNYCOOK
WHO LOVED THESE FELLS
DIED 13 JUNE 1964
AGED 10 YEARS
Despite an extensive search I cannot find any further detail on this memorial
The route reaches the road between Dale Bottom & Wanthwaite just to the west of the Carlisle Diocesan Youth Centre
A little further on along the lane is St John’s Church
The church was built in 1845, replacing an earlier church and re-using some of its fabric. The interior was reordered in 1893 by a Lancaster firm of architects. Some of the fittings currently present in the church result from this reordering. The church is constructed in slate and igneous rock (cooled magma or lava).
The church was built in 1845, replacing an earlier church and re-using some of its fabric. The interior was reordered in 1893 by a Lancaster firm of architects. Some of the fittings currently present in the church result from this reordering. The church is constructed in slate and igneous rock (cooled magma or lava).
The interior of St John’s Church
Directly opposite the gate to the church is a way mark which points the way towards Tewet Tarn & Low Rigg
Looking back to Threlkeld Knotts, Clough Head & High Rigg from below Low Rigg
Giz a bunk up Dad?
Just below Low Rigg the route crosses a wall via a stone stile
Just below Low Rigg the route crosses a wall via a stone stile
There you go son - now just wait there whilst I come up and join you
The route contours around the western side of Low Rigg to approach Tewet Tarn giving a fine view of Blencathra
Mother & Foal near Tewet Tarn
With Tewet Tarn directly ahead the route passes through a kissing gate
Tewet Tarn
We kept our distance from the tarn because of the danger of blue-green algae - better to be safe than sorry
We kept our distance from the tarn because of the danger of blue-green algae - better to be safe than sorry
From the tarn the route follows a rough farm track.........
........ which winds its way gently downhill to reach the minor road that runs between Naddle Bridge & Wanthwaite Bridge
Once through the gate and on to the road we turned right in the direction of Wanthwaite Bridge to pass the house at Shundraw
200 yards past Shundraw, the route leaves the road to the left at a way mark for Threlkeld Bridge
With fine views to Blencathra the route handrails a wall towards Moss Dikes
Leaving the wall the path passes through several fields to reach the road at Threlkeld Bridge - a gate across the road leads into woodland
The path emerges from the woodland to pass under the A66
The path eventually joins the trackbed of the old Cockermouth, Keswick & Penrith Railway
The line was built between 1862 & 1864 and originally transported industrial minerals as well as Victorian tourists. Due to falling passenger numbers and a decline in heavy mineral traffic the western section between Keswick & Cockermouth closed in April 1966 and the remaining stretch to Penrith made its final run in March 1972.
The line was built between 1862 & 1864 and originally transported industrial minerals as well as Victorian tourists. Due to falling passenger numbers and a decline in heavy mineral traffic the western section between Keswick & Cockermouth closed in April 1966 and the remaining stretch to Penrith made its final run in March 1972.
Crossing the first of several bridges that span the River Greta as the path makes its way to Keswick
The River Greta
Crossing the River Greta once more, this time via Low Pearsons Bridge
This relatively new bridge was installed in 2020 replacing the one that was washed away during Storm Desmond in December 2015
This relatively new bridge was installed in 2020 replacing the one that was washed away during Storm Desmond in December 2015
Hello Robbie, what have we here - a new cafe at Low Briery? We had better go and investigate.
The Bobbin Mill Cafe at Low Briery Holiday Park - at the time of writing it had only just opened and was therefore still finding its feet
Robbie was extremely miffed that the stick he wanted to borrow was still out on loan
The Bobbin Mill Tunnel
The tunnel, or “big tunnel” as it was known is one of two on the railway trail. It was infilled and sealed in the 1970s to prevent any collapse which might damage it or weaken the foundations of the road viaduct. A boardwalk, constructed in 2000 to replace the stepped route over the steep bank under the road bridge opened the route up for cyclists and wheelchair users however this was undermined in December 2015 during Storm Desmond.
Opening and reconnecting the tunnel to the railway trail required 4000 tonnes of earth to be removed fro the 80 metre long tunnel. The work has made the trail more accessible and sustainable into the future.
The tunnel, or “big tunnel” as it was known is one of two on the railway trail. It was infilled and sealed in the 1970s to prevent any collapse which might damage it or weaken the foundations of the road viaduct. A boardwalk, constructed in 2000 to replace the stepped route over the steep bank under the road bridge opened the route up for cyclists and wheelchair users however this was undermined in December 2015 during Storm Desmond.
Opening and reconnecting the tunnel to the railway trail required 4000 tonnes of earth to be removed fro the 80 metre long tunnel. The work has made the trail more accessible and sustainable into the future.
The former Keswick Railway Station which marks the start of the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail. The building is listed as a Grade II historic structure by Historic England. The building now serves as an annexe/part of the adjacent Keswick Country House Hotel.
The finish of today's walk was at The Moot Hall in Keswick where we availed ourselves of a nice cool drink outside The Kings Arms Hotel which is just out of shot to the right