Blea Tarn, Ting Mound, Greenburn Mines Circular

This low-level, pretty walk takes you on a tour of some of Little Langdale Valley's historical features. On the whole, the tracks, the path along the flank of Lingmoor undulates quite steeply and can be wet, so it advisable to wear decent footwear.

Please ignore the black dot denoting the end of the walk, this walk starts and ends at Lowfield House.

WALK DISTANCE: 6.8 MILES/10.96 KILOMETRES

DIFFICULTY: MODERATE

WALK TIME: 3.5HRS

MAP LINK

From Lowfield House, turn left onto Side Gates road. After approximately 16 minutes after having passed the Three Shires Inn on your right, come out of the village, and turn right onto a lane marked 'unsuitable for motor vehicles' [blue sign]. Follow this past Dale End farm where it turns into a gravel track, then onto a path leading up to a gate to the left, go through the gate and continue following the path beyond as it makes its way up the fell side. 

At a wall and gate as the path zig-zags uphill, take a path next to the wall on the left. This path continues alongside the wall below scree slopes with pleasant views into Little Langdale and across Little Langdale Tarn. Keep on the path until it eventually emerges onto the road. Go uphill for approximately 1050 metres until you reach the Blea Tarn National Park Car Park on your right, with the entrance to the Tarn on the left. You will immediately have wonderful views of Blea Tarn on your right, with mountains looming above in the background.

Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) since the last 20th Century, Blea Tarn is a highly celebrated walking destination.

Described as ‘the jewel in the crown of swimming spots in the Langdales,’ it is hardly surprising why it was chosen as a filming location for 'The Witcher', and 'Snow White & the Huntsman'.

After walking along the footpath for 5 minutes or so, pass through the gate leading into the woodland area in front of you. 

Follow the footpath over a small footbridge and then take the path to the right. This path leads you through the woods for a short while before you emerge at the other side of the tarn. The footpath then continues onwards towards the road for around 10 minutes. Go through the gate and you will be rewarded with stunning views of the Great Langdale Valley, best known for the Langdale Pikes. 

After having enjoyed the views, make your way back on the same track and after the emerging from the woods toward the end of the Tarn's route, pass through the gate where you first started the Tarn's route, and turn right.

Follow the pathway to Fell Foot Farm for approximately 1.5 miles, until you get to Fell Foot Farm. If you continue walking up the lane you will come across a small mound next to Fell Foot farm. Ting Mound or Ting Moot, as it is known, is the remnants of a Viking meeting place, with a number of terraces constructed around it.

The origin of Ting Mound, that is also known as Ting Moot, is an archaeological relic of the Viking Age. Historians believe it to have been a meeting place for local government and administration, as well as a place for Vikings to converse.

It was a crossroads with trading routes, dating back to Roman Times. By the time the Vikings came along, it was an established highway. 

Retrace your steps down the path back to Fell Foot Farm, keep on going until the path splits, with one strand heading steeply uphill, signposted for Tiberthwaite. Ignore this and continue heading downhill to the collection of buildings at Low Hall Garth. The path drops down through the buildings and swings around below slag heaps. Here you’ll see a gate on the left leading to Slater’s Bridge. The 17th century bridge is thought to have been built by workers at the various mines nearby. Built from slate and incorporating a boulder in the River Brathay it’s so wonderfully uneven and worn it almost seems to be a natural part of the landscape itself. 

After the bridge head slightly right uphill and then through a couple of gates and a field until you reach the lane heading back down towards Three Shires Inn on your left, then eventually returning to Lowfield House on your right.