Windermere western shore and Claife Heights loop from Red Nab — Lake District National Park

Carved by glaciers in the last ice age, about 15,000 years ago, Windermere is the largest natural lake in England, its shoreline home to many miles of great trails. You can run a complete loop of the lake, a distance of around 28 miles (45 km), following a mix of trails and roads that stay close to the shore. There’s also the popular ultramarathon, The Lap, which ventures further from the water to take in the surrounding fells, covering 47 miles (75 km) in total.
Windermere’s best running, in our opinion, lies on the quieter western shores between Wray Castle and Claife Viewing Station. This Tour is an exploration of this area, following the lakeside south on the way out and returning through peaceful native woodland and over Claife Heights. It’s an enjoyable 6.5-mile (10.4 km) loop with 820 ft (250 m) of ascent and almost no road. For a flatter run, turn round at Claife and return the way you came – the views are different and it’s a great out-and-back.
The lakeside trail is flat and well-surfaced, suitable for road or trail shoes. The Claife Heights section can get muddy, but follows good paths and tracks so grip shouldn’t be an issue unless it’s particularly wet. Most runners will take between an hour and an hour and a half to complete this Tour and there is a café at halfway for refreshments. It’s a sheltered loop, but the weather in the Lakes is notoriously changeable so it’s well worth packing a waterproof.
This Tour starts at Red Nab car park, but you could also begin at Wray Castle car park (National Trust), a little further north. If you’re travelling by public transport the best option is to take the ferry from Bowness-On-Windermere to Far Sawrey and pick up the Tour at its southern end.
Wray Castle to the north and the Claife Viewing Station at the southern end of the route both have National Trust cafes and toilets. For shops, more café choices and all sorts of accommodation look at Bowness-On-Windermere on the eastern shore or Ambleside at the northern end of the lake. There is also an excellent National Trust campsite at Wray Castle.