Walking
Spectacular walking country stretches in every direction from Tarn Sike — from easy nature trails through ancient limestone to challenging mountain summits
The Coast to Coast National Trail
England's Newest National Trail
Alfred Wainwright's legendary walk from St Bees on the Cumbrian coast to Robin Hood's Bay on the North Yorkshire coast was designated as an official National Trail in March 2026 — making it England's newest and one of the world's most celebrated long-distance routes. The almost 200-mile journey crosses three national parks: the Lake District, the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors.
The National Trail passes through Raisbeck village over to Sunbiggin Tarn, just ten minutes' walk from Tarn Sike, making the retreat a natural base for walkers tackling the route in sections and an ideal place to take a rest day.
On the Doorstep
Sunbiggin Tarn
A beautiful moorland tarn just a short walk from Tarn Sike. Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the tarn is an important breeding site for black-headed gulls and a haven for wildfowl and wading birds. The surrounding limestone grassland is rich in wildflowers and the views across the surrounding fells are superb in every season.
Great Asby Scar National Nature Reserve
One of England's finest exposures of limestone pavement, Great Asby Scar is a landscape of extraordinary geological beauty. The grykes — deep fissures in the rock — shelter an array of rare ferns, wildflowers and plants found almost nowhere else in England. A truly remarkable place to walk and explore, and a national treasure right on your doorstep.
Potts Valley
A peaceful and unspoilt valley tucked into the limestone country close to Tarn Sike. Walking routes around Potts Valley offer quiet walking through classic Eden Valley scenery — dry stone walls and views across the Howgills, Sunbiggin Tarn and Wild Boar Fell. A wonderful place to experience the unspoilt Cumbrian countryside at its most tranquil.
Gamelands Stone Circle
Gamelands stands in a field between Raisbeck and Orton and is easily reached on foot. Dating from around 2000 BC, the Bronze Age monument is formed from some 40 stones of pink Shap granite. The surrounding limestone country provides a beautiful backdrop, and the short walk from Tarn Sike makes this an ideal introduction to the ancient history of the Eden Valley.
Smardale Gill Nature Reserve
A hidden gem of the north Pennines, Smardale Gill follows a disused Victorian railway line through a dramatic limestone gorge. The reserve is celebrated for its rare Scotch Argus butterflies, orchids and wildflower meadows. The highlight is the magnificent Smardale Gill Viaduct — a spectacular 14-arch structure soaring 90 feet above the gill — a stunning example of where Victoria architecture meets the peaceful Eden Valley.
Crosby Ravensworth Fell
The quiet fells above the pretty village of Crosby Ravensworth offer wonderful walking with very few other walkers. Ancient field systems, stone circles and earthworks dot the moorland, giving a compelling sense of walking through history. The views north to the Pennines and west to the Lakeland fells are magnificent on a clear day. Crosby Ravensworth is home to the Butchers Arms, a local community pub which serves good food.
Fell Walking in the Dales
The Howgills
These dramatic, smoothly-rounded fells rising above Sedbergh, Ravenstonedale and the Lune Gorge offer some of the finest walking in northern England. With few stone walls and a carpet of short fell grass, the Howgills have a distinctive, open character all of their own. The waterfall at Cautley Spout — one of England's highest — is a superb destination. Alfred Wainwright declared these fells his favourite walking country.
Wild Boar Fell & Mallerstang
The imposing plateau of Wild Boar Fell presides over the remote valley of Mallerstang, where the infant River Eden begins its journey north. The walk to the summit rewards with magnificent panoramic views across the Yorkshire Dales, North Pennines and Lakeland fells. Nearby Pendragon Castle — legendarily connected to King Arthur — adds a touch of mystery to this dramatic landscape. The Fat Lamb pub at Ravenstonedale offers somewhere to refuel at the end of your walk.
Nine Standards Rigg
One of the iconic walks from Kirkby Stephen, Nine Standards Rigg takes its name from the nine ancient stone cairns standing on its summit ridge. No one quite knows who built them or why — they make for a dramatic and atmospheric destination. The walk offers big views across to the Lake District and deep into the Dales, and the summit plateau carries a genuine sense of wildness.
Bretherdale & Borrowdale
These quiet, enclosed valleys to the west of the retreat offer peaceful walking in the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park . Bretherdale in particular is rarely visited and retains a beautiful, unspoilt character — deep green lanes, ancient farmsteads, and the sound of curlews on the fells above. Borrowdale is perfect for those seeking genuine solitude and gives a feeling of being miles from anywhere or anyone despite being a short walk from Tebay.
Further Afield
High Cup Nick
One of the great natural spectacles of northern England, High Cup Nick (part of the Pennine Way) is a vast, near-perfect U-shaped glacial valley cut into the Pennine escarpment. The views from the rim are breathtaking — a great curved sweep of dolerite crags falling away to the Eden Valley far below. The Stag Inn in Dufton is an ideal place to refuel after your walk.
The Lake District
The eastern edge of England's largest national park lies just 5 miles to the west with Breatherdale and Borrowdale. Iconic peaks such as Helvellyn, Blencathra, Great Gable and Scafell Pike are all within reach for a day's walking. The eastern fells around Ullswater — including Hallin Fell and Place Fell — are particularly accessible from Tarn Sike and reward with spectacular views over the lake below.
Cross Fell & the North Pennines
The highest point in the Pennines and in northern England outside the Lake District, Cross Fell (893m) is a wild and rewarding summit. The walk crosses one of England's great upland landscapes — the North Pennines AONB, often called England's last great wilderness. On clear days the views extend from the Scottish borders to the Yorkshire Dales.
Lune Gorge & the Dales Way
The River Lune carves a dramatic gorge south of Tebay that has been described as one of the finest river landscapes in England. Riverside paths and quiet lanes follow the gorge, with the Howgills rising steeply to the east. The long-distance Dales Way and Pennine Bridleway both pass through the area, offering extended route options for ambitious walkers and cyclists.
Haweswater
The most remote of the Lake District's major lakes, Haweswater is a dramatic reservoir created in the 1930s when the valley of Mardale was flooded. In prolonged drought, the ruins of the submerged village of Mardale Green sometimes emerge from the water. The surrounding fells — including the Roman road of High Street across the ridge tops — offer superb walking, and the valley is one of the best places in England to spot golden eagles and red deer.
