Sow How Tarn and Gummer's How Loop

This medium-difficulty loop links a quiet tarn, open fell, and one of the finest low-level viewpoints over Windermere. At around 10 km / 6.2 miles with roughly 400 m / 1,310 ft of ascent, it is a satisfying half-day outing rather than a quick stroll, with a mix of woodland tracks, minor lanes, rougher fell paths, and short steeper sections near Gummer’s How. The route is generally associated with the Cartmel Fell side of southern Windermere, and the most practical trailhead is the small parking area at Astley’s Plantation on Fell Foot Brow, near Newby Bridge, Cumbria. Gummer’s How itself rises to about 321 m / 1,053 ft and is well known for its broad views along the length of Windermere. (benthamfootpathgroup.co.uk)

From the start, expect a steady build rather than one long climb all at once. The opening section usually heads through or beside plantation woodland on clear paths before gaining more open ground. If your loop visits Sow How Tarn before or after the summit, the terrain alternates between enclosed, damp-feeling woodland and more exposed pasture and fellside. In wet weather, this contrast is especially noticeable: forest tracks can be muddy and slick with roots or leaf litter, while the open sections can feel breezy and surprisingly exposed despite the modest height. The “medium” rating fits well because the route is not especially technical, but it does demand decent fitness, secure footing, and a little care on eroded or uneven ground. Sources describing nearby Gummer’s How routes note rough paths, some erosion, and steeper upper sections that require careful footing. (alltrails.com)

What the route feels like

A typical circuit begins with a gradual climb through mixed woodland and plantation edges, where the path can feel sheltered and quiet. As height is gained, glimpses begin to open westward and southward, and the route starts to show why this area is so popular: it delivers a classic Lake District sense of scale without requiring a full mountain day. The ascent to Gummer’s How is the most obvious high point of the walk, and although the summit is not lofty by Lakeland standards, it stands in an excellent position above the eastern shore of Windermere. From the top, the view can stretch north along the lake, across to the Coniston Fells and central Lakeland hills, and south toward the lower country and, on a clear day, the direction of Morecambe Bay. (en.wikipedia.org)

After the summit, the loop usually becomes more varied. Instead of simply retracing your steps, the route broadens into a circuit through quieter ground around Cartmel Fell, with a more pastoral character. This is where Sow How Tarn becomes one of the walk’s most memorable landmarks. Despite the name, it is not simply a wild mountain pool tucked into open fell; local route descriptions note that Sow How Tarn is man-made, with an embankment and a distinctive boathouse that gives it a very picturesque, almost estate-landscape character. That makes it visually different from many of the more natural-looking tarns elsewhere in the Lakes. (benthamfootpathgroup.co.uk)

The section around the tarn often feels calmer and more intimate than the summit ridge. Instead of wide panoramas, the focus shifts to still water, trees, walls, gates, and farm edges. If the ground is wet, this part of the route can be muddy in places, especially where paths cross pasture or pass through woodland. Good waterproof footwear is a real advantage here.

Landmarks, scenery, and navigation points

The standout landmark is Gummer’s How, a compact but prominent fell that Alfred Wainwright included in The Outlying Fells of Lakeland. Its importance comes less from height than from position: it sits above the southern reach of Windermere and gives one of the best viewpoints for understanding the shape of the lake and the surrounding lower fells. (en.wikipedia.org)

The second major feature is Sow How Tarn, best thought of as a scenic inland water set among farmland and woodland rather than a remote upland tarn. If you are planning the day in detail, this is one of the key points to mark in HiiKER, because the paths and lanes around the tarn and nearby farms can create several junctions where it is worth checking direction rather than relying on instinct alone. The route descriptions for nearby circuits also mention Middle Tarn and the bridleway near Sow How Farm, which helps place this part of the walk geographically. (visorando.com