Kentmere Valley Circuit

The route

The route runs 17.7km on a mix of quiet lane, bridleway and open fell track, heading up the valley before looping back to Staveley. It is a natural introduction to the eastern Lakes: enough climbing to feel the hills, but on ground that keeps moving under your feet.

The valley

Kentmere has no through road, which is exactly why it feels the way it does. The valley closes in around the church and the old farms, with the Kentmere Round skyline of Ill Bell, Froswick and Yoke rising above. This route stays lower than that horseshoe, taking the valley tracks and the reservoir approaches rather than the tops, so it works when the high fells are in cloud. The surface is good bridleway for the most part, with rougher, wetter sections higher up.

Why it works

This is a route with range. On a clear day the fell backdrop is as good as anywhere in the eastern Lakes; on a poor one, the valley gives you a sheltered, runnable loop that still feels like a proper outing. Staveley at the start is a genuine bonus, with Wilf's Cafe and the Mill Yard for before and after. Navigation is largely straightforward on obvious tracks, though a few junctions higher in the valley reward a glance at the map. Save the exposed upper sections for settled weather and firm ground, and treat the wetter stretches with respect after rain. The lower estate sections make a good family outing on their own if you want a shorter day, with the show cave and the nature trail giving younger legs a reason to keep moving. Come back another day for the full Kentmere Round if the tops are calling. For most runners this valley loop is the smarter first visit, giving you the lie of the land before you commit to the skyline.