Explore the Cartmel - Howbarrow Loop
Location: Cartmel, The Lake District National Park, England
This 6.1 km route is a lollipop shape, running clockwise from Cartmel. You’ll follow an out-and-back section of about a kilometre before starting the main loop. The surface is mixed, with three-quarters of it on unpaved farm tracks and grassy paths. Road shoes will cope in a dry spell, but if there’s been any rain, the fields and tracks will get slippery, so trail shoes are the safer option for reliable footing.
Leaving the village, you pass Long Scar before the route begins to climb. The 80 metres of total ascent is delivered as a single, steady pull up lanes and tracks towards Howbarrow Farm, so you will definitely feel it in your legs. It’s a manageable gradient, not a hands-on-knees grind. From the high point at the farm, the work is done. You get a good downhill section on a lane towards Walton Hall, which allows you to get your rhythm back.
The final part of the loop cuts back across fields to rejoin the path you started on, leading you back into Cartmel. This section across the grass can be uneven, so keep an eye on your footing, especially if you’re getting tired. It’s a straightforward and varied countryside run, with a bit of everything: lane, track, and field, all condensed into a short circuit.