Things to do nearby Chapel Cottage
There are loads of fantastic walks straight from the door of Chapel Cottage and the Duddon Valley is a fantastic base for hundreds of days out in hills, whether you are looking for a gentle walk along the valley bottom or an adventurous day out conquering England's highest mountains.
Walking guides are provided for visitors to use at the cottage or you can purchase them from the Post Office in Ulpha.
Short Walks in the area:
Short walks in the vicinity include Gummers How and Latterbarrow, both with splendid views over Lake Windermere. Tarn Hows gives an enjoyable circuit of the tarn, suitable for both young and old. Stickle Pike, near Broughton Mills, has a 20 minute ascent rewarded by great views of the western fells.
Stickle pike, opposite the Cottage, has great views of the Western fells, as does the track to Seathwaite Tarn and the Walna Scar pass.
Devoke Water on Birker Fell is another favourite. There are guide books and maps at the cottage and from Ulpha Post Office.Medium Walks:The summit of Hardknott and can be reached from Hardknott pass and has some breathtaking views of the Scafells and is a great place for a Picnic.
Other medium length walks include Black Combe (made famous in the BBC’s Coast programme) giving stunning views of sea and fell, Caw (above Broughton Mills) or Whitfell and Harter Fell (both in the Duddon Valley).
The view from the summit of Harter Fell out towards Devoke Water and then on to the Isle of Man.
For the more adventurous, some of our favourite Full Day classic walks include: If it’s full day classic walks you are after, try Scafell Pike from Eskdale, Coniston Old Man from Seathwaite.
Family days out include the South Lakes Animal Park at nearby Dalton, where you can see Amur and Sumatran tigers, Muncaster Castle with its owl sanctuary and adventure playground, Eskdale miniature railway, the Lakes Aquarium and boat trips on Coniston Water and Lake Windermere.
We also suggest some of our own favourite activities such as the Wallowbarrow Gorge Walk, a visit to the Duddon River “Beach” (take fishing nets and buckets for the kids), the view from Kiln Bank pass, especially at sunset, a walk along the World Heritage dunes at Roanhead and a trip to Swinside Stone circle.
During the summer some villages put on annual shows. These are well worth a visit to get a real feel for local life from Cumberland wrestling and fell races to stick making competitions and well groomed Herdwick sheep.
Leisure activities close by include golfing, canoeing, mountain biking, horse riding, rock-climbing and fell walking.
There are several golf courses within a few miles drive of Broughton while Barrow-in-Furness and Ulverston both have leisure centres with tennis courts and swimming pools. The Duddon River is a favourite venue for canoeists while cyclists tend to congregate in Broughton. Nearby Grizedale Forest is a mountain-biking mecca – try the newly created North Face challenge!
Riding stables in the area include Murthwaite Green Trekking Centre at Silecroft offering beach rides.
Cumbrian Heavy Horses in the Whicham Valley provide an opportunity to ride magnificent Clydesdale and Shire horses.
Rock-climbers can try out local spots such as Wallabarrow Crag in the Duddon Valley and Dow Crag near Coniston or head further afield to Langdale or Barrowdale for some classic routes.
