It was a bright and lovely day today, so I decided to go for a stroll up The Dales Way. The Dales Way is a long distance footpath that traverses Lakeland’s southern fells and on toward the Yorkshire Dales. The Lake District part of The Dales Way practically ends in our backyard, thus our AA 4-Star guest house is the first B&B accommodation in Bowness en-route for The Dales Way. Take a look at the map below showing the pictorial route leading from Blenheim Lodge B&B to the foot of The Dales Way, which sits at the top of Brantfell Road.

Map of Bowness on Windermere
From Blenheim Lodge (see the ink-filled rectangle nearest the row of green dotted trees to the lower right of this map), turn left and walk a minute uphill to the dead end. Stroll through the gate at the dead end onto the National Trust acres that border our guest house. You are now on The Dales Way Footpath.

Blenheim Lodge is situated at the top of Brantfell Road. (‘Brantfell Road’ is printed on the map alongside the road itself, just below the large black rectangle which represents Blenheim Lodge.) For guests staying at our guest house, it is a short step out of our front door and into our car park. Turn left out of our car park and stroll the half minute to the junction of our lane and Brantfell Road. Once at the junction, turn right uphill and head towards the farm gate at the end of Brantfell Road. Step through the farm gate and you are on The Dales Way Footpath.

On the left is the lane (also called Brantfell Road) on which Blenheim Lodge is situated. Come out of that lane and head uphill to The Dales Way Walk.
On the left is the lane (also called Brantfell Road) on which Blenheim Lodge is situated. Come out of that lane and head uphill to The Dales Way Walk.

Go to the top of the hill towards the cul-de-sac. Go through the wooden farm gate, and you are on The Dales Way. (Although I took the other photos of my walk today, I am using this one below which was taken in the Summer, as I forgot to take a picture of the entrance this afternoon.)

The Dales Way and Brantfell
This farm gate gives access from Brantfell Road onto Brantfell. The footpath you see is The Dales Way.

I went up The Dales Way towards the stone seat and stile set just a minute’s walk from the gate.

The stone seat and part wall with a plaque indicating the distance between Bowness-on-Windermere and Ilkley.
The stone seat and part wall with a plaque indicating the distance between Bowness-on-Windermere and Ilkley.

As I walked uphill, the views of Lake Windermere and the fells which we also see from our guest house got wider and wider.

The view from the stone seat and wall a minute's walk along The Dales Way from our front door.
The view from the stone seat and wall a minute’s walk along The Dales Way from our front door.

The Dales Way continues on up past the stone seat and wall and on through various gates, stiles and fields.

Walking along The Dales Way Footpath from Blenheim Lodge B&B, Bowness.
Walking further along The Dales Way Footpath away from Blenheim Lodge B&B, Bowness.

As I walked back down to the farm gate, I stopped and snapped a few more shots of The Dales Way and its backdrop of Old Bowness, where we live, Lake Windermere and the surrounding fells. Look to the far left of the photo below and you will see a large white house partially obscured by trees. That is Blenheim Lodge, our Bowness home and B&B.

Looking down The Dales Way towards Lake Windermere. The large white house on the left hand side is our Bowness guest house, Blenheim Lodge.
Looking down The Dales Way towards Lake Windermere. The large white house on the far left hand side is our Bowness guest house, Blenheim Lodge.

I hope you have enjoyed your stroll with me up this very small section of The Dales Way. We have many guests who walk either the whole 81 miles of this picturesque long distance footpath, whilst others walk just a tiny bit of it. Others go off trail and trek to Brantfell’s summit, a 40-minute walk from our front door. Still others take off onto the varied off-shoots of The Dales Way and find themselves being rewarded by beautiful walks and outstanding views from other fabulous viewpoints. Whichever it may be, you can see just how picturesque it is even from this little 2-minute trundle from our house.

brantfell, bowness on windermere, lake district
Here is a picture of one of the viewpoints behind our guesthouse, Blenheim Lodge. What a treat of a view for the ‘intrepid’ walker! (Photo courtesy of www.cumbriaphoto.co.uk.)

Why not come and see this glorious scenery for yourselves? Perhaps you could even stay in The Dalesway room at our guest house, which overlooks . . . you guessed it! . . . The Dales Way. It is a calm, peaceful room that looks out onto the serene woods and fields of Brantfell.

room at blenheim lodge, bowness on windermere, lake district
The Dalesway, a pretty room with tranquil woodland views where you might hear an owl hooting at night and birds singing you an early evening lullaby.

Blenheim Lodge . . . panoramic Lake views, peace and tranquillity, nestled against acres of beautiful fields and woodlands, in the heart of the English Lake District National Park.’

Visit our website: http://www.blenheim-lodge.com

Email: enquiries@blenheim-lodge.com

Telephone: 015394 43440