Patterdale: Hiking at Ullswater

Hiking and scenery around Patterdale

The village of Patterdale is just a short distance from the shore of Ullswater. The Patterdale Boundary Walk is about 27 miles long and involves around 10,300 feet of elevation gain. These two figures convey the scale of the route; check the route details and conditions before setting out. Since its establishment, the Boundary Walk has become a tradition. If you plan to include the event in your itinerary, check the latest information about how it is run. The Patterdale and Glenamara Park trail offers a different perspective: it is a circular route with views of Ullswater and the surrounding fells. The Boundary Walk is notable for its distance and elevation gain, while the Glenamara circular trail is notable for its circular route and views. Consider which of these features matters most for your hiking days.

Glenamara Park: water, trees and seasonal blooms

Glenamara Park is a former deer park enclosed by a very high dry-stone wall. A dry-stone wall is made of stones stacked without mortar; the tall enclosure thus forms a built counterpart to the stream and trees. The Patterdale and Glenamara Park trail passes through the park and crosses Hag Beck, which runs through its centre. The Ullswater silver birch stands between steps 5 and 6 of the trail. There is also a hollow alder in the park, just beyond the gate at step 4. Bluebells bloom along the trail in May or June; the timing varies depending on conditions. The blooms are a seasonal feature, while the birch and alder are identified by their stated locations in the park.

St. Patrick's Church and local history

The present St. Patrick's Church in Patterdale was built in 1853, replacing a building dating from 1600. That building, in turn, had replaced a church built in the 14th century. The architect Anthony Salvin designed the present church. The dates arrange the building history into three successive phases and show that the current building is part of a longer sequence. Local tradition links the name Patterdale to Saint Patrick: he is said to have converted many people in the valley to Christianity in the early 5th century. Two different kinds of historical account therefore sit side by side: a sequence of churches arranged by construction dates and a story about the name that is explicitly passed down as tradition.

The church contains an embroidered picture by Ann Macbeth, The Good Shepherd. In the background, it depicts the fells, village, sheep and wildflowers of Patterdale. Its motifs concretely connect art and landscape to the place, while the building sequence tells the architectural part of the local history.

Route information on the A592

The Patterdale Hotel is on the A592, which runs past Ullswater. From Glenridding, a path alongside the road leads to the hotel in ten minutes. Check the conditions beside the road before using this path.

Discover more destinations: Spark Bridge, Orton, Grange Over Sands, Skinburness, Sedgwick, Brigham, Drigg, Askam-In-Furness.

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