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10 of the best places to watch the sunrise in the Lake District National Park

Chris Knight

In this blog post I have listed 10 incredible locations to watch the sunrise from in the Lake District National Park.

Some involve setting the alarm super early and hiking in the dark, whilst others simply require you to step out of your vehicle and cross the road.

This list is far from exclusive.

The Lake District is home to 214 wonderful wainwrights and numerous low-level bodies of water, which given the right conditions, would make incredible spots to watch the sunrise.

In fact some of the best locations are usually the lesser known spots where you’ll find no-one around. You simply have to set that alarm (or dont sleep at all) and have the endeavour to seek the locations out.

At a glance

  • Blea Tarn, Langdale

  • Friars Crag, Derwentwater

  • Latrigg Fell, Keswick

  • Catbells, Derwentwater

  • Buttermere

  • Gowbarrow Fell, Ullswater

  • Glenridding Dodd, Ullswater

  • Blencathra

  • Todd Crag, Ambleside

  • Angle Tarn, Patterdale

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What I use to pick and plan sunrise locations

I personally use an app called PhotoPills to choose sunrise locations and help plan my compositions for sunset, sunrise, and the milky way.

I have no affiliation with the company and I hate paying for apps (It costs a one off fee of £9.99) when there are free ones available, but PhotoPills was definitely worth the investment.

Not only does it allow you to see where the sun will rise and set, months and even years into the future, but it is packed full of amazing features. One of which is the augmented reality mode which uses your phones camera to show you exactly which point on the horizon the sun will rise and where it will set.

Safety tips and advice around hiking at sunrise

  • Pack a head torch - A head torch will make that first part of the journey safer, easier, and more comfortable. It will also mean you have some battery left on your phone to take photos and navigate your way back down.

  • Pack extra layers - I always pack a spare top, a lightweight down jacket, hat, and gloves in my bag. So when I do reach the summit I can quickly layer up and stay warm while I’m waiting for the sun to rise.

  • Take some snacks a plenty of water - Make sure to pack something to eat and drink on the summit as it will help with warmth, energy levels, and make the descent much more enjoyable. No one likes a hangry hiker.

Blea Tarn

Situated in a hanging valley between Little and Greater Langdale, Blea Tarn is a small but tranquil body of water surrounded by craggy fells.

Alongside being one of the most accessible tarns in Lakeland, its also one of the most beautiful.

The mountain lake is extremely popular with landscape photographers due to the mirror-like reflections it produces of the Langdale Pikes.

Its also a great location for stargazing and astrophotography due to its ease of access and dark sky location.

I visited the lake on a windless morning and witnessed the surrounding fells captured within the lake's mirror like reflections, it was a morning like no other

A National trust car park is situated opposite the tarn and is £3 for 2 hours or £5 for all day. From there you simply cross the road and descend the wheelchair friendly path for 250m until you reach the shoreline.

A word of warning, both single-track roads which lead up to the car park are a 20% gradient, so some clutch control may be required.

Friars Crag, Derwentwater

Located on the Derwentwater foreshore, Friars Crag has to one of the most accessible and beautiful viewpoints in the Lake District National Park.

The tree covered headland looks out over the lake towards Cat Bells and the Jaws of Borrowdale offering a magical panorama of mountainous terrain.

Adding to the allure of the viewpoint is wooden bench situated at the tip of the viewpoint which offers unobstructed views of the lake.

The wheelchair friendly walk starts at the Theatre by the Lake car park and runs along Derwentwater’s eastern shoreline for 1km out to the viewpoint.

On the way back make sure you stop by Crow park for a view towards Derwent Island and Catbells.

Latrigg Fell

Due to its quick and easy access, Latrigg Fell is the ideal spot for sunrise or if your want mountain vistas when you are short on time or energy.

On a good day, you will have amazing views over Derwentwater and the Borrowdale valley and a full panorama of some of the highest mountains in England including Scafell Pike, Helvellyn, and the Newlands Horseshoe.

There also a appropriately placed bench at the viewpoint so you can sit and enjoy the magnificent view.

From thee car park located at the head of Gale Road (CA12 4PH) there are two 1km trails to reach the viewpoint.

The wheelchair friendly path skirts around the peak to the right, and the more direct route leads over the top of the Latrigg Fell. Either way the walk should take around 15-20 minutes.

Catbells

One of the most popular wainwrights in the Lake District and for good reason.

Situated just outside of Keswick the views from the summit of Catbells over Derwentwater and towards Skiddaw and Blencathra are sensational.

The undulating peak is easy to access and not that difficult to climb, especially when there are several flat sections which allow you to catch your breath and take in the scenery.

Although I would recommend hiking all the way to the summit, you only have to make the short 750m walk up to Skellgill Bank, which is the first of the hills viewpoints, in order to be granted great views

There is limited free roadside parking at the base, but if you head for sunrise it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

Buttermere


Buttermere valley and lake is consistently voted for as one of the most beautiful landscapes in both the Lake District and the UK. 

The lake shoreline is lined with forests enveloped on three sides by craggy fells. On a calm day you will be treated to glorious reflections of the lofty craggy fells which encircle the lake on three sides.

Whilst I would recommend tackling a full 6km loop of the lake, there is one viewpoint that is worth prioritising for sunrise.

The shoreline at the south eastern end of the lake looks directly towards Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks. On a still day it produces mirror like reflections of the two mountains and the tree which line the shoreline.

The nearest parking for this location is Gatesgarth Car Park, which costs £4 all day. From here it is 1km walk back along the roadside to the beach.

Green Hill

Green hill only sits at an elevation of 443m but it certainly packs a punch, offering terrific views over Ullswater alongside some incredible mountain vistas.

Although you dont get a full view of entire Ullswater lake like that from Glenridding Dodd, you are treated to a great view looking east towards Pooley Bridge and south west towards the Helvellyn Range.

There is no trig point for this peak and the terrain of the hill is very undulating and lumpy meaning it can be hard to find. The good news is there are plenty of spots on the hill which offer great views over the lake.

This peak can also be turned into a loop which visits in Gowbarrow fell alongside Aria and High Force - two of the most popular waterfalls in the Lake District.

Glenridding Dodd

This under visited peak gives you unprecedented and unobstructed views over the entirety of Ullswater.

Short and sharp, the route starts from the delightful Glencoyne Bay on the shores of Ullswater. The National Trust car park is across the road from a tranquil shoreline which is perfect for a post hike wild swim.

If you have a little more in the legs you can extend this walk by continuing up to Heron Pike and then Sheffield Pike, this will add an extra 2km and 270m of elevation gain.

Once you have done snapping the sunrise make sure to call by Helvellyn café in Glenridding for a bite to eat or a coffee.

Blencathra


Blencathra, also known as Saddleback, is an iconic part of the Lake District northern landscape.

Its distinctive table-top shape which towers above the town of Keswick makes it instantly recognisable as you drive towards Keswick

Blencathra’s isolated location and short distance to the summit is what makes this a great mountain to ascend for sunrise.

Limited roadside parking is available at Comb Beck just off the A66, and from there its a two mile slog up to the summit. The fitter amongst you should be able to get up in around an hour.

I’d avoid ascending the notorious Sharp Edge in the dark.

Known as one of the Lake District’s most famous Grade 1 scrambles, people have died falling from this knife edge ridge so it is best saved for a daylight hours and fine weather.

Blencathra from Catbells

Todd Crag, Ambleside

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

Often mistaken for Loughrigg fell (a mistake I made) the stone walled peak of Todd Crag is one of the most popular sunrise spot in the southern region of the Lake District National Park.

The crag sits above Ambleside and looks south down over Lake Windermere.

There used to be a wooden stile located on the stone wall which provides the foreground for many photographers shots, but unfortunately it has been removed.

A small amount of parking is available beneath Nanny brow off the A593 just outside Clappersgate. From there it s a 1.3km walk up through the forest to the crag.

You can aslo head up this peak for sunset although you wont get the dramatic sunstar effect as seen in these magical chots by Jonny Gios

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

Angle Tarn, Patterdale

Described by Alfred Wainwright as 'the best of Lakeland tarns', Angle Tarn is an enchanting glacial lake located high above the village of Patterdale.

Situated at an altitude of 500m and containing two rocky island, The tarn is enveloped by the Lake Districts majestical mountainous terrain.

Its sheltered location and picturesque view makes this a delightful place for a wild swim, especially when you factor in the number of easy entry and exit points

I wildcamped on the lakes shoreline in the Autumn of 2020 and was able to capture the Milky Way above its shores, before taking a sunrise dip in the morning.

So there we have it, my 10 favourite sunrise locations in the Lake District National Park.

If I had to pick a favourite it would have to be Latrigg or Blea Tarn.

As I have already mentioned, the Lake District has 214 wainwrights alongside countless epic viewpoints, both high and low, so there are plenty of other beautiful sunset locations scattered across National Park.

You just have to put in a bit of planning and have the endeavour to go and seek them out.

If you did find the blog useful, I’d appreciate you leaving a comment, giving it a share, or giving me a follow on social media, every bit of support goes a long way.

You can find more Lake District inspiration in the following blogs;

For more Welsh travel inspiration check out my in-depth guides to each of my favourite Welsh regions below.

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