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7 of the best places to watch the sunset in the Lake District National Park

Chris Knight

Within this blog I have pulled together a list of what I would argue to be the seven of the best sunset locations in the Lake District National Park.

The majority of these locations are on the summits of mountains as they often provide the most impressive and panoramic of views.

One thing to note is that there are so many epic sunset viewpoints, both high and low, scattered across the entire National Park, You just have to have the foresight and endeavour to go and seek them out.

At a glance

  • Old Man of Coniston

  • Great Gable

  • Helvellyn

  • Gummers How

  • Fleetwith Pike

  • Skiddaw

  • Surprise View

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What I use to choose and plan sunset 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 despise paying for apps (It costs £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 the trajectory of the sun and at which point on the horizon it will rise and set.


Safety tips and advice around hiking at sunset

Pack a head torch - A phone torch will not cut it, especially if you have to tackle steep or unstable terrain which requires the use of your hands. A head torch will make the descent far safer, easier, and more comfortable. It will also mean you have some battery left on your phone navigate your way home when you get back to the car.

Pack extra layers - It’s usually much colder on the summit that it is down in the valley, especially after the sun has set In addition, all that sweat you’ve accumulated hiking up to the summit will quickly send a chill down your body when you’re stood still on a mountain top.

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 go down.

Old Man of Coniston, 803m

The highest point of the county of Lancashire, the Old Man of Coniston is iconic peak in the eastern Lake district.

The 803m fell towers over the small town of Coniston and Coniston Water and is the most popular peak in the area due to its extensive views and well marked paths up the mountain.

The unique summit, which is marked by a large slate platform and cairn, offers extensive views over the southern Lake District, Morecambe Bay, the Pennines, the Lancashire coast, and the Isle of Man.

Because of its extensive and unobstructed views looking west towards the coast, the Old Man a great spot for sunset throughout the year.

Where to park and how to reach the Old Man

The best place to park is Walna Scar Car Park (W3W:quote.guides.dent) which is situated above the village of Coniston.

From the free car park it’s a short 3.2km or 2 mile hike which involves 540m of elevation gain. The fitter individuals should reach the summit in under 90 minutes.

The path to the summit is well marked and on route you’ll pass the remains of abandoned mines and spoil tips alongside Low Water.

If you wanted to turn this into a proper hike I would recommend ascending the Old Man via Goats Water or Dow Crag.

Great Gable, 899m

The 899m summit of Great Gable may not be the highest in the Lake District, but its unobstructed views down the Wastwater valley towards the coast are unprecedented. 

The mountain is named after its appearance as a pyramid from Wasdale and Due to its central position great prominence the summit offers sensational panoramic views over all of the main fell groups .

Because it looks westwards straight down the Wasdale valley towards the coast, its also a perfect place for sunset.

Where to park and how to reach Great Gable

The route starts at the Honister pass which cost £5 for all day parking.

I'd advise skirting around the wainwrights of Bandreth and Grey Knotts on the ascent and bag them on the way back down. This way you’ll ease yourself into the hike and avoid starting with very steep initial ascent. 

Although not technical or exposed, the final climb up to Great Gable is very steep and may require some minor scrambling.

An Os maps route can be found He

Helvellyn, 950m

The third-highest point both in England and in the Lake District, Helvellyn has been a mountain which has been tackled by explores for over two centuries.

Because of its central location alongside the fact that it is easier to access than Scafell Pike and has arguably more impressive views, the peak is one of the most popular in the Lake District.

Because of its height, impressive glacial scenery and extensive panoramic views over the Lake District National Park its a terrific spot for sunset throughout the year.

Where to park and how to reach Helvellyn

The shortest and quickest route to the top of Helvellyn, albeit far less impressive, begins from A591 road along the western side of the mountain. Paid parking is available in Swirls Carpark and from there its a 3.6km hike to the summit.

Alternatively if you like scrambling and want to make a half day of it, I’d recommend heading up from Glenridding and ascending the peak via Striding edge. Although longer and more difficult, this route is more impressive, dramatic and exhilarating.

The13km loop which involves over 900m of elevation can be found here.

Gummers How

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

One of the best introductory Wainwright walks in the Lake District, Gummers How has arguably the best hike to view ratios in the National Park.

The short 1km hike up to this mini-mountain only involves 130m of elevation gain meaning the fitter individuals will be able to get up there in less than half an hour.

The reward for making the short ascent will be stupendous panoramic views over the Lake District, looking north over Lake Windermere and south towards Morecambe Bay.

This peak is a great option if your staying around Lake Windermere or you need to get up to the summit in a rush.

Where to park and how to reach Gummers How

Free parking is available at Gummers How car park. It’s a a huge gravel car park with space for 30 or so cars.

From the car park follow Fell Foot Brow uphill for around 150m before turning left and following the sign posted path up to the summit.

Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash

Fleetwith Pike, Buttermere

Found at the southern end of Buttermere valley, Fleetwith Pike rises from the valley floor at a constant 45 degree angle and casts an imposing presence over the lake below.

Although most people come to Buttermere to catch a glimpse of its reflections in the lake, the 648m summit offers stupendous views back down the valley over Buttermere Lake and Crummock Water.

Because of the unobstructed views looking north westward and the fact the wainwright can be summited relatively quickly, Fleetwith Pike makes a great choice for sunset.

The best place to park is Honister Slate Mine, which costs £5 all day. From there its a 2.5km hike up to the summit which involves 280m of elevation gain.

Alternatively if you have already parked in the valley you can hike up from the mountain rescue post at its base. The 2.8km route involves 520m of elevation gain and is pretty savage going.

For those who didn’t want to go all the way to the summit, there are several flat sections on the way up which still offer a great view down the valley

Skiddaw

Dominating the skyline high above the town of Keswick in the northern lakes lies mighty Skiddaw.

Isolated in stature and set apart from its neighbours, the unrestricted views from its summit and south side are arguably the best in the Lake District

The sixth-highest peak in England offers a magnificent panorama over the peaks of the eastern, central, southern and western fells.

One of the simplest of the Lake District 900m mountains to ascend, the most popular route to Skiddaw's exposed and wind-blasted summit is by Jenkin Hill Path.

Established as a pony route for Victorian tourists, the 5.2km route starts at Underskiddaw car park and involves 630m of elevation gain.

Alternatively you can take the more interesting route from the north, ascending via Ullock Pike and Carl Side to create a 10km loop.

Although not on my list of the best places to watch the sunrise in the Lake district, Skiddaw isolated location also makes it a great choice for sunrise.

Surprise View, Ashness

Hike distance: 20 meters

Hike time: 30 seconds

Parking: Surprise view

What Three Words Location: ///copying.shadowed.bounding

If you are either short on time or want to see the sunset with as little effort as possible, then this is spot for you.

Surprise view is an easy to reach viewpoint perched high on an oak-lined cliff edge high above the south-eastern shores Derwentwater.

From the two gravel car parks, you only have to cross the road to be granted sensational views back over Derwentwater towards Catbells, Skiddaw, and Bassenthwaite Lake.

If you have dogs or young children be careful as there are no barriers on the edge of the viewpoint.

The drive up to the car park is relatively steep and narrow, so take should be taken. On route to surprise view you will pass over Ashness Bridge, a narrow, stone, packhorse bridge, which has one of the Lake District’s most famous views.

Photo by Jack Anstey on Unsplash

So there we have it, my 7 favourite sunset locations in the Lake District National Park.

If I had to pick a favourite it would have to be Helvellyn closely followed by the Old Man of Coniston.

With 214 wainwrights and so many epic viewpoints, both high and low, there are a plethora of beautiful sunset locations scattered across the entire National Park.

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

Did you find the blog useful? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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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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