Sallows and Sour Howes walk from Kentmere: a quieter Wainwright circuit

A short circular walk from Kentmere taking in Sallows and Sour Howes, with a rocky pull up Garburn, rough grassy ground on the tops, and two quieter Wainwrights that make more sense the longer you stay on them.

Sallows and Sour Howes from Maggs Howe, Kentmere

Is this walk for you?

This is a very good walk if you want a shorter day above Kentmere without feeling as though you have only been out for a leg-stretch. Sallows and Sour Howes are not fells that demand attention from miles away, but that is part of their appeal. They suit walkers who like quieter ground, open views and a route that feels a little rougher and less over-explained than the big-name honeypots.

Sallows and Sour Howes: my story

A few weeks earlier I had done the Kentmere Horseshoe in hot sunshine and ended the day with a couple of beers in the garden at Maggs Howe, a B&B on the hill opposite the two fells. When I left, I said I would be back before long, this time with Teresa, for a smaller walk that suited a night away rather than a full day on the high ridge. Sallows and Sour Howes seemed ideal for it.

These are not fells that loom over you from miles away demanding attention. They sit more quietly above Kentmere, tucked in beside the Garburn Pass and under the wider backdrop of the Horseshoe. That makes them easy to underestimate. It also makes them very satisfying once you are up there.

The night before Kentmere

Dinner in Bowness before our stay in Kentmere

It takes a bit of planning for the two of us to get away for a night. Even when everything is organised on paper, the first few hours usually involve a handful of little rearrangements before real life finally agrees with the plan. By the time we arrived in Kentmere, though, the hard part was done and the weekend could begin.

We dropped our bags at Maggs Howe and headed out again in search of food, eventually drifting down to Bowness after finding Windermere busier than we fancied. There was something pleasingly simple about ending up in a Chinese near the marina, eating spring rolls and rice with pan pipes floating around the room from somewhere they had no business being. Not every pre-walk evening has to be noble.

Up Crabtree Brow to Garburn Nook

I had been waking early all week, so when the alarm went at six I was up straight away. After breakfast we were on the trail, not long after half seven, hoping to get some of the climb done before the forecast rain worked its way in.

Through Kentmere and past the church, the route begins without much ceremony. A fork in the road points you right onto Crabtree Brow and then the Garburn Pass track. It is a quick, rocky ascent, the sort where you soon find yourself favouring the grassy edge because it offers a kinder step than the stones. There is no long warm-up. The day gets on with itself from the start.

Garburn Nook always feels like a small turning point. There is the bend in the track, the wooded corner, and the sense that the route is about to stop behaving like a lane and start behaving like a fell walk. Yoke draws the eye to the north, but we were turning south instead.

Sallows, the quiet first summit

Once off the Garburn line and onto the rising ground for Sallows, the route grows rougher and less certain. The map makes everything look neat enough, but on the ground there is that familiar Lake District mixture of grass, bog, slant and doubt. After wet weather I imagine it would be a much different proposition. On this day it was manageable, though not without the odd careful step.

Sallows is one of those summits where you arrive and think, yes, this must be it. There is no great cairn announcing the moment. No summit theatre. Just a quiet high point and the sense that Wainwright, as usual, saw something here that many walkers might pass over without fully noticing.

We spent a good while up there, taking photos, snacking and watching what the weather allowed of the view. It was not one of those huge, crystal-clear Lakeland mornings, but enough local shapes showed themselves to keep the summit company. Wansfell, Thornthwaite Crag and Harter Fell were all part of the day’s conversation, even if they stayed hidden in the mist.

On to Sour Howes and back by Capple Howe

JCB working on a dry-stone wall on Sour Howes

The original plan had included the possibility of dropping down to Troutbeck and aiming lunch at the Mortal Man, but by then it was still early and Teresa had made it clear that a pub lunch was not the priority. She wanted to get on with the walk, which is fair enough. Once lunch has been planned into a route for the supposed benefit of your companion, you sometimes have to accept that your strategy has been seen through and overruled.

The crossing to Sour Howes is part of what makes the walk worthwhile. A wall guides the eye and, for a while, the feet as well. The ground is rougher than it first appears, with boggier patches and enough broken texture to keep you paying attention. At one point the neatness of the intended line gave way to the reality of a broken wall section and a parked JCB waiting for Monday’s dry-stone wallers to return.

From there it was a short, awkward clamber over the damaged section and then up the grassy pull to Sour Howes. In the mist, it’s easy to think that one bare patch of earth is the summit, there are a few. Be sure to check your coordinates on an app if you’re in doubt.

Like Sallows, it is not a summit that shouts. It arrives quietly, almost modest to the point of reluctance. Teresa took my photo with the book and we stood there deciding on the best line down.

From Sour Howes the day gradually turns homeward. Less than half a mile away, the little wood at Capple Howe gives the eye something to aim at, and lower down Park Beck joins the descent. Eventually the route gathers itself onto the stony byway back towards Kentmere Hall and the village. Fell becomes track, track becomes lane, and before long the walk is behind you and already being talked about in the past tense.

Thirteen down, 201 to go.

What to expect on this walk

Expect a shorter outing rather than a grand mountain day, but not an effortless one. The Garburn climb is honest enough, the tops are rougher and less obvious than many popular routes, and there are wet patches that could become awkward after rain. The summits themselves are understated, lightly marked places rather than dramatic mountain crowns. That is the appeal. This walk is about quiet ground, shifting views, and two Wainwrights that reveal their worth gradually rather than all at once.

Tips before you go

Arrive early if you are parking in Kentmere, as space is limited.
After rain, expect softer ground and a more awkward crossing between the two tops.
This is a better walk for clear or improving weather than for thick mist, as the paths on the tops can feel vague.
Good footwear is worthwhile, especially on the rocky Garburn track and the grassy descent.
If you do want food afterwards, the Mortal Man makes more sense as a reward at the end than as something to build the walk around.

Frequently asked questions

How hard is Sallows and Sour Howes from Kentmere?
It is a moderate walk. The distance is not huge, but there is enough of an ascent, rough footing and faint-path terrain to keep it from feeling like a simple stroll.

How long does the walk take?
Around 3 to 4 hours is realistic for most walkers, depending on pace, stops, weather and how much time you spend at the summits.

Are the paths obvious?
Not all the time. The Garburn section is clear enough, but the tops are quieter and can feel less well-defined than the map suggests.

Is this a good walk for beginners?
Yes, for reasonably fit beginners with a map and a bit of patience. It is a good introduction to quieter fell country, but not a hand-holding path all the way round.

Are Sallows and Sour Howes worth doing?
Yes, especially if you enjoy the quieter side of the Lakes. They are not dramatic trophy summits, but they have a character that grows on you as the walk unfolds.

Next on the list is bigger country: High Street, Mardale Ill Bell and Harter Fell from Haweswater, a proper high-level round after two fells that were happy to keep themselves to themselves.

Sallows and Sour Howes Walk from Kentmere