With the Hawkshead post office on your right, continue along this road until you come to the village square. Turn left at the far end of the square. You will pass underneath a narrow rectangular archway that leads on to Vicarage Lane. Go up this lane (approx. 200 metres) and turn right though a swinging gate. (It is sign posted public footpath to Tarn Hows and will lead you into a field). Follow the footpath for approx 100 metres and up the steep slope until you come to two gates (approx 50 metres apart) after this you will come on to a wide track.

Continue straight ahead and pass through another gate after approx 150 metres. You will then cross over a small beck where you need to bear left up the stepped embankment to enter into a field. Follow this footpath straight ahead and cross over a farm track after 250 metres. Continue in this direction to link onto a lane approx 100 metres further on. Turn left and head towards the cottages in the centre of Hawkshead Hill. Here you will see a narrow lane on the right signposted for Tar Hows.

Turn right and after approx150 metres you will see a large house on the corner of the road junction. Turn left after 5-10 metres then turn right onto the single-track lane. This will be sign posted for Tarn Hows.

Carry on for about 50 metres then go over the ladder style on your left. Turn right once over the style and follow the footpath over to another style. Continue straight ahead where you will find two more styles in the far corner. Cross over the RIGHT hand style and walk between the trees until you reach a footpath junction where there will be a gate on the right.

Go straight ahead at this junction and follow the path until you approach a style and a gate on the side of the lane. DO NOT GO OVER THE STYLE but turn left and walk along side the wall on your right, you will then join onto the lane after approx 200 metres.

Turn left here and within about 50 metres you will need to turn right into a small car park. Exit this car park via the swing gate, then carry on for ¼ of a mile on the wide track where you will see Tarn Hows on your left, until you reach a junction. Bear to the left where it is sign posted circular path. This will link you up with a lower path.

Turn right and follow this path. You will then cross over a wooden footbridge at the head of Tarn Hows, continue for approx 50metres and pass though a gate. You will then arrive at a 3-way junction.

Turn right where it is signposted Arnside and Langdale. The path will fork almost straight away so bear to the right with the tarn behind you. Follow this path until you reach another style and gate with a wide tack on the other side. Turn right and follow this lane for approx 1¼ miles.

Turn right and the first left onto a narrow lane following the signs for Hawkshead. Follow this lane until you arrive at a T-junction on the Coniston-Hawkshead road. Turn left and walk down the hill onto the Ambleside road. Turn right and you will see Hawkshead Post Office.