Miles Without Stiles is the Lake District National Park Authority’s collection of 50 more accessible routes. According to the National Park, they have no stiles and are suitable for people with limited mobility, including wheelchair users, families with pushchairs and visually impaired visitors, “and anyone who wants an easier walk with no scrambling, climbing or steep hills”.
The catch is that “accessible” is not one thing. Each route has a grade, and the grade is what matters.
The four grades
The National Park’s grades are based on gradients and surfaces. They are a guide only, so you can decide what suits you and your equipment.
| Grade | Suitable for | Gradient | Surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| For all | Everyone, including pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters | No more than 1:10 | Tarmac or smooth, compacted stone (10 mm or less). At least 1 m wide with passing places |
| For many | Many walkers, and pushchair, wheelchair and scooter users with more robust all-terrain equipment | Existing gradients no more than 1:10 (new ones can be up to 1:8) | Rougher stone, 4 cm or less |
| For some | Some walkers, and confident wheeled users with more extreme all-terrain equipment | Not limited, but slopes over 1:6 have improved surfacing or handrails | May have low steps or breaks up to 10 cm, and stone up to 10 cm |
| Challenging | Very confident users only | Up to 1:4 for short lengths (under 10 m), up to 1:6 for longer | Longer rough sections, soft or muddy ground, and ruts or roots of 10 to 20 cm |
If you’re unsure, the National Park’s advice is to try a “for all” route first, then “for many”, then “for some”, before a “challenging” one. Mobility scooters must be class 2 or 3 on the routes. Path conditions can change after rain or damage, and routes are occasionally closed or diverted for repairs, so check the individual route page before you go.
Five routes around Keswick and Grasmere
All details below are from the National Park’s route pages, checked on 14 November 2026. Distances are as shown in the route’s grade box.
| Route | Grade | Distance | Time | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keswick Railway Path (Keswick to Threlkeld) | For all | 5.6 km (3.48 miles) one way | 2.5 hours | Public car park opposite the old station, Keswick. Bus service X4/5 runs between Keswick and Threlkeld. |
| Howrah’s Path (Keswick to Portinscale) | For many (see note) | 3.35 km (2.1 miles) | 1.5 hours | Starts at Keswick bus station, outside Booths. Bus stops at both ends. |
| Friar’s Crag (Derwentwater) | For many, currently “for some” | 3.17 km (1.97 miles) | 1.5 hours | Follows the road from the theatre to the Derwentwater shore. |
| Grasmere Jubilee Walk | For some (mostly “for all”) | 1.81 km (1.12 miles) | 1 hour | Starts at Broadgate car park, Grasmere. |
| Latrigg (viewpoint above Keswick) | For some | 1.01 km (0.63 miles) each way | 0.5 hours | Car park at the head of Gale Road. |
Keswick Railway Path
This follows the old Keswick to Penrith railway, crossing the River Greta on Victorian railway bridges. The National Park says that since its reopening in December 2020, the gradients and surface have been designed for all levels of mobility. The route is 5 km each way, and the page also describes it as a 10 km route for the there-and-back trip. There are no toilets on the route. The nearest public toilets are next to Bell Close car park in Keswick, about a 10-minute walk from the start, and in Threlkeld village hall, about 300 m from the end.
Path status (checked 14 November 2026): the National Park’s news update dated 1 November 2026 said the scheduled bridge-replacement works were complete and “the route is all open”. The route page still says further works are being planned, so check that page, and the news update, before you go.
Howrah’s Path, Keswick to Portinscale
A level route across the fields of the River Derwent flood plain, with views of Skiddaw to the north and Cat Bells to the south. From the bus station you walk along Tithebarn Street and Main Street, over the River Greta, then follow the Derwentwater Walk to the road and the suspension footbridge into Portinscale, which has pubs, a shop and a tea room. The National Park says the Honister Rambler 77/77A stops at Portinscale eight times a day from March to October, so you can walk one way and take the bus back when that seasonal service is running.
A note on the grade: the route page’s official grade box still says “For many”, which is the grade we quote in the table. The same page’s headline still says “Route for all”. Until the National Park aligns those two lines, treat it as “for many” and read the route page on the day.
Friar’s Crag
A relatively level lakeside route with views over Derwentwater to Cat Bells and the “Jaws of Borrowdale”. Check before you go: when we read the route page on 14 November 2026, the National Park still said the route is not currently up to “for all” standard, because of rough sections with potholes and steps of up to 70 mm, and that it currently meets only the “for some” standard. It also warned that the final section down to the viewpoint is damaged and unsafe for people on wheels, with the National Trust working on repairs. That warning may be updated, so re-read the Friar’s Crag route page before you set out.
Grasmere Jubilee Walk
Created in memory of Queen Elizabeth II, with the Grasmere Village Society, the National Trust and Westmorland & Furness Council. It follows the River Rothay, goes through National Trust woodland at Butharlyp How and past Allan Bank, and returns along the Grasmere Riverside path. Most of it is “for all” standard, but one section through the woodland is “for some”: a slope of up to 1:5 for about 50 m on a good gravel surface. The National Park recommends walking it anticlockwise.
Latrigg
A short, initially steep walk to a viewpoint. The steepest part is 1:7 for 150 m on well-compacted stone, and the National Park doesn’t recommend it for people propelling their own wheelchairs. The route ends at a bench with views, short of the summit. If you want to walk to the summit, see the easiest Wainwrights guide.
Also worth knowing
- Buttermere Lakeshore is a classic Miles Without Stiles route, but when we checked on 14 November 2026 the National Park still said there were lots of rough sections due to washout and that the route met only the “challenging” grade at best. It’s a good example of why you should read the route page on the day.
- More routes. The National Park has added routes in recent years, including Howrah’s Path, the Grasmere Jubilee Walk and others at Grizedale and Whinlatter. See the list of all 50.
- Each route page has a PDF map and details of the facilities, which can change.
- Wider access information is on the National Park’s accessible for all page.
- Hiring a scooter or wheelchair (checked 14 November 2026): the National Park’s hire page lists all-terrain mobility scooter hire through Outdoor Mobility at Whinlatter Forest and the Langdale estate, and National Trust hire at Tarn Hows, Sizergh Castle, Acorn Bank and Wray Castle. Shopmobility in Kendal and Penrith hires transportable scooters for a holiday (not by the hour or day, because of insurance). Locations, booking rules and availability change, so use that official page to book.
Why this matters for planning
Most “easy walk” lists tell you a walk is “gentle”. These routes tell you the gradient, the surface and the width. That’s what you actually need to know if you have a pushchair or a wheelchair, or just a tricky knee.
For a flat walk with views of Cat Bells, see our Cat Bells guide. For mountain days, read how to check the mountain weather.
Sources
Checked on 14 November 2026. Official pages change: confirm anything time-sensitive (buses, car parks, closures) before you travel.
- Miles without Stiles accessible routes (grades explained) (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Keswick Railway Path (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Bridge works update on the Keswick to Threlkeld Railway Trail (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Howrahs Path, Keswick to Portinscale (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Friar's Crag (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Grasmere Jubilee Walk (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Latrigg (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Buttermere Lakeshore (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Five new accessible Lake District walking routes unveiled (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Accessible for all (Lake District National Park Authority)
- Wheelchair and mobility scooter hire (Lake District National Park Authority)
Spotted something out of date? Tell us via the contact page and we’ll check it.