Bowness
Lakes Hotel & Spa
Hotel · Bowness-on-Windermere — Rooms and suites, spa facilities and dining near the lake.
The Lakes / Goats Water
GOATS WATER · DOW CRAG VIEWS & CONISTON WALKS
Goats Water
Goats Water sits below the steep face of Dow Crag in the Coniston fells. A walk to this mountain tarn brings rocky scenery and close-up views of the crags, with longer routes continuing towards Goats Hawse and the surrounding summits.
Last updated: 25 October 2026
A mountain tarn below Dow Crag
The tarn is a destination in its own right. You can plan a return walk to the water without continuing onto Dow Crag or the Old Man of Coniston.
Expect a fell-country outing with rough ground and ascent. Choose your route around your group’s experience, the mountain forecast and the daylight available, leaving time to enjoy the view before returning.
Things to do: walk towards Goats Water
A common approach uses the Walna Scar track above Coniston before following the path into the hollow beneath Dow Crag. Use a current map and a detailed walking guide to identify the correct junctions and your return route.
Starting in Coniston village adds distance and climbing compared with starting at Walna Scar car park. Calculate the whole outing from your actual starting point rather than relying on a single estimated time.
The tarn approach and a Dow Crag ridge circuit are different walks. Check the full route, terrain and ascent before choosing a guide.
Pause at a suitable place by the tarn to look up at the crags, and keep to established paths. Keep dogs on leads around livestock, close gates and take all litter home.
Goats Hawse and higher mountain routes
Continuing above the tarn towards Goats Hawse adds a steeper climb. Routes onto Dow Crag or the Old Man of Coniston need their own planning, with enough time and energy for the descent.
Stay clear of cliff edges and do not follow climbing gullies as walking shortcuts. Rock-climbing lines on Dow Crag require appropriate experience and equipment; they are separate from a planned walking route.
Our Seathwaite Tarn and Langdale guides offer ideas for other days out. They should not be treated as simple extensions to a Goats Water walk.
Access and preparation
Checked 25 October 2026: the National Park lists Walna Scar as pay-and-display parking with card payment and a cashless option. Check current charges and signs on arrival rather than relying on older free-parking descriptions.
The mountain approach has rocky and uneven ground and is not a surfaced, level accessible circuit. Choose a different outing with a published access description if your group needs a wheelchair or pushchair route.
Carry a map and compass, waterproofs, warm layers, a torch, food and drinking water. Wear suitable footwear, check the mountain forecast and tell someone your route and expected return.
Getting here and planning your return
Coniston is the main village base for this approach. Walna Scar car park is reached by a steep single-track road from the village; check directions before travelling and keep passing places and gateways clear.
Use village facilities before heading into the fells. If arriving by public transport, check the current timetable and allow for the additional walk from the village and the last return service.
Allow extra time for wet ground, rest stops and photographs. In poor visibility, strong wind, ice or heavy rain, choose a shorter route or another day.
Places to stay for a Coniston walking break
The Coniston Inn offers a base in Coniston for exploring the area. Lakes Hotel & Spa in Bowness and The Swan at Grasmere are wider Lake District alternatives, requiring a separate journey to the start of this walk.
Compare hotel locations, facilities and booking terms before checking availability. A longer stay gives you more flexibility to choose a suitable day for the fells.
Coniston
The Coniston Inn
Inn / pub with rooms · Coniston — Rooms, dining and a setting close to Coniston Water.
Grasmere
The Swan at Grasmere
Inn / pub with rooms · Grasmere — Historic Lakeland pub, rooms and access to nearby fell walks.
Goats Water: useful questions
Can I swim in Goats Water?
Confirm current permission and access with the landowner before planning a swim. Mountain water can be very cold, and you still need time, energy and dry warm clothing for the return walk. Do not assume clear-looking water is safe.
Can I wild camp?
The National Park says wild camping requires the landowner’s prior permission. Its guidance distinguishes this from the traditional tolerance of small, discreet high-fell camps. That tolerance is not a booking or guaranteed permission. Do not camp in car parks or roadside verges.
Read the current wild-camping guidance →
Can I fish?
Check current fishing rights, permission, permits and seasonal rules with the landowner or rights holder before travelling. Do not rely on a generic high-tarn fishing season or assume that a rod licence alone grants permission.
Can I drink the water?
Bring enough drinking water for your planned outing. Do not assume untreated tarn or stream water is safe to drink.
For equipment planning, see our guides to walking boots, Ordnance Survey maps, compasses, sun protection and walking emergency kits. Choose equipment suited to the conditions and know how to use it.
A look around Goats Water
Places to visit nearby
Explore Coniston Water and the Ruskin Museum on separate outings, or use our Old Man of Coniston guide when planning a mountain day. Give each walk its own route and weather check.
