Lake District: new trail to Orrest Head in Windermere opens

The woodland was gifted to Windermere and Bowness Town Council by the owners of Elleray Bank but had been closed off 'for many years.' 

The council said it needed work to make it safe and to encourage biodiversity. 

The opening of the new woodland trail (Image: Windermere and Bowness Town Council)

In 2012, the town steward Gary Hancox suggested putting a track through the area to enable people to visit while keeping the majority of the land for wildlife. 

The council asks visitors to stick to the trail so as not to disturb the native wildlife, which includes red squirrels (Image: Windermere and Bowness Town Council)

The trail has faced many challenges such as Storm Arwen. As the trail took shape, Cllr Lisa Greasley, lead of the Orrest Head and Elleray Woods Advisory Group (OH&EWAG), got the idea of installing chainsaw sculptures of native creatures along the trail.

Hikers can enjoy the chainsaw sculptures of woodland creatures as they navigate the trail (Image: Windermere and Bowness Town Council)

Artist Sorin Iosipescu produced ten sculptures along the trail. There are also bird and bat boxes made by the pupils of Windermere schools. 

The entrance to the trail, which offers a scenic detour on the way to Orrest Head (Image: Windermere and Bowness Town Council)

Visitors are asked to keep on the trail as the site is host to wildlife including deer, bats, owls and red squirrels.