Last Updated on February 8, 2024 by Natalia
The High Dam Tarn circular walk in the Lake District is perfect for those seeking a peaceful escape from the crowds of Windermere. It’s a picturesque walking route, leading you through lovely woodland and around the tarn. In our opinion it’s one of the hidden gems in the Lake District, so it’s worth visiting for an hour or two to discover its beauty. As well as being a great place for a walk, High Dam is also a reasonably popular spot for wild swimming in the Lake District – so pack your swimwear if you fancy a dip! Find out everything you need to know before you visit with this guide to the High Dam Tarn walk in the Lake District.
High Dam Tarn Parking
The High Dam Tarn Car Park just outside Finsthwaite village provides pay and display parking at the start of the trail to the tarn. Parking charges apply from 9am-6pm, with prices starting at £1.50 for an hour and going up to £6 for a full day.
There is a cash parking metre at the car park, but if you don’t have enough coins then you can also make payment by card using RingGo Cashless parking.
Finsthwaite High Dam Tarn Parking Postcode – LA12 8BL
As the car park is not marked on Google Maps it can be a little hard to find, but you can find the exact location by clicking here and visiting the What 3 Words website.
If you’re just visiting for a walk then one hour should be enough, but if you want to go for a swim in High Dam Tarn it’s worth paying for more time.
High Dam Tarn Circular Walk
The High Dam Tarn walk starts near the entrance to the car park, with a path leading you uphill through a wooded area. It can be a little uneven as the path isn’t paved, but it’s not too strenuous as the uphill sections don’t last for too long.
Before you reach High Dam Tarn, you will come to Low Dam Tarn – a smaller yet equally tranquil spot. It takes around 10 minutes to walk from the car park to Low Dam, and from there it’s only a few minutes before you reach High Dam itself.
The circular walk around the tarn is relatively easy, and you have the choice of two different routes. Option one is a more flat walk which mainly stays close-by to the shore of the tarn.
Alternatively, option two partially follows a similar route along the shore before an uphill section which leads you above the tarn for part of the walk. Walking this route does give you some views of High Dam from above, however the trees do obscure the view most of the time so you never really get the view you might hope for.
High Dam Tarn is a great place for dog walkers, as well as being a good spot for some wild swimming in the Lake District. If you have a dog that enjoys getting wet then this is an ideal spot for a walk, especially on a warm summer’s day so that they can cool off in the water!
The circular walk around High Dam Tarn takes around an hour in total from the car park. If you’re walking a dog though, or want to swim in the tarn, then you may want to allow a bit longer for your visit.
We often use AllTrails to figure out and help guide us during hikes. If you want to make this High Dam Tarn walk longer then click here to view this hike on AllTrails.
Tips For Visiting High Dam Tarn
Popular with locals – High Dam Tarn is a popular spot for a walk for locals and dog owners, so it can sometimes be a little busy. There are only 20 spaces in the car park, so the best way to be absolutely sure of guaranteeing a space during summer is to arrive relatively early in the day. That being said, you will probably be able to get a space at other times, but as the tarn is getting increasingly popular it may become harder.
Plan ahead – Even if wild swimming isn’t normally your kind of thing, you may want to give it a go whilst at High Dam Tarn in the Lake District. We recommend planning ahead and bringing some swimwear and a towel, even if you think you won’t be tempted to go for a swim!
Other spots to visit – Whilst you’re in the Windermere area you may also want to visit the nearby Bobbin Mill and/or the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway. If you want another walk in the area then we recommend visiting Gummer’s How for some lovely views over Windermere Lake.
Blea Tarn – If you want another picturesque tarn to visit in the Lake District then we recommend visiting the beautiful Blea Tarn, which is around a 45-minute drive away from High Dam. The scenery surrounding Blea Tarn is particularly impressive so it’s well worth the drive, and it’s also close to the unique Cathedral Quarry which is definitely worth visiting too!
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