Gilwilly: The Clear Your Head Circuit

Take an hour and discover a quieter Eden. A short walk from town taking in Cumbria Wildlife Trust’s Thacka Beck Nature Reserve and a quiet country road snaking through rural countryside.
2.65 miles
Easy
43m
1hr

Walk Information

This hour long walk will help clear your mind and get closer to nature.

See the seasons and colours change at Thacka Beck’s wetland and see if you can spot some of the abundant birdlife from the benches and viewing points around the site.

Follow the National Cycle Route through on a loop through Penrith’s tranquil countryside and soak up its rural charm.

Ideal for anyone working or living locally to leave their desk and discover nature on their doorstep.

Surface Details

Pavement along the roads (20%) Quiet road sections (60%) Thacka Beck nature reserve loose stone (15%) roadside loose stone and gravel footpaths (5%).

Accessibility

Please note that some of the rough stone paths around the reserve are sloping. The rest of the route is tarmac, pavement and some narrow gravel pathways. There are short sections of pavement on this route that adjoin busy roads.

Please be aware of livestock whilst walking in the countryside, most cows and sheep on public right of ways are safe but stay alert to the potential risk to you and your walking party, especially with cows and calves (see the link for more info. to stay safe). Keep your dog on a lead around all livestock, even if your dog is especially well-behaved, the poor sheep don’t know this! Especially in lambing time, try to leave the field as calm as you found it. To learn more about walking in the countryside around farm animals please visit: Countryside Walking Tips: Safety Around Livestock at: www.rspcaassured.org.uk/farmed-animal-welfare/other-animal-welfare-concerns/advice-for-walking-in-the-countryside/

Plan Your Visit

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Nearest Bus Stop: Musgrave Street
Parking: Street Parking at route start - Gilwilly Business Park.

Directions

1
Start on Cowper Road at roadside.
2
Follow the road downhill and turn right into Bowerbank Way.
3
Follow Bowerbank Way. Just after it turns to the right, look out for the entrance to Thacka Beck nature reserve on your left crossing a small footbridge. Follow gravel path across footbridge.
4
Turn right at the end and follow the path through the reserve – keeping the pond on your left.
5
Follow path a short distance and take the left fork.
6
Follow the path, keeping Thacka Beck pond on your right hand side until you reach exit gate. Turn left and follow tarmac road.
7
Follow road until you reach M6 underpass. Turn left and through underpass.
8
Follow the road until you reach the old Newton Rigg campus buildings. Keep left and follow pathway running directly alongside buildings.
9
Keep straight ahead, heading through the old Newton Rigg campus buildings following National Cycle Route 7 signage Exit the campus and turn left onto Newton Road.
10
Keep to the left side of the road for a short distance and look out for the entrance to a footpath running behind the roadside hedgerow, keeping you safely away from the roadside.
11
Follow narrow gravel footpath behind hedgerow to its end.
12
Follow the road for a few yards and look to your left for the entrance to the next footpath running behind hedgerow.
13
Exit footpath and join left roadside pavement and turn left. Continue to T junction and turn left onto B5288
14
Keep to narrow dirt pathway on left heading into Penrith.
15
Keep to left pavement, crossing straight over first roundabout, taking first exit.
16
Turn left at second roundabout back into Gilwilly Business Park.
17
Keep to the left pavement and bear left at the junction to join Cowper Road and a short walk back to your starting point.
18
A short walk down Cowper Road will complete the loop.