Gummer's How

Gummer’s How is a hill on the eastern shore of Windermere in the southern Lake District. The word ‘how’ comes from Old Norse and means a hill or mound. At 321 metres it is the highest of the local foothills and stands above Town Head House estate. From the summit there are wide views across Windermere, the Coniston fells, the central fells and Morecambe Bay. An OS trig point marks the top of the hill. The usual route starts at Astley’s Plantation car park, 700 metres from the summit. The walk is short but includes steep slopes, rocks, rowan trees, bracken and heather. The lower slopes are covered by forest while the upper slopes are open moorland. Alfred Wainwright wrote about the hill in The Outlying Fells of Lakeland and called it an ‘old man’s mountain’. He suggested it is the moment to stop climbing when the legs can no longer manage the slope. Simon Jenkins named the Windermere view one of the ten finest in England. The panorama takes in the Lake District peaks, the Pennines and the wide sweep of Morecambe Bay. The contrast between woodland and open moorland makes the climb interesting. Families often choose this short walk for its manageable length and varied scenery. The hill remains a quiet place to stand above the lake and look out over the fells.