Ullswater's west side gets busy, but few people take the time to explore the lake's eastern side. The little hamlet of Howtown is perfect for an expedition into the nearby peaks, either an ascent of Hallin Fell, or the more challenging charge along the old Roman road of High Street.
It's worth venturing on to see the little church of St Martin's, overlooking the remote Martindale valley.
Sheltered under the boughs of a thousand year-old yew, the church has a flagstoned interior housing a 17th-century pulpit and a 500-year-old church bell.
It's worth noting that the narrow, twisty road winding along the lake's eastern edge to Howtown is best avoided if you're a bad reverser – it's single-track pretty much the whole way from Pooley Bridge, and passing places are few and far between. A better way to arrive is via the Ullswater Steamers, which call in at the Howtown jetty en route from Glenridding and Pooley Bridge.
