Every fortnight Harriet Sharkey tries out another 'Miles without Stiles' walk featured on the Lake District National Park Authority website. This time Harriet heads along the shore of Windermere.

Overview: Easy path, part tarmac and part rough track; ferry crossing included.

Distance: 4km (2 miles)

Time: 1 - 2 hours, depending on ferry crossing times.

Map Ref: Outdoor Leisure 7: The English Lakes - Southeastern Area. Start point GR 398959 (Ferry Nab car park).

Parking: Car parking at Ferry Nab close to the ferry landing stages on the east shore, or in Bowness; if you choose to begin on the west shore, there is a National Trust car park on the route at GR 388960.

Gradients: Mostly flat.

Refreshments: Cafs and pubs in Bowness, plus refreshments stalls at Ferry Nab (open weekends and holidays).

Toilets: At Ferry Nab car park and Bowness Information Centre both with wheelchair access (Radar Key needed). Also outside Ferry House on west shore (not disabled).

Public transport: From Ferry Nab a car ferry crosses the lake to Ferry House every 20 minutes in daylight hours. The ferry may be cancelled in very bad weather. From Easter to October, an alternative crossing to Ferry House is available on The Cross-Lakes Shuttle from Bowness Pier 3 (not recommended for wheelchairs). Regular buses to Bowness from Windermere and from Ambleside, Keswick, and Kendal serve Bowness Information Centre, and Pier 3, roughly 1km from Ferry Nab. Seasonal shuttle bus (Easter Oct) from Windermere Railway Station to Bowness. From the west, a seasonal Cross-Lakes Shuttle minibus runs from Hawkshead and Coniston Waterhead Hotel to Ferry House.

The west shore of Windermere is quite different to its eastern counterpart, with thick woods instead of streets and houses, and a shoreline hemmed by pebble beaches and gnarled trees that have withstood the rising ebb and flow of the lake for many decades. This route begins with a leisurely ferry crossing from the east to the west of the lake then follows the shoreline as far as Bass How. It is linear and easy, with views across the lake at every point except where the tree cover thickens. Beyond the main road, the first 1 km follows a tarmac lane, used by a few local residents and a trickle of visitors who come to walk or to picnic by the lake. The tarmac then gives way to a stony track which is navigable by most pushchairs, assisted wheelchair users and powerchairs. Beyond Bass How the ground becomes much rougher and is no longer suitable for wheelchairs. You may want to continue if you are on foot, but we turn back at Bass How.

You can extend this walk by combining it with the route featured in the January 16 edition of The Westmorland Gazete's Leisure section, which follows the path from the Glebe and around Cockshott point to Ferry Nab.

Route Unless you choose to park on the west shore, your outing begins on the east shore in the Ferry Nab car park 1. The ferry accommodates cars, bikes, wheelchairs, pushchairs and foot passengers and the crossing takes roughly ten minutes.

On the west shore when you have left the ferry you need to follow the main road around the headland for about 400 metres. It is usually quiet but at weekends or holiday periods it does get busy, so take care. Take the first right 2 and follow the tarmacked lane as it winds beneath the towering trees of Station Scar Wood. It soon emerges from the trees and cuts through the undulating grassy fields of Harrow Slack, with open views east and north across the lake, past Belle Isle. This open green space is a popular landing place for small boats and picnickers, and a great spot for children to play.

The road continues to shadow the shore-line and meets a gate where the tarmac ends and a rougher track begins 3. The stony track is flanked by rising woodland and fern-covered ground on the left, and tree-lined shore on the right. Through the trees you may catch glimpses of billowing sails, wind surfers, cross-lakes ferries and motor boats.

When you reach Bass How 4 you will see a landing stage jutting out beyond the cover of the trees. From here there's a breathtaking view of the whale-like humps of the hills beyond Troutbeck, on the other side of the lake. Because the surface underfoot is difficult from here on, I recommend following the track back to Ferry House, enjoying southwards views as you go.

This walk is taken from a collection of more than 20 routes in the Lake District National Park that have been earmarked and maintained by the LDNPA and are suitable for people with limited mobility. The routes, which have been checked by park rangers, are described in a special booklet available from Tourist Information Centres and are covered on the authority's website: www.lake-district.gov.uk