Brant Fell, the modest 191-metre hill that rises directly behind Bowness, is the best short walk on the southern side of the resort area. The summit cairn looks straight down the long axis of Windermere, with the lake stretching out for kilometres towards the southern reaches and the Coniston Fells filling the western horizon.
The popular route is the Dales Way approach from the centre of Bowness, climbing past Helm Lane and the old Post Knott shelter (where Victorian visitors sat to read the lake panorama). About 45 minutes up and back if you go straight, longer if you connect to Post Knott and the Biskey Howe viewpoint for a fuller round. Boots advisable in wet weather; the path through the woods can be muddy.