Grasmere and Rydal Water

Directions

Walk back to the Ambleside/Keswick Road (Ambleside end of the village). Cross near the roundabout and go up the minor road opposite. Pass Dove Cottage on the left (former Wordsworth home).

Continue up the lane, past the Coffin Stone to a junction where the sign points right to Ambleside. Go left at this junction following the half-hidden low sign saying 'Path to Rydal'. This former path is now a metalled road until it passes some cottages and downgrades to a bridle path running alongside a stone wall.

You will glimpse occasional views of Grassmere Lake on the right. Go through a gate into a wooded section. Cross a stream and, where the path forks, take the right fork following the wall down, then uphill again towards the rugged face of Nab Scar. Go through a gate. Another gate takes you to a terrace overlooking Rydal Water. The path continues to undulate and to wind to and fro near the edge of the woodland, but is well marked throughout.

Go through a gate onto a sunken track that turns away from the lake and goes past some cottages. The next gate leads to a T junction where you turn right onto a road.

Follow the road down into Rydal, past Rydal Hall (Conference Centre) and Rydal Mount (another former Wordsworth home - on the right).

Cross the main road and turn left (towards Ambleside). Walk about 200yds to Pelter Bridge (packhorse bridge). Cross the bridge and immediately turn right. Go past the Car Park and on up past some cottages to a gate onto a bridle path. Continue through trees to another gate, where the end of Rydal Water comes into view. The path immediately splits and you should take the left (higher) path.

After a while the path moves away from the lake and passes a cave entrance. Continue up and follow the path as it sweeps left and up to another, larger, cave which you can enter by crossing stepping-stones over a shallow pool.

Continue on the path past quarry workings and back to an overview of the lake. Looking across Heron Island you can see Nab Scar, which you passed on the first part of the walk. The path passes out of sight of the lake behind some trees, then it divides whereupon you take the right fork to pass the end of Rydal Water.

At a T junction turn left to walk alongside a wall (following the sign to Grasmere, High Close and Langdale). Where the path comes up to a ridge, giving a view of Grasmere lake, take the right fork and drop down towards the lake (follow the yellow arrow). Pass a footbridge and continue ahead to the lake shore. Go through a kissing gate and follow the path through the wooded edge, keeping close to the lake shore.

The path crosses a wooden bridge and turns sharp left to pass a large house. Follow the path uphill and go up some wooden steps to turn right onto a road. Follow the road down into Grasmere.

PUBLISHED MAPS

Ordnance Survey - 1:50 000 - The English Lakes South-eastern area - Explorer OL7 To buy this map from Amazon click here