A walk to Aira Force and Gowbarrow summit

This lovely challenging walk starts from the magnificent Aira Force, which pours its water into Ullswater, about which there is a sad, romantic legend. It tells of a beautiful damsel, Lady Emma, who was betrothed to Sir Eglamore. He was a knight and often away fighting the infidel and as these absences became longer she began to sleep walk, visiting places where she and Eglamore had wandered, much in love. One night she reached the edge of the high-level gap through which tumbled Aira Force.


As she stood in her trance, Eglamore, who had unexpectedly returned from his travels, set out to find her. When he came upon her overlooking the torrent, he believed that the noise of the falling water was the reason she did not respond to his calls, and he touched her arm. She awoke and, in her distressed state, tumbled into the depths. Eglamore raced down beside the ravine to rescue her. Eventually he found her far downstream and pulled her from the water, only for her to die in his arms. He was so distraught at losing his love that he became a monk and lived in a cave above the Force. He built a little bridge across the raging beck so that no one else should topple over in the same way.

Park in the Aira Force National Trust car park, grid ref 401201. Members, don’t forget your membership card. The car park lies on the A592, 2 1/2 miles north-west of Glenridding. Buses stop at the car park. There are toilets in the car park and pleasing tearoom just above the car park.

1 From the back of car park, follow the good track into woodland and curve right into The Glade. Cross the bridge over Aira Beck. Climb the steps beyond and at the Y-junction keep to the lower path. This leads on through glorious woodland and then winds a little right, and then left, to a bridge at the foot of the fall, where you will want to use your camera.


Return along the same path and, at the Y-junction of paths, turn sharp left. Walk up a short way to take a small gate on your right onto open fell. Walk ahead on a distinct reinforced path through bracken. Ignore path going off right.
2 Go on up and pause after a few steps to see, to your right, the crenellated Lyulph’s Tower – not open to the public. It was just above this dwelling that Lady Emma lived in a castle. Carry on up, with care, the sometimes pitched path, climbing all the time along the side of Gowbarrow Park. Pause to enjoy the superb views of the lake. After a mile, always up, you reach, left of the path, a lichen-covered picturesque, very hard stone seat.


A little further on there is a stile on the right to a cairn with a superb view – also a notice to say the path down the very steep slope is closed.
3 The path soon winds away from the steep drop for a short way. Then it returns once more. Here pause to enjoy the rocky ridges dropping steeply down, colourful with heather, thyme, hawkbit and tormentil – too steep and lacking soil depth to allow bracken to get established. Eventually the path, still reinforced, begins to descend close to the edge of the steep slopes dropping towards the lake. After nearly a mile from the seat you reach, on the left, a stone ruin, marked as a shooting lodge on the map. Turn left before it.
4 A good path continues, climbing again, until the reinforcing stops and a flatter area lies ahead. The path continues on, damp in places. At one point you have the choice of paths round a huge boulder. The path then begins to climb and comes close to the north side of Gowbarrow. Keep to the path as it winds back and forth and then, ascend easily, to the summit and its cairn. Here you might wish to have a pause, your lunch, and enjoy the stunning views.


5 Before you descend, look down (west) on the short path you came up last and return down it for a few steps to then take a wider grassy path, left, heading half right, towards a long wall descending the western slopes of the fell. This is easy to walk at first but as it gets lower and steeper it has been reinforced with large rocks, over which you should take care. Pause to enjoy the view. The way continues down for over 1/2 mile, coming beside a conifer plantation on your right. Then the hard work ends when you climb a ladderstile over the wall and walk ahead along a short path to join a track.


6 Turn left and follow the way eventually moving into woodland. The track is quite good but take care where stones protrude. Carry on ahead, past High Force and walk on ahead for 3/4 mile through the lovely decidous woodland. Eventually the track takes you out of the trees, to pass through bracken. Ignore the first short path right to a stile into the woodland and carry on to take the second little path and stile. Turn left and soon pass the gate on your left, taken at the start. Carry on downhill and then steps to reach The Glade. Follow the path ahead to the car park.


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Practicals

• Distance: 5 1/2 miles/9km
• Time: 4 hours
• Height gain: 993ft/334m
• Terrain: Path to the shooting lodge is good but high and exposed in parts. A reinforced path continues uphill to the start of damp area. The descent is good at first, with one short wettish area. The final steep descent needs care but the big rocks do keep your feet dry!
• Map: OS Explorer 5

For more photos, see "A walk to Aira Force and Gowbarrow summit" on Flickr.

If you enjoyed this blog post, find more walks by Mary Welsh either by clicking through to take a look at A list of walks in the Lake District or use the search bar in the top left hand of your screen.

Please read Mary Welsh's Golden Rules for good, safe walking before setting out.

A walk to Low Sweden Bridge, High Sweden Bridge and Stock Ghyll Force

This glorious walk leads on to the lower fell slopes just above Ambleside, takes in two delightful ancient bridges, and the magnificent Stock Ghyll Force. Once the small market town of Ambleside rang to the sound of clogged feet as workers trudged to the mills - these drew their power from the becks that tumbled between the houses. Today the becks still flow noisily on their way to Windermere but the other noise is that of happy visitors, many of whom are walkers.

1. Leave by the vehicle entrance to the car park and turn right to cross the road, with care, at the roundabout. Climb a very short way up steep Kirkstone Road (The Struggle) and turn into the first left. At the Y-junction walk Nook Lane, signposted ‘To Low Sweden Bridge’ and continue on passing many fine houses with magnificent views over the village to the fells beyond. Carry on to the end of tarmac, and then descend the on-going track to cross - with cameras handy - the fine bridge over the Scandale Beck.
2. Follow the main track as it zig-zags uphill. Pause often to enjoy the superb views, left, up through the Lakes with a first glimpse of Rydal Water. The distinct way passes through wall gaps and keeps on until you go over a wall by a ladderstile. Just beyond, are the remains of a sheepfold. Here descend, right, to climb another ladderstile over a lower wall. Then descend more, wind round a hillock on your left and the delectable High Sweden Bridge lies below. It is reached by the path dropping down by a fence and then through a gate.
3. This is a true packhorse bridge, with no parapets to hinder the panniers on laden horses. You will want to use your camera here and perhaps take a break on the smooth rocks on the other side of the bridge, that stretch back from the shallow pool downstream of the bridge.
4. Then continue on the narrow path along the waterside to bear right on to an old packhorse route. This gated way passes through fine deciduous woodland, with the Scandale Beck deep in its steep-sided gill, the haunt of dippers. Look for two old quarries on the left. Notice the sturdy openings at the base of the wall through which tumble streams, hurrying to join the beck below. Once out of the trees look for a gate into pastures on the left, made up of parallel poles. The gradually descending track ends at a gate on the edge of Ambleside.
5. Beyond walk on a few steps to take the signed left turn along a wide track between houses. Cross a narrow road and go on to the end of track. Pass through a small iron gate at the top of three steps, on your left, and then follow the path climbing gently beside larch woodland on you right. At the top of the slope wind a little left and take a gated step-stile through the wall on your right. Continue on a good path across the large pasture to a gate onto a wide track, with woodland to your left and a glimpse of Windermere to your right. Stroll this pleasing track all the way to reach The Struggle at a narrow corner of the road.
6. Go left, with care, for 180m/200yds, to take an access track on the right side of the road, beyond Sunny Bank cottages, to Roundhill farm. Pass through a kissing gate on right. Descend the zig-zagging track to side of Stockghyll beck and walk left to cross the tractor bridge over the stream. Climb the path up the slope to join a traffic-free tarmacked lane and walk right, first pausing to look left to see Red Screes and the white-painted Kirkstone Inn.
7. Just beyond the cattle grid, pass through the Victorian turnstile, on the right, into Stock Ghyll Park. Follow the red waymarks, right and then left, before stepping up to the railed edge of an immense ravine to see the spectacular waterfalls, particularly tumultuous after rain or snow. After your pause here, turn right and go on down through the lovely wooded slopes, with the beck to your right, to join the road. Stroll downhill and then bear right to dawdle through Ambleside and then on to car the park.

Practicals

• Start/Finish: Main pay-and-display car park at the northern end of Ambleside grid ref 376047
• Map: OS Explorer OL 7. English Lakes south-eastern
• Distance: 7.5km/4 3/4 miles
• Time: 2-3 hours
• Height gain: 320m/989ft
• Terrain: Distinct paths and tracks; packhorse track quite rough after the winter weather. Some road walking
• Refreshments: Spoilt for choice in Ambleside

For more photos, see "A walk to Low Sweden Bridge, High Sweden Bridge and Stockghyll Force" on Flickr.

If you enjoyed this blog post, find more walks by Mary Welsh either by clicking through to take a look at A list of walks in the Lake District or use the search bar in the top left hand of your screen.

Please read Mary Welsh's Golden Rules for good, safe walking before setting out.

A walk through Longsleddale

To many walkers this is the most beautiful dale in the Lake District. Through it runs one narrow metalled lane that continues for seven miles to its end at Sadgill. In summer its hedgerows are a glorious array of wild flowers. To one side lie exquisite buttercup meadows that descend delightfully to the River Sprint, which flows quietly here through it tree-shadowed banks on its way to join the Kent. To the east rise steep grassy slopes, seldom walked.

Ahead, as you continue, the craggy top of Kentmere Pike, bulky Harter Fell and Brantstree dramatically fill the skyline, and up through this wild head climbs Gatescarth Pass, a rugged track, the old way to Mardale and Haweswater.

Picturesque farms lie scattered through out the dale and half way along stands St Mary’s Church. It had been closed for refurbishment but now the interior walls have been whitewashed, the woodwork varnished and the grass in the churchyard cut. Much of the work was done by the families that live in the valley, in time for a wedding, an exciting happening in this lovely dale.
Opposite the church stands the community hall, once the valley school. Beside it a large parking area has been provided, two picnic tables and a loo - exceedingly well looked after with a vase of flowers on the window cill.

1. From the parking area, walk on along the lane for a short way to take a wide left turn. Descend the track to cross the River Sprint and bear right to pass through a gate onto an access track that winds through the meadows and leads to the first dwelling, Hollin Root. Just before the house, climb the slope on the left. Pass through a waymarked gate onto a wide walled ancient track, which winds left. It then rises gently, taking you above Spring Wood, the haunt of that now rare bird, the cuckoo. It is well reinforced all the way to the fell wall and a gate, which gives onto open access moorland beyond. Go ahead on the continuing track, which rises parallel with a wall to your left. Follow the grassy way as it, and the wall, curve right.
2. Stroll on up over the heather moorland, through a kissing gate and, still keeping beside the wall, look right to see several stone grouse butts. Carry on, to where the grassy trod winds sharp right, with a waymark fifty meters along it. Notice the cotton grass, waving in the breeze reminding you that this is high boggy moorland. Another waymark soon directs you left to go through a gate in the next wall, with a tumbledown wooden sheepfold, beyond and to your left. Keep on the generally dry track as it rises and falls, with glimpses of Skeggles Water behind some rare low craggy outcrops. Cross the tractor bridge over Skeggleswater Dike and on through the waymarked gate. The path then winds and descends to a rather muddy junction of tracks. Pause here to look down over the lush walled pastures towards Staveley, contrasting sharply with the moorland.
   
   
3. After a bit of bog hopping, caused by a stream using the same junction, turn right up a narrow reinforced path to start your return. It is soon joined by a wider track coming in on your left. Go on the steadily rising way and then descend to go through a gate at the opposite end of the wall passed through last. Follow the track as it passes between two solitary straggly hawthorns, set away from the path. Pass an ancient ruin on the left, and walk on until you reach a waymark directing you right down a path. This leads to the edge of shallow Skeggles Water where you might spot duck, black-headed gulls and little grebe. Then return to the waymark and turn right to continue on your way to Longsleddale.
4. Pass through the next gate and look back for a pleasant overall view of the tarn. Continue on the waymarked path, past a smaller ruin and then, suddenly, the good path gets lost in another boggy area. Cross it where other walkers and cyclists have done, then climb straight up the little slope towards a derelict wall. Wind right to pass through a gate. Beyond, the path generally distinct, occasionally disappears in small boggy patches. After diverting round these wet areas, make sure you look around to pick up the path once more. Soon the slopes beyond Longsleddale come into view and the descending path, at first grassy and clear, disappears for a few steps and then resumes its downward way. It then swings left and traverses the slopes from where you can see the scattered houses of the valley and also Sadgill and its lovely bridge. Pause awhile to view the track climbing steeply up Gatescarth Pass before walking on to pass through the gate in the wall ahead.
5. Follow the footpath beside the wall on your right and, at the next gate through it, look for the waymarks leading down a steep meadow. There is no path through the lush grass to follow as you descend to the wall at its foot. Here turn right and follow the waymarks, taking you beside a beck to pass to the left of the farmhouse, Till’s Hole. Just before the bridge over the Sprint turn right to walk a track beside it and pass through a signed gate. Keep beside the dancing water, with a steep slope to the right, and follow the path up to a gate, where you join the access track from Tom’s Howe. Go on ahead where there is a choice of ways to continue. Preferably cross the cattle grid and then climb a little right to go through a metal gate to rejoin the continuing track, which soon passes in front of a white house.
6. Stroll ahead on the lovely way, keeping left of a ruined building and then on a long pasture to go through the next gate. Stay beside the river where, in summer, you might spot a merganser with her brood ‘ski-ing’ along beside her. Follow the wall, pass behind a farmhouse, then climb a little slope with the waymarked fence to your left. Press on to descend to a gate to join a wide track and walk right. Go through two gates at Hollin Root, pass in front of the house to take the left of the next two waymarked gates. Follow the long track, taken near the start of walk, cross the bridge and continue, left, to the road, where you turn right along the lane to the church.

Practicals

• Start/finish: Large parking area opposite Longsleddale church, grid ref 522029.
• Map: OS Explorer OL 7.
• Distance: 12km/7 1/2 miles
• Time: 4 hours.
• Height Gain: 250m/815ft
• Terrain: Good tracks and grassy paths. Several boggy patches. Could be more after heavy rain. Don’t take short cuts over the tussocks or heather. Not to be attempted in the mist. Be alert for cyclists who enjoy this route and whose bikes make no noise on the grass and tracks.
• Refreshments: Spoilt for choice in Kendal.

For more photos, see "A walk through Longsleddale" on Flickr.

If you enjoyed this blog post, find more walks by Mary Welsh either by clicking through to take a look at A list of walks in the Lake District or use the search bar in the top left hand of your screen.

Please read Mary Welsh's Golden Rules for good, safe walking before setting out.