Loughrigg Fell from Elterwater

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Loughrigg Fell from Elterwater

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Difficulty: Moderate
Duration: 3 Hrs
Distance: 9 Km

This trek will take you around the Loughrigg Fell, discovering the very impressive Loughrigg Cave, not a natural cave it is actually created from an old slate quarry blast, but is extremely impressive and even has its own small lake inside! The cave is only part of this trek though as there are also some amazing panormaic views towards the Langdale Pikes across the Langdale valley and then great views over Grasmere from Loughrigg Terrace. The picturesque village of Elterwater at the start of the walk is definitely worth a look as well. Its quite an easy trek but on the later stages the paths are not too clear, but stay in the right direction and you'll soon find one of the many paths leading back round Loughrigg Fell to Elterwater.

The start of the trek is from the small car park on the right hand side of the road near Elterwater. The road that leads past the picturesque village of Elterwater, with its awesome backdrop of the Langdale Valley, this is the gateway to one of the Lake District's most impressive area and summits known as the Langdale Pikes. Just before the welcome to Langdale signposts on the B5343 road as the village of Elterwater is seen on the left there is a car park on the hill to the right.

From the car park follow the road up northeast from the car park towards the road then the road will split into a road to the left, a rough track to the right and straight ahead you should take the rough path which climbs up the hill. As you climb higher up the rough path various paths do split off left and right, try and stay on the path which looks like it heads towards the top of the hill in a north easterly direction. If at this time you are fortunate to be able to turn round and see a clear view it will be simply awesome towards the Langdale landscape.

Keep continuing northeast wards up the hill for about a mile. If you do end up on one of the other paths you can still basically head in the general direction of the top of the hill ridge in front of you as at the top its pretty well pathed and flat. You will eventually end up on top of Dow Bank, the hill which lies along the col between Silver Howe and Loughrigg Fell. The views from here are amazing you can see from Windermere all the way round to the Langdale Pikes behind you and the view over the beautiful Grasmere towards the mighty Helvellyn and surrounding pikes in front of you.

Now at the top head downhill heading north east again and towards Red Bank and Red Bank Woods, on your way to the woods you will pass a stile in a stone wall where there is a famous rock that many a lake land landscape picture across Grasmere has been taken from over the years. Take time out here and you'll see why. Head on down now and reach the small road, when you hit the road go right down the road for a few hundred yards and you will see the wide stony track of Loughrigg Terrace that is signposted to Loughrigg Cave and Grasmere.

The well laid and managed Loughrigg Terrace now leads through the forest and down onto the hillside of Grasmere with some unique views across the impressive lake. Eventually Loughrigg Terrace leads right round the hill until eventually Rydal Water comes into view, the smaller neighbour of Grasmere. If you wish to bag the summit of Loughrigg, look out for the path to Loughrigg Fell that goes right off the min path, take this to bag the summit and marvel in its fantastic panorama, once done up here head back down to the path and continue on it turning right. After a while a path leads down from the Terrace towards the shores of Grasmere however we carry on round the hill until the path comes to an old slate dump. This is where on your right you will see the huge entrance to an old slate mine blast known now as Loughrigg Cave.

Loughrigg Cave is a real photo opportunity and the view from inside looking out towards Nab Scar with its reflection in the caves small lake is certainly unique. To get inside the cave you have to cross the stepping stones which cross the small lake that takes up half of the caves floor space. The small lake even contains thousands of tiny fish that have survived in here for years. After taking time out in the cave head out and to the right, not taking the first path immediately up the hill but the one just a few hundreds yards further on that is slightly clearer and now heads south over the side Loughrigg Fell. This part of the walk contains many wayward paths and is not the easiest walk in very wet and bleak moorland. Keep heading south past the side of Loughrigg Fell and then turning back south west once round the fell, you will reach a small area called Tarn Foot where the road past Loughrigg Tarn goes off to the right, if you wish to cut the journey short now, take the road past the tarn and it will lead back to Elterwater. If however you wish to complete the walk by exploring the gorgeous Elter Water shores then carry on down the road south towards Skelwith Bridge, where refreshments are available.

A path now leads from Skelwith along the side of the River Brathay from Skelwith Bridge along the shores and forests by Elter Water, this path is part of the Cumbrain Way so is easily sign posted and well maintained. Once you reach Elterwater village you may want to have a look around this picturesque lakeland village, once you have simply walk back towards the main road and the car park will be in site.

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