Loughrigg
Fell
2019 has been a quiet year for my walks, with one thing or another preventing me from doing as many as I would have liked to have done. So in September, I thought right I need to get out there and do a walk, even if it was just a short local walk. I started to look through my walking books and cards, and also looking on other walking sites to try and find one I fancied doing. I eventually thought I would go and do the Cavendish Pavilion, near Bolton Abby walk again. I then picked a free day to do the walk (21/09/2019).
I also did something I didn't normally do, which was check what the weather was doing, I know you should do this anyway, but more often than not I like to just get out there no matter what the weather is. The other thing I did, was choose another walk, so I could make up my mind on the morning of the walk which one I fancied doing. The 2nd walk was a bit of a journey to what I normally do, it was Loughrigg Fell in the Lake District.
I was up quite early on that Saturday morning, the sun was shinning, and it looked like it was going to be a nice day, another quick check on the weather in both areas, with the same forecast for both, sunny all day. I then thought lets do it, lets go to the Lake District, somewhere I haven't been walking in since my walking days with my very good friend Colin in the early 1990's.
I arrived at the outskirts of Ambleside at around 08:00, where I parked in Ambleside Waterhead car park, which is just opposite Lake Windermere, which looked stunning in the early morning sunshine, I spent around 30 to 45 minutes here taking photos.
View of Lake Windermere along the jetty by the Wateredge Inn Ambleside
While I was here, there was a Triathlon taking place, with people just finishing the swimming section next to the jetty, then crossing the road to collect their bikes from the car park for the next stage. After taking loads of photos, I headed back to my car, and drove into Ambleside to find the car park I would start my walk from.
St Mary's Church Ambleside
I parked in the Rydal Road car park, heading right out of the car park heading into the centre of Ambleside. Where the road forks, go right, The Climbers Shop is on your right, a little way down the street, you arrive at a pelican crossing. There is a café across the road called Esquires. I called in for a pre walk breakfast.
From here head across the road and go right, then immediate left into Vicarage Road. Continue along this road past St Mary’s Church on the left. Continue into Rothay Park
Continue ahead through the park, over the small footbridge spanning the River Rothay (just before the footbridge is a stone stack) and then left over the stone packhorse bridge.
Stone stack in Rothay Park just before the footbridge
Turn right along Under Loughrigg Road to cross the cattle grid, and then turn left into a lane signposted "public bridleway" which heads steeply up the hill.
Continue along the lane past Brow Head Farm, Miller Brow, and Deer Hows, to eventually reach the gate onto the open fell. Continue through the gate and bear right to leave the track and follow the wall round to the right for just a few metres. As the wall then bears right again to double back on itself you bear left on a path to round the knoll on your left. An obvious main path appears almost directly ahead aiming for a small notch in the skyline. A junction of paths lies below to your left.
The path winding it's way towards the gate to the open fell just after Deer Hows
Continue roughly ahead on the path which skirts some boggy patches, and where the path splits keep heading for the notch. Climb to a col below a cairn and bear right and then left around a boggy patch.
The trig point on the summit should come into view slightly left and still much higher.
Me at the trig point
There are many paths criss-crossing the bumpy plateau top. From the plateau, you get some lovely 360° views, Lake Windermere, Elter Water and The Langdale Pikes, just to name a few. Keep in mind where the summit trig point is, the actual path to get there doesn't really matter, just keep aiming for the trig point.
Looking back to Lake Windermere
From the trig point, bear right, heading north-west, towards Ewe Crag. From here you get a stunning view of Grasmere, a lovely spot for a bite to eat.
The View from my lunch stop
A path appears dropping down the ridge. Follow the path down, at times it requires clambering down short sections of rock, but there are no difficulties at all. Take care as the path can become hard going in wet weather. Continue down to Loughrigg Terrace, then turn right. Continue along the path to where it meets a path coming up from the left. Continue to where the path splits, go right below Ewe Crag. You will get views of Rydal Water to your left. You eventually arrive at Rydal Cave.
Rydal Cave with the stepping stones
Wow! What a cave. There are stepping stones to cross the shallow water at the entrance of the cave, once across this water the cave opens into a cavernous space. Well worth the visit.
From the cave head straight down the path in front of the cave into a wooded area. The path bears right, then left. Keeping Jobsons Close to your left. Go right, do not take the path to the waters edge. Continue through a gate onto a walled lane.
The walled lane
Continue along the road past some cottages and Cote How, and to Pelter Bridge. Go right at the bridge onto Under Loughrigg Road. Continue along the road back to the stone packhorse bridge, cross the bridge and then the footbridge, back into Rothay Park, and basically retrace your steps back into Ambleside town centre.
The River Rothay by the packhorse bridge
I stopped off in the Ambleside Tavern for a well-earned pint, then back to the car.
I couldn’t have picked a better day for this walk, the weather was stunning, glorious sunshine, but not too hot either, hardly if any clouds in the sky. I would certainly do this walk again.