Loughrigg Fell - Monday 27 February 2023
Route
Ambleside - Rothay Park - Lily Tarn - Todd Crag - Ivy Crag - Loughrigg Fell - Loughrigg Terrace - White Moss - Town End - Grasmere
Parking
We parked in Keswick and caught the bus to Ambleside. On arrival in Grasmere we caught the bus back to Keswick.
Mileage
6 miles
Terrain
Good mountain & woodland paths throughout
Weather
Dull & overcast with good visibility
Time Taken
3hrs 45mins
Total Ascent
1384ft (422m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL7 - The English Lakes (South Eastern Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
Ambleside - Rothay Park - Lily Tarn - Todd Crag - Ivy Crag - Loughrigg Fell - Loughrigg Terrace - White Moss - Town End - Grasmere
Parking
We parked in Keswick and caught the bus to Ambleside. On arrival in Grasmere we caught the bus back to Keswick.
Mileage
6 miles
Terrain
Good mountain & woodland paths throughout
Weather
Dull & overcast with good visibility
Time Taken
3hrs 45mins
Total Ascent
1384ft (422m)
Wainwrights
1
Map
OL7 - The English Lakes (South Eastern Area)
Walkers
Dave, Angie & Fudge
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GPX File
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Route Map
Today's outing started from Keswick. After parking our car in High Hill we wandered down to the Bus Station and caught the bus to Ambleside. At £2 each and Fudge travelling for free what's not to like - use them or lose them.
Bridge House over Stock Beck in Ambleside
Bridge House is one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District and a popular subject for many artists including J M W Turner. The building is tiny, was originally an apple store for nearby Ambleside Hall and was built over Stock Beck to escape land tax. It is said that at some time a family with six children lived here in the two rooms. In 1926 it was purchased by a group of local people who passed it into the care of the National Trust, which 20 years later they turned into their first information and recruitment centre. You can now visit without charge to see the 2 sparsely furnished rooms.
Bridge House is one of the most photographed buildings in the Lake District and a popular subject for many artists including J M W Turner. The building is tiny, was originally an apple store for nearby Ambleside Hall and was built over Stock Beck to escape land tax. It is said that at some time a family with six children lived here in the two rooms. In 1926 it was purchased by a group of local people who passed it into the care of the National Trust, which 20 years later they turned into their first information and recruitment centre. You can now visit without charge to see the 2 sparsely furnished rooms.
A right turn from Compston Road leads to firstly Vicarage Road then Rothay Park
St Mary's Church in Ambleside
Having passed the church, the route enters Rothay Park
The stone circle and obelisk known as "Turning Point" in Rothay Park. The project was created by local young people working in conjunction with local artists in order to mark the Millennium. The sculpture was unveiled in July 2000 and a time capsule was buried here.
The route crosses the River Rothay via Miller Bridge
From the bridge the route heads up an access road
From the access road a stone stile is crossed which leads on to the open fell side
Almost immediately the views open out over to the Fairfield Horseshoe
Whilst we were not seeing it in the best light, it was still lovely to sit and relax at Lily Tarn
Windermere from the approach to Todd Crag
Todd Crag ahead of us now as Fudge finds something more interesting to sniff at
Lily Tarn & Windermere from Todd Crag
From Todd Crag the path drops down to handrail a wall to the left. Loughrig Fell's summit is now in view straight ahead.
The route continues to follow the wall but would soon veer away to the right
Leaving the wall, the route crosses a grassy depression to be greeted by a myriad of paths, most of which eventually lead to the summit
Looking across to Coniston Old Man, Wetherlam & Great Carrs
Ivy Crag - worth a slight detour.........
....... for the view down to Loughrigg Tarn and beyond to the Coniston Fells
The final approach to Loughrigg Fell - we headed over to the right to reach the summit
The summit of Loughrigg Fell and the damaged Trig Point which thankfully has since been repaired
A family pic on the summit of Loughrigg Fell - Fudge as usual refuses to smile
Looking to Great Langdale from the summit of Loughrigg Fell
Elterwater with the Coniston Fells beyond
Looking north to Seat Sandal, Dollywaggon Pike & the Fairfield range
The eastern summit of Loughrigg Fell with a distant Froswick, Ill Bell & Yoke - Wansfell is over to the right
Grasmere below as we make our descent from Loughrigg Fell
Our descent route was the very popular path coming up from Loughrigg Terrace. Fix the Fells have clearly been doing a bit of work on the path judging by the plethora of bags containing large bits of stone. A link to the Fix the Fells website is here.
Loughrigg Terrace below as we near the lower part of the descent - at the bottom we would be turning right and taking a longer route back to Grasmere although the village can also be reached by turning left.
Loughrigg Terrace - the path links Rydal & Grasmere and is a delightful amble
Grasmere Water from Loughrigg Terrace
At the eastern end of Loughrigg Terrace a gate is reached - through the gate (our route) leads to White Moss however if you wish to visit the quarry caves at Rydal then proceed straight on.
From the gate, the path descends gently down through White Moss Wood
White Moss Bridge over the River Rothay between Grasmere & Rydal Waters
The bridge was installed in July 2014 as a replacement to the previous wooden footbridge to become part of a network of cycleways and access improvements throughout the Lake District. The bridge was commissioned by the Lake District National Park. The design of the bridge was inspired by the existing elements on site, the three triangular stone pillars supporting the bridge and the natural flow of water.
The bridge was installed in July 2014 as a replacement to the previous wooden footbridge to become part of a network of cycleways and access improvements throughout the Lake District. The bridge was commissioned by the Lake District National Park. The design of the bridge was inspired by the existing elements on site, the three triangular stone pillars supporting the bridge and the natural flow of water.
The route crosses the A591 on to White Moss Common
From White Moss Car Park the route continues along a quiet tarmac lane towards Grasmere
If you look closely, we managed to zoom in on Mr Heron just stood there minding his own business
Fudge practices his hide and seek as we approach Town End in Grasmere
Wordsworth's former home at Dove Cottage in which he resided with his wife & children as well as his sister Dorothy between 1799 & 1808. It was at Dove Cottage that Wordsworth wrote most of the poetry for which he is remembered today. Visitors to Dove Cottage included Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Thomas de Quincey, the latter stayed at the cottage when the Wordsworths left for nearby Allan Bank.
Near Dove Cottage is "Wordsworth Grasmere" - opened in 2020, it is sited next door to the cottage. A link to their website is here.
Just over the road from Wordsworth Grasmere is this slate drinking fountain built in memory of the poet
From the drinking fountain we headed up Stock Lane into Grasmere to grab a hot drink and catch our bus back to Keswick
Seat Sandal & Stone Arthur from Stock Lane
Helm Crag, Steel Fell & Seat Sandal
Wordsworth's Grave in the churchyard of St Oswald's Church in Grasmere
St Oswald's Church
Suitably refreshed it was time to catch the bus back to Keswick