Yorkshire Walks

Path from the car park to the R. Brathay

After breakfast we drove to a car park off the B5343 on the Elterwater side of Skelwith Bridge at map ref. NY340037. From the car park we crossed the road and followed the path opposite down to the River Brathay where we joined the riverside path.

This week end we are staying with some friends in a large holiday cottage in Knipe Fold north of Hawkshead. The weather is hot and sunny with clear blue skies adding to the amazing lakeland scenery.

Path from the car park to the R. Brathay

Path from the car park to the R. Brathay

Footbridge over the R. Brathay

Cumbria Way heading for Little Langdale

The Cumbrian Way route, like othe long distance trails, is clearly marked on the OS Landranger series of maps as a red dotted line with red diamonds at close intervals along it, and on the OS Explorer maps as a green dotted line with green diamonds at close intervals along it.

We followed the riverside path towards Skelwith Bridge. After about 300m we came to a footbridge over the river. We crossed the footbridge and continued along the path which is part of the Cumbria Way long distance route.

Cumbria Way heading for Little Langdale

Cumbria Way heading for Little Langdale

Loughrigg Fell seen from the Cumbria Way near Park House

Cumbrian Way path near Low Park

Cumbrian Way path near Low Park

We turned right to walk along the road for about 150m where we turned left off the road onto a footpath. Here the path forks and we took the right hand fork through the woods to Colwith Force waterfall.

The path turned to head west towards Little Langdale and just over a kilometer from the footbridge we reached a minor road at map ref. NY331029.

A spring violet by the path

Path to Colwith Force waterfall

Path to Colwith Force waterfall

The path then led us up the hill to the edge of the woods and out to a farm access road at map ref. NY323028.

After about 250m we came to a view point overlooking the falls. From there the path climbed up to another vantage point looking down on the falls.

Colwith Force waterfall

Path to Stang End

Where the access road turns right to the village of Little Langdale we kept straight on for another 300m to map ref. NY311029.

Here the Cumbria Way route turns left but we turned right to walk along the farm access road to Stang End. At Stang End we took the access road down the hill.

Lingmoor Fell from the path to Stang End

Heading down the hill from Stang End

The whole arrangement forms a very attractive feature surrounded by the Little Langdale fells. We crossed the bridges and continued along the path for about 400m to a minor road at map ref. NY313034.

At this point we turned right off the road on to a path across the field to the River Brathay close to Little Langdale Tarn. The river is crossed by an old stone arch bridge and a long flat slab bridge.

A grey wagtail on a rock in the R. Brathay

Slater Bridge over the River Brathay

The road became a stony track and about 100m after we reached the edge of a wood we turned left at map ref. NY321041.

Here we crossed the road to follow the road opposite heading towards Elterwater village.

Track from Little Langdale to Elterwater

Looking up Little Langdale

Tree studded with 'good luck' coins

Looking across Gt. Langdale to Langdale Pikes

We joined the access road at map ref. NY321045 and turned left to follow the road up Great Langdale to Baysbrown farm and camp site.

We followed a track through the woods to drop down onto an access road above the quarries near Elterwater village.

Path up Gt. Langdale to Baysbrown farm

Path up Gt. Langdale to Baysbrown farm

Approaching Baysbrown farm & camp site

Lunch in the woods beyond Baysbrown farm

Farm at Oak Howe

We followed the path past Oak Howe and continued to Great Langdale Beck.

From there we continued up Great Langdale along a track through some woods to Oak Howe at map ref. NY308057.

Circular saw to cut whole tree trunks into lengths

The path to Oak Howe

Looking up Gt. Langdale to Langdale Pikes & Pavey Ark

R. Brathay bridge at Chapel Stile

Approaching Chapel Stile, church bells were ringing for a wedding

Here there is a pub with lots of outside tables where we stopped for a very welcome cold drink. From our table in the shade we used our binoculars to watch some rock climbers on the crags above Walthwaite.

Here we had rejoined the route of the Cumbria Way and we followed this route downstream to cross Great Langdale Beck on the bridge at Chapel Style. We continued along the Cumbria Way route for another 400m to the B5343 at map ref. NY322052.

R. Brathay at Chapel Stile

R. Brathay near Elterwater

Entrance to an old mine

R. Brathay bridge at Elterwater village

Cumbria Way path heading towards Skelwith Bridge from Elterwater

The whole route had been 13km and it had taken us about five hours to walk including various stops in the shade on this vert hot day - temperatures in the mid 20's Centigrade. We returned to our cottage at Knipe Fold for a shower and then a very pleasant meal out in a restaurant in Ambleside.

After our break we followed the Cumbrian Way route alongside Great Langdale Beck to the bridge at Elterwater. We crossed the bridge and continued along the Cumbrian Way route beside Great Langdale Beck and Elter Water lake for about 1km to map ref. NY339037. Here we turned left to retrace our steps back to the car park.

Path to Elterwater by the R. Brathay

Elterwater village

Herdwick & Jacob's sheep

Wooded path by Elter Water