Lake District
circular walk around Rydal Water

This gentle walk around Rydal water combines all the best ingredients of Lakeland scenery plus some of it’s history.

Start at white moss common car park two and a half miles from Ambleside on the A591

Cross the road to Dunney Beck, then follow the right hand path up the hill.

Turn right onto the footpath, an ancient packhorse route, which goes along Nab Scar Terrace and offers many fine views over Rydal Water.

The name Rydal derives from an old norse word meaning where rye was grown.

The lake is three quarters of a mile long and a quarter of a mile wide and at 60 feet deep, it is the shallowest of the true lakes.

At the end of Nab Scar Terrace the path goes between stone walls and  emerges at Rydal Mount once the home of William Wordsworth, The house no longer reflects his character and taste but the garden still remains much as he planned it.

Walk down the hill to Rydal church, built on a site chosen by Wordsworth, who also helped to design it.

Behind the church is ‘Dora’s field’ Wordsworth named it after his daughter and in spring it’s still full of daffodils, her favourite flowers.

A hundred yards along the road towards Ambleside is Pelter bridge which crosses the river Rothay as it leaves

Rydal on its way to Windermere.

Turn right up the hill, pass a small row of terraced cottages and along a walled lane.

This opens out to views over the lake and to Nab Scar which rises 1500 feet above sea level.

The norse heritage and language remain – Nab Scar means bald projection.

Take the higher path towards rydal caves, once a profitable quarry, producing high quality slate. The slate was formed from fine volcanic ash laid down in shallow seas many millions of years ago.

The attractive colours and rippled effects made it desirable for decorative use but the quarry closed in the early nineteen hundreds,

Carry on along Loughrig terrace towards the wood at the end of the lake.

Enter the wood through the kissing gate and follow the path through the wood.

Cross the bridge over the river Rothay.

In quiet moments you catch sight of kingfishers skimming the water under the overhanging branches.

This is where the walk ends, but not the pleasure, relax with a picnic before you leave.

Back to Lake District Walks

If you'd like to link to this page from your own website, please use:

Anchor Text: Around Rydal Water - Lake District Circular Walk
Location: http://www.alan-howarth.com/lake-district-walks/rydal-water-walk.html