England - Lake District - Loughrigg Luge
England - Lake District - Loughrigg Luge
Embedded Files
Walk Summary
Walk Summary
A reasonably low level walk with the high point being Loughrigg. An easy start the Rydal Estate and then great views along Rydal Water and Lake Grasmere. A descent via Lily Tarn with a panorama including Ambleside and Lake Windermere.
Date: 14/02/2022
Length: 7.1 miles
Height Gain: 388 m
Terrain: Boggy paths, grass paths, stony paths, stone steps, lightly used roads
Navigation: Loughrigg has many paths criss-crossing the fells. It can be confusing in mist. Map and compass required.
Start: Car Park Rydal Road
Route: Car Park Rydal Road, Rydal Park, Rydal Water, Grasmere Lake, Loughrigg, Lilly Tarn, Rothay Park
Map: OL7 The English Lakes South Eastern Area
Weather: Drizzly, sunny, windy
Walkers: Nun, Calse, Mo
Gallery
Gallery
The Google Gallery may have more photos (it will be displayed in a new Tab)
Rydal Rainbow
Captain's Log
Captain's Log
Damp Start
Damp Start
The morning didn't look promising. It had been raining continually for the previous 48 hours. It was still raining. By 10:30 the pour had diminished to a drizzle and so we decided to venture out. The tops were still misty and so we decided to do a lower level walk.
White Moss Waterfall
Rydal Park
Rydal Park
The drizzle stopped and we even got a bit of sun as we walked through Rydal Park. The mist lifted from some of the tops and we could see snow at a higher level. At Rydal Hall the waterfall was very impressive. Many of the trees that had been blown down during Storm Arwen still lay where they had fallen. At Rydal Mount we took the high level path towards Grasmere.
We found a bench along the path and stopped to have some lunch. A robin kept a beady eye on us and and Calse put out some bird seed for him.
At the end of Rydal Water we headed downhill and then followed the river to Lake Grasmere.
Rydal Waterfall
Rydal Park
Lake Grasmere
Loughrigg Luge
Loughrigg Luge
At the weir we started on the path upwards to Loughrigg. It is a steep climb to the top from this side of Loughrigg although the advantage is the great view over Lake Grasmere to Dunmail Raise.
It wasn't long before we were approaching the trig on the top of Loughrigg. At that moment a squall battered us and it was a challenge to get a good photo for the first Wainwright on the Wainright Venture. As I started downhill from the trig, I slipped on the grass and slid down the hill for about ten yards on my backside. It was actually quite good fun but it did leave me with pretty muddy pants.
Lilly Tarn
Lilly Tarn
We headed across the hillocks of Loughrigg towards Lilly Tarn. A rainbow over by Nab Scar made fleeting appearances. A kestrel hovered near us. He hardly had to flap his wings in the strong wind. He swooped down a couple of times, to the ground, but it didn't look like he caught anything.
We reached Lilly Tarn. The last time we were here, in November, the tarn had been frozen over. We crossed the stone wall and got a great view down into Ambleside and along Lake Windermere. As we descended down to Brow Head Farm, two jets flew low over Ambleside and along the valley towards Grasmere. They had appeared too quickly and I was too slow to get a photo.
The sun was shining and the rain had restarted as we got back to the house. Typical Lakeland weather.
Despite the dampness and the impromptu luge, the walk had been very enjoyable.
Fairfield Horseshoe
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse