Sam Hooke

Grasmere and Rydal Water Loop via Rydal Cave

All trips at this location:

Distance9.59 km / 5.96 miles
Elevation gain246 m / 807 ft
Duration3h20m
Moving2h10m

A walk around Grasmere and Rydal Water, nipping into Rydal Cave on the way.

Grasmere to Rydal Cave §

We began at Grasmere, heading anti-clockwise around Grasmere and Rydal Water. The route follows the main road through Grasmere initially, then goes past Dove Cottage and ascends up through the woods, following the “Corpse Road” to Rydal. Before Whitemass Tarn the road levels out. Keep right to avoid going onto private property, and soon the road turns into a gravel path. When Rydal Water becomes visible, you can see across to the ominous Rydal Cave.

A rocky outcrop.
The hill top above Dunny Beck, where the Corpse Road becomes gravel.
A rocky stream.
Dunny Beck.
A cave across the water.
Looking across Rydal Water. Can you see Rydal Cave?
A zoomed in view of the distant cave.
Zooming in on Rydal Cave.

The Corpse Road brings you to Rydal, and you must follow the road down into the village, cross the A591, cross the River Rothay, then ascend the other side. It had been raining the whole day so water levels on the lakes and streams were very high. The last stream before Rydal Cave had some stepping stones that were sumberged, so we had to improvise.

Using a fence to cross a stream with high water levels.
Crossing the high water using the fence.

Rydal Cave §

As we neared Rydal Cave the rain ramped up from heavy to downpour. The cave itself is always full of water, but there are stepping stones that lead to a raised patch of dry ground near the back. We got our torches out and made our way into the shelter of the water-logged ceave.

A dark cave entrance, filled with a pool of water, with slabs of stepping stones leading inwards.
Stepping stones leading into Rydal Cave.
Looking out the cave towards a tree and rain.
Looking out from the end of the stepping stones.
A jagged cave edge reflected in a calm pool.
Reflections of the cave wall on the pool.
A further view showing the whole of the cave entrance from the inside.
View out from the very back of the cave.
A view of the cave ceiling with jagged spikes.
Jagged ceiling.
Another view of the stepping stones showing how they wiggle.
Stepping stones on the way out.

Rydal Cave to Grasmere §

The rain paused, so we began our return journey along the south side of Rydal Water. It didn’t take long for the rain to ramp up again, and the wind became quite strong and gusty. There was briefly a good view across towards Dunny Beck, which we had passed near the start of the journey, but as the wind and rain ramped up we made fast progress back to Grasmere.

A distant stream falling down the hillside.
View across to Dunny Beck.
A very grey looking lake.
Grasmere with thick rain.

The final stretch towards Grasmere is a flat walk along the winding lane. Near Silver Fell we saw birds zipping and swooping just inches overhead. They were so fast it was hard to identify them with certainty and impossible to get a good photograph, but reading between the blurs they look like House Martins.

A close shot of a blurry bird.
A blur of a House Martin zipping over the field.
A slightly further shot of a blurry bird.
Another blur whooshing around.

We made it back to Grasmere for 5:15pm, just in time to grab some gingerbread before the shop closed.