Loughrigg Fell and Rydal Caves Circular

Rydal Caves is one of the most popular tourist spots in the Lake District. This comes as absolutely no surprise to us as it is a truly breathtaking and photogenic spot. The caves are undoubtedly not a hidden gem so expect crowds, however they are nonetheless still a gem and well worth the visit

We ventured out with our GorpyGirls0utside group to the Lakes on the hunt for a well-trodden hike with a side of beautiful views and we found exactly that. If you want to retrace our hike, you must read below!

Parking:

• Stock Lane Car Park (pay and display, toilets) LA22 9SL
• Red Bank Car Park (pay and display, toilets adjacent to car park) LA22 9SW

The hike will be starting at Hawkshead Grasmere. There's a few places to park there, though we'd recommend using one of the two car parks listed above.

This is a 9.9km hike, which will lead to you bagging a Wainright and ticking off an iconic Lake District attraction. Did we forget to mention? there is an opportunity for the perfect swim spot too!

GPX Route - OS maps Bottom of page

Starting from the Hawkshead store in Grasmere, you will walk along the pavement past the church (on the right). You will then cross the road, bearing left down Red bank Road.

Keep straight down this road and you will pass ‘Grand At Grasmere’ (to your left). Continue for a short distance and take the next road on the left.

Shortly, a view of Grasmere Lake will appear again to your left, at this point you will still be walking along Red Bank Road. After continuing for around 10 minutes, a fork in the road will appear. There will be a cottage on the road heading left and the road to the right will continue uphill. Take the road to the right.

Continue uphill alongside Nicholas Wood, the path will narrow down and you will end up in a clearing with a bench with beautiful views of Grasmere (as shown below).

Head right up the narrow gravel path that is surrounded by trees and carry on along the woodland path.

You will come out of the wooded area and the defined path carries on, but this time surrounded by beautiful ferns (in summertime that is!)

You will reappear on Red Bank Road, from here you will turn right and walk along the road until you see the signpost pictured below. (it has a sign with a red squirrel so you can’t miss it!

Walk down the narrow, stony path until you come out into a wider area. You will be met with a metal gate which you will need to go through.

After walking through this gate, Grasmere Lake will come into full view, it truly is breathtaking.

Now, this is only a 100m incline, but it's short and steep so be prepared and make sure you have plenty of water and take rests when needed. You will keep to the path heading upwards, this will take you to Loughrigg Fell (335m). This is a fairly simple Wainwright to bag.

When you hit the peak, you will be met by a stone Trig Point, along with some epic views of the surrounding Fells. The views are truly unbeatable.

You will be heading towards Rydal Caves from here. Head East (facing Nab Scar) and loop down the gravel path. From here, it is pretty obvious to get to the caves, make sure you take extra care on the descent as the rocks are loose!

Finally, you will get to the infamous Rydal Caves. Depending on the time of year you visit, you are unlikely to get this beauty all to yourself, but the cave is big enough for all to enjoy! You can walk into the cave over the stepping stones in the water if you are feeling brave, but you can also stick to the right avoiding water.

Heading out of the cave, you will turn left down the path and continue walking surrounded by even more ferns for around 20 minutes.

You will be faced with a small wooden bridge to your right, or you can walk straight on. Head straight and within seconds, you will be facing Grasmere Lake. Here's where you can stop for a swim or even just a cold dip if you're feeling brave! We recommend stopping for a flask of coffee or a sandwich and taking in the views even if you don't fancy dipping your toes in. (below)

Walk left along the shore and head through the gate to the path. You will continue along the riverside for a further 20 minutes, which will lead you left uphill. This is the only way you can go.

After the short incline, you will end up in a small clearing on the side of Red Bank Road (again) but this time, you will turn right. From here you are continuing down the road (you should recognise this as you come out next to the cottage mentioned at the start. Follow the same road down for 15 minutes and you will find yourself back at Grand At Grasmere but this time it’s to your right!

That concludes this simple but scenic hike. as always, leave all trails better than you found them. Taking litter and leaving no trace is a must when embracing these beautiful spots! Have fun and stay safe, GorpyGirls0utside.

Follow the route on Osmaps here