Loughrigg Fell from Ambleside
Ambleside's own fell: over the knobbly top of Loughrigg, along Loughrigg Terrace above Grasmere, past Rydal Cave and home by the River Rothay.
- Distance
- 10.2 km
- 6.3 miles
- Ascent
- 413 m
- High point 333 m
- Time
- 2 hours 30 minutes
- Walking time, no stops
- Grade
- Moderate
- Circular
Take this walk with you
Google Maps does not know most fell paths, so use it to get to the start, then follow the GPX in an app like OS Maps, Komoot or AllTrails. To see the line in Google Maps, open Google My Maps, create a map, choose Import and pick the KML file. It then appears in the Google Maps app under Saved, Maps.
Weather on this walk
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Loughrigg Fell is a sprawling, knobbly upland between Ambleside, Grasmere and Langdale, full of hidden tarns and little rocky tops, and its summit is a superb viewpoint for a modest climb. It is also one of the few fells you can walk straight onto from the middle of a town.
This round climbs from Rothay Park to the summit, drops to Loughrigg Terrace for the classic view down to Grasmere, then traverses above Rydal Water past the great quarry mouth of Rydal Cave before returning along the river. It is a fine half-day with plenty of variety.
The route
- 1
Ambleside to the fell
From the car park cross Rothay Park and Miller Bridge over the river, then follow the lane uphill and the track onto the open fellside.
- 2
To the summit
Follow the main path west across the undulating fell, past small tarns and hummocks, to the summit.
- 3
Down to Loughrigg Terrace
Descend the steep pitched path north-west to Loughrigg Terrace, with Grasmere spread out below.
- 4
Above Rydal Water
Follow the terrace east and continue on the path above Rydal Water to Rydal Cave, a huge old quarry cavern that you can walk into.
- 5
Back by the river
Continue east to Pelter Bridge, then follow the quiet lane under Loughrigg along the River Rothay back to Ambleside.
Questions people ask
How long is the Loughrigg Fell walk from Ambleside?
About 9.5 km, taking three to four hours. Mud and Routes gives 9.39 km for its version.
Can you walk into Rydal Cave?
Yes. The cave is a large old quarry cavern beside the path above Rydal Water, though the floor is wet and stony.
Is Loughrigg Fell hard?
It is a moderate walk with some steep sections but no scrambling.
More walks nearby
The Fairfield Horseshoe from Ambleside
Hard, 19.5 km, 1018 m up, about 5 hours 30 minutes
One of the great Lakeland rounds: from Ambleside up Nab Scar and over eight tops around the Rydal valley, with Fairfield's summit at the head.
Wansfell Pike and Troutbeck from Ambleside
Hard, 11.6 km, 602 m up, about 3 hours 30 minutes
Ambleside's own fell: past Stock Ghyll Force to Wansfell Pike, down Nanny Lane to Troutbeck, home through Skelghyll Woods and Jenkin Crag.
Rydal Water and Rydal Cave from Pelter Bridge
Easy, 6.8 km, 231 m up, about 1 hour 30 minutes
A full circuit of Rydal Water: the old Coffin Route, the River Rothay to Grasmere, Loughrigg Terrace and the great slate cavern of Rydal Cave.
Food, drink and beds near the start
Rothay Manor
Modern British, Ambleside, £££, dogs welcome
Elegant Regency-era hotel dining with a seasonal menu that lets the best Cumbrian produce speak for itself.
Zeffirellis
Vegetarian Italian, Ambleside, ££, dogs welcome
Vegetarian Italian cinema-restaurant hybrid that has been an Ambleside landmark for decades. The pizzas are excellent.
Lake Road Kitchen
Nordic, Ambleside, £££
James Cross's small, fiercely independent Ambleside restaurant holds a Michelin star for tasting menus of five, eight or twelve servings, built on Lakeland produce with Nordic and Japanese influences. Cross cooked at Noma before opening here in 2014.
The Old Stamp House
Modern British, Ambleside, £££
Ryan Blackburn's Michelin-starred restaurant in Wordsworth's former office serves creative modern British food with a Cumbrian soul. The tasting menu is outstanding value, and the Lakeland ingredients shine.
Dodds Restaurant
Modern British, Ambleside, ££
A relaxed, long-running Italian restaurant on Rydal Road in Ambleside, serving lunch and dinner with a takeaway menu too.
The Unicorn Inn
Traditional, Ambleside, £
A proper Ambleside local that doesn't try to be anything it isn't - good beer, good craic, good value.