Recommended Ordnance Survey Map - Outdoor Leisure Map 5 - North Eastern Area (1:25,000)
Start and End Point - Main Car Park, Patterdale. Pay and Display cost. £2, or Glenridding.
Distance - 18.5km
Time - 5 or 6 hours
Maximum Height Achieved - to be provided
Accommodation - There are several hotels and B&B's in Patterdale and Glenridding of varying quality. Advance booking is strongly recommended. There is a youth hostel at Glenridding (Greenside Road) & Patterdale.
Ullswater 'Steamers' Website - Ullswater 'Steamers'
The description and pictures are from 29th May 2005. The conditions were dry with patchy cloud, getting warmer in the afternoon with fewer clouds and more sunshine. Being a bank-holiday weekend, there were a lot of holidaymakers in Pooley Bridge. Today, I was accompanied by my wife Jacqueline.
This is a low level walk with the added attraction of a lake steamer ride. It can easily be adapted to change the length and start point. Below is the longest version of the walk, starting from Patterdale, ending at Pooley Bridge then a return on the Lake Steamer to Glenridding, before the short walk back to Patterdale. Alternatively, you could start at Glenridding, Howtown or Pooley Bridge. The length of the walk can also be adapted to suit everyone by catching the lake steamer at the half-way point instead of walking the full length of the lake. In the walk below, Howtown can be used as a end-point if the distance to Pooley Bridge is deemed to far. If I had to suggest a shortened version of the walk, I would without doubt choose the section between Glenridding and Howtown.
One word of warning is to make sure of the times and availability of the lake
steamers at Ullswater 'Steamers'.
Scheduled times do vary between the summer and winter months. Make sure that
you will arrive in time at the end-point, otherwise you face a long return walk.
Alternatively, take the steamer ride first and then walk afterwards. If you
are walking with young children, you may find it better to use the lake-steamer
as a sweetner for encouragement along the way. Call it bribery if
you like, but it works! The full length of the lake may be too far
for some children.
Map
The car park in Patterdale is quite small and soon becomes full (so get there early is the best advice). If full, there are alternatives in Glenridding.
From the car park, turn left onto the A592 heading south-west. Head past the White Lion and you will see a footbridge on the left that crosses the stream. Take the footbridge and then you will find yourself on a path alongside the river heading north-east. The path then arrives at a track from the A592 up to Side Farm. Make a right (west) and take the track through Side Farm. The farm is also a campsite and you pass right through the main farm buildings. Here you will find a cafeteria.
Go through the farm and turn left heading in a northerly direction. The track here is quite wide for just over half a kilometre and is used for vehicular access to the campsite. Once past the campsite, the track turns into a more natural path as you head past Blowick towards Silver Point and Silver Bay. You really can't go wrong on this path. The lake acts as an obvious guide.
From Silver Point, the path intersects a mainly deciduous wooded area, providing very pleasant walking. The path opens out again under Low Birk Fell gradually turning right at Roscombe Rigg and ascends above Scalehow Wood. Looking directly across the lake you can see Gowbarrow Park. It was there where William and Dorothy Wordsworth happened upon the daffodils that inspired his most famous poem. Continuing along the path you will then see the beautiful Scalehow Waterfall. Set in amongst trees, it is well worth a slight detour. Continue onwards towards Sandwick.
The path brings you out at the road down to Sandwick. Turn left down the hill
and pick up the path again lower down on the right, leaving Sandwick behind
you. You now find yourself in Hallinhag Wood. After just over one kilometre
it opens out at Kailpot Crag, before winding right, around Geordie's Crag. The
path now descends towards the landing point at Howtown. At this point you can
decide to catch the steamer back or continue onwards towards Pooley Bridge.
At Howtown, cross the road, go through the gate and head up the hill. At the top of the field, go through the gate to the path, pretty soon it splits into two - Left (downwards) and right (upwards). Stay right, unless you prefer a road walk to Pooley Bridge. The path climbs steadily under Auterstone Crag and above Auterstone Wood. Keep onwards, climbing steadily, and you stay right of Barton Park (which is a large wooded area). Once past, turn left along Aik Beck (north). On the left you find a dry stone wall and on the right a drop to the beck.
The path descends to some holiday cottages which form the the top of a large
camp site. Walk through the campsite. You will find toliet facilities, shops
etc. At the main entrance of the campsite, cross the road and into the lower
campsite. keep going and you reach Ullswater shore. There you find a path that
takes you into the centre of the picture-postcard Pooley Bridge. It gets extremely
busy during bank holidays, so be prepared for throngs of people in and around
the area and campsite. The main road through Pooley Bridge is the A592, turn
left (north-east) and head across the bridge. Keep walking along the
road for approximately 500 metres and you reach the Landing Stage on your left.
Now for the easy bit! Buy your one-way tickets from Pooley Bridge to Glenridding, check the next sailing time, and perhaps enjoy some refreshments in the friendly cafe until the 'steamer' arrives. From Pooley Bridge, the first port of call is Howtown, and then onwards to Glenridding. It's a lot quicker than walking! On the way you will be able to review the walk you made on the port side, whilst the starboard bow offers views over north eastern fells, including Helvellyn. Onboard the vessel, you will find toilet facilities as well as a cafe/bar. Although commonly referred to as 'Steamers' the once steam-driven vessels were converted to diesel in 1930. The 'Lady of the Lake' has been in service on Ullswater since 1877 and 'Raven' was built in 1889. A recent addition in 2001 was 'Lady Dorothy' which operates in Winter. Check out Ullswater 'Steamers' for more information and the sailing times.
Upon arrival at Glenridding, depart the landing stages and exit via the terminal
building. Leave the car-park to the left on the path skirting the
lake shore. This brings you to the A592. Opposite the road
entrance to the steamer car-park you will see an elevated path along the main
road back to Patterdale (heading left - direction South). It's far
safer than walking along the road. The path crosses the road and eventually
opens out into a normal pavement. After approx 1 kilometre, you pass
the welcoming Patterdale Hotel and the car-park is on your left. Once
changed, we enjoyed an excellent meal in the White Lion, with super-sized food
portions, and a decent beer. A perfect way to end a perfect day!
This walk and pictures are protected by copyright©. Reproduction in whole or in part by any means is prohibited without the prior permission of the author. If you wish to use this document, then contact me. I would also like to hear your comments and thoughts. If you use this document for your walk please give me feedback (good or bad). If you have very good quality photographs and a good narrative and want them on these pages, contact me also.
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Author - Antony Towers - 31st May 2005. I hope you enjoy this walk either virtually or in reality as much as I did. Please remember that your safety is your responsibility. Always use a map, compass and be equipped for the conditions.
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