For Mary's 500th walk - a lovely ramble from Elterwater (From The Westmorland Gazette)

For Mary's 500th walk - a lovely ramble from Elterwater

8:40am Friday 9th December 2011

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This is my 500th walk for the Westmorland Gazette; a short and lovely one. This gentle ramble, starts from Elterwater, soon to stroll quiet, almost untrodden, paths over glorious low countryside. Some of the paths are new to me, which is a great pleasure in that the Lake District can still surprise and enchant.

Park in the free car park at Elterwater, grid ref 330051. Access this from Skelwith Bridge, driving west along the B5343. At the crossroads to the village, turn right and drive a short way up.

1 Turn left out of the parking area and stroll down to cross the B-road to continue through the pretty village. Go past the popular Britannia Inn to cross Great Langdale Beck by a fine stone bridge. Ignore the right turn and wind on up the narrow road. Pass the YHA and just before the Eltermere Hotel take the road going off right and climb steadily. Where the road winds right, continue ahead on a wide rough track. In spite of its stony surface, the way is easy to walk and the woodland on your right, accompanies you all the way to the brow; the trees still keeping some of their autumn colours.

2 Ignore the first gate on the left and walk on until you can pass through the next one, which is well signposted on the left. A few steps along, where the track divides, take the narrower path on the right. This has several large puddles after rain but quite passable. It crosses rough pasture and then wriggles downhill to a gate and steps through the wall beside it. The view beyond is spectacular. Ahead a pleasing narrow dry path takes you steadily downhill beside the fence on your right and with a hay meadow to your left. This eventually becomes a farm track and leads you on down to the holiday farm, Wilson Place.

3 At the farmhouse on the right take a track on the left immediately before a dwelling named Damson View. If you reach the road (unless you wish to visit the Three Shires) you have gone too far. In the wall on the left is an easy-to-miss signboard directing you towards Elterwater. Beyond, go through a gate and climb the pasture towards the next boundary. Just before it, take a signposted gate on the left. Walk ahead over the hillocky pasture gradually moving away from the wall, on your right, to go through the gate in the wall ahead. Wind round, a little right, to stone steps in a wall, and with a metal gate at the top. Stroll on a narrow path, keeping parallel with a fine oak wood on the left. Carry on still ahead to pass through a large unsigned gateless gap.

4 Bear steadily right to take a waymarked step stile beside a gate, in the far right corner by woodland. Beyond, walk ahead for a few steps to a small signpost. Here turn left and, a very short way along, take another step stile, into more pasture, close to woodland. Follow the fine green path, with scattered trees on either side. Then keep close to the wall of Low Hackett to climb another step stile onto the access track to the house. Turn right and enjoy the delectable way, to pass through a large white gate. Follow the track as it winds right of a building and then descend through more glorious open woodland.

5 At the foot of the slope the track winds right, here another small signpost directs you off left. Keep beside the wall, cross a little stream and go on down to a stile into the National Trust’s Fletcher’s Wood. Go on descending the path, through the magnificent woodland, muddy in places after forestry work has been done. Eventually the path brings you to the edge of the road from Colwith. Here take the permissive path, left, just before the road and enjoy more of the pleasing woodland. Keep on the path as it gradually moves away from the road and climbs through the fine trees. Ignore any left turns and press on to a stile onto a reinforced track leading to the discreet sewage plant. Turn right and descend. At the road, stroll left down the pleasant lane into Elterwater.

Information

Distance: 3.5 miles

Time: 2 hours

Terrain: Good paths and tracks, one muddy after all the rain. Well signed throughout. Some pleasant road walking

Map: OS Explorer OL 7

NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.