Soak up the spectacular views from Aira Force to Gowbarrow

9:20am Saturday 18th July 2009

By Mary Welsh

THIS lovely, challenging walk starts after a visit to Aira Force. We thought there would be little water falling because of the heat wave, but the National Trust warden told us that this corner of Ullswater had had a heavy and prolonged storm during the night. He said he had no rain at his home in Penrith and we had none in Ulverston. The picture above shows how lucky we were. As we stood and gazed, quite spellbound, we remembered Wordsworth’s sad poem The Somnambulist.

The legend of Aira Force tells of a beautiful damsel, Lady Emma, who was betrothed to Sir Eglamore. He was a knight and often away fighting the infidel and as these absences became longer she began to sleep walk, visiting places where she and Eglamore had wandered, much in love. One night she reached the edge of the high-level gap through which tumbled Aira Force. As she stood in her trance, Eglamore who had unexpectedly returned from his travels, set out to find her. When he came upon her overlooking the torrent, he believed that the noise of the falling water was the reason she did not respond to his calls, and touched her arm. She awoke and, in her distressed state, tumbled into the depths. Eglamore raced down beside the ravine to rescue her. Eventually he found her far downstream and pulled her from the water, only for her to die in his arms. He was so distraught at losing his love that he became a monk and lived in a cave above the force. He built a little bridge across the raging beck so that no one else should topple over in the same way.

Park in the Aira Force National Trust car park, grid ref 401201. Don’t forget your NT membership card or else it costs £4.80 for three-four hours. The car park lies on the A592, two and a half miles north-west of Glenridding. Buses stop at the car park. Toilets in car park and tearoom just above the car park.

1 From the back of car park, follow the good track into woodland and curve right into The Glade. Cross the bridge over Aira Beck. Climb the steps beyond and at the Y-junction keep to the lower path. This leads on through glorious woodland and then winds a little right, and then left, to a bridge at the foot of the fall, where you will want to use your camera. Return along the same path and, at the Y-junction of paths, turn sharp left. Walk on a short way to take a small gate on your right on to open fell. Walk ahead on a distinct reinforced path through bracken. Ignore the path going off right.

2 Go on up and pause after a few steps to see, to your right, the crenellated Lyulph’s Tower – not open to the public. It was just above this dwelling that Lady Emma lived in a castle. Carry on up, with care, the sometimes pitched path, climbing all the time along the side of Gowbarrow Park. Pause to enjoy the superb views of the lake. After a mile, always up, you reach, left of the path, a lichen-covered picturesque, very hard stone seat. A little further on there is a stile on the right to a cairn with a superb view. There’s also a notice to say the path down the very steep slope is closed.

3 The path soon winds away from the steep drop for a short way. Then it returns again. Here pause to enjoy the rocky ridges dropping steeply down, colourful with heather, thyme, hawkbit and tormentil – too steep and lacking soil depth to allow bracken to get established. Eventually the path, still reinforced, begins to descend close to the edge of the steep slopes dropping towards the lake. After nearly a mile from the seat you reach, on the left, a stone ruin, marked as a shooting lodge on the map. Turn left before it.

4 A good path continues, climbing again, until the reinforcing stops and a boggy flatter area lies ahead. The path continues ahead but it is wet in places. At one point you have the choice of paths around a huge boulder. The path then begins to climb and comes close to the north side of Gowbarrow. Follow the path around its left side and then a short way along go with the path as it winds left and then right, easily, to the summit and its cairn. Here you might wish to have your lunch, a rest, and enjoy the stunning views.

5 Before you descend look down on the path you came up and return down it for a few steps to then take a wider grassy path, left, heading half right, towards a long wall descending the western slopes of the fell. This is easy to walk at first but as it gets lower and steeper it has been reinforced with large rocks, over which you should take care. The way continues down for more than half a mile, coming beside a conifer plantation on your right. Then the hard work is over and you climb a ladderstile over the wall and walk ahead along a short path to join a track.

6 Turn left and follow the way eventually moving into woodland. The track is quite good but take care where stones protrude. Carry on ahead, past High Force (only a trickle at present) and walk on ahead for three quarters of a mile through the lovely woodland. Eventually the track takes you out of the trees, to pass through bracken. Ignore the first short path, right, to a stile into the woodland and carry on to take the second little path and stile. Turn left and soon pass the gate on your left, taken at the start. Carry on downhill and then steps to reach The Glade. Follow the path ahead to the car park.

Information Distance: 5 1/2 miles Time: 4 hours Terrain: path to the shooting lodge is good and it continues so to the start of the boggy area, which is crossed by a distinct sometimes wet path. The descent is good at first, with one short wettish area. The final steep descent needs care but the big rocks do keep your feet dry.

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.