Ambleside to Stock Ghyll Force Walk
Length of walk: 3 miles.
Stock Ghyll Force
Starting in Ambleside by the steps of the old Market Cross near to the pedestrian crossing at the junction with North Road and the A591, cross over and walk up the A591 to where the road bends right and then turn left into the alleyway between Barclays Bank and the Market Hall into Cheapside. Turn left past the sign for ‘Waterfalls’ and ‘Stock Ghyll Wansfell Pike’ and climb Stock Ghyll Lane to where a metal gateway leads into Stock Ghyll Park on the left.
From here follow the red waymarker arrows until you are able to turn left across the footbridge and follow the upper path to climb right until you cross another footbridge above the falls. Here, turn right then steeply down towards a picnic table where you turn left away from the fells and along a path heading through an old turnstile gate in a wall.
Now turn left up the tarmac strip which is signposted, ‘Public Footpath’. From here, climb on passing a stile that’s signposted, ‘Troutbeck via Wansfell’ until you eventually reach Low Grove House. Here the tarmac bridges a beck. Crossing a cattle grid you turn left off the tarmac and now follow a yellow waymarker through a gap in the hedge line and into a field. You now go down to a footbridge over the Stock Ghyll where you walk left before zig zagging up to a gate leading onto Roundhill Farm track. Turn left opposite another ‘Footpath’ sign and follow the rough track to join Kirkstone Road. From here you can see beautiful views to Wansfell to your left, Windermere below and Latterbarrow above the village of Hawkshead.
Turn left down Kirkstone Road to a public footpath signpost which points right towards Ellerigg. From here follow the path to a memorial bench then walk on beyond a gate, the path then crosses a field to climb a stone stile crowned by a tiny metal gate. Go down and across the field beyond and onto another gated stone stile. Walk along the driveway beyond to emerge onto Ellerigg Road, Turn left down the road to join Sweden Bridge Lane and onwards to Ambleside.
Flickr Photo by foshie