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The start of the trek is from the small car park on
the right hand side of the road near Elterwater. The
road that leads past the picturesque village of Elterwater,
with its awesome backdrop of the Langdale Valley, this
is the gateway to one of the Lake District's most impressive
area and summits known as the Langdale Pikes. Just before
the welcome to Langdale signposts on the B5343 road
as the village of Elterwater is seen on the left there
is a car park on the hill to the right.
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Great Langdale Valley
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Dow Bank
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From the car park follow the road up northeast from
the car park towards the road then the road will split
into a road to the left, a rough track to the right
and straight ahead you should take the rough path which
climbs up the hill. As you climb higher up the rough
path various paths do split off left and right, try
and stay on the path which looks like it heads towards
the top of the hill in a north easterly direction. If
at this time you are fortunate to be able to turn round
and see a clear view it will be simply awesome towards
the Langdale landscape.
Keep continuing northeast wards up the hill for about
a mile. If you do end up on one of the other paths you
can still basically head in the general direction of
the top of the hill ridge in front of you as at the
top its pretty well pathed and flat. You will eventually
end up on top of Dow Bank, the hill which lies along
the col between Silver Howe and Loughrigg Fell. The
views from here are amazing you can see from Windermere
all the way round to the Langdale Pikes behind you and
the view over the beautiful Grasmere towards the mighty
Helvellyn and surrounding pikes in front of you.
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Dow Bank
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Grasmere View Rock
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Now at the top head downhill heading north east again
and towards Red Bank and Red Bank Woods, on your way
to the woods you will pass a stile in a stone wall where
there is a famous rock that many a lake land landscape
picture across Grasmere has been taken from over the
years. Take time out here and you'll see why. Head on
down now and reach the small road, when you hit the
road go right down the road for a few hundred yards
and you will see the wide stony track of Loughrigg Terrace
that is signposted to Loughrigg Cave and Grasmere.
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Grasmere
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Loughrigg Cave Entrance
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The well laid and managed Loughrigg Terrace now leads
through the forest and down onto the hillside of Grasmere
with some unique views across the impressive lake. Eventually
Loughrigg Terrace leads right round the hill until eventually
Rydal Water comes into view, the smaller neighbour of
Grasmere. If you wish to bag the summit of Loughrigg,
look out for the path to Loughrigg Fell that goes right
off the min path, take this to bag the summit and marvel
in its fantastic panorama, once done up here head back
down to the path and continue on it turning right. After
a while a path leads down from the Terrace towards the
shores of Grasmere however we carry on round the hill
until the path comes to an old slate dump. This is where
on your right you will see the huge entrance to an old
slate mine blast known now as Loughrigg Cave.
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Loughrigg Cave
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Loughrigg Cave
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Loughrigg Cave is a real photo opportunity and the
view from inside looking out towards Nab Scar with its
reflection in the caves small lake is certainly unique.
To get inside the cave you have to cross the stepping
stones which cross the small lake that takes up half
of the caves floor space. The small lake even contains
thousands of tiny fish that have survived in here for
years. After taking time out in the cave head out and
to the right, not taking the first path immediately
up the hill but the one just a few hundreds yards further
on that is slightly clearer and now heads south over
the side Loughrigg Fell. This part of the walk contains
many wayward paths and is not the easiest walk in very
wet and bleak moorland. Keep heading south past the
side of Loughrigg Fell and then turning back south west
once round the fell, you will reach a small area called
Tarn Foot where the road past Loughrigg Tarn goes off
to the right, if you wish to cut the journey short now,
take the road past the tarn and it will lead back to
Elterwater. If however you wish to complete the walk
by exploring the gorgeous Elter Water shores then carry
on down the road south towards Skelwith Bridge, where
refreshments are available.
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Loughrigg Slate
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Horse at Elterwater
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A path now leads from Skelwith along the side of the
River Brathay from Skelwith Bridge along the shores
and forests by Elter Water, this path is part of the
Cumbrain Way so is easily sign posted and well maintained.
Once you reach Elterwater village you may want to have
a look around this picturesque lakeland village, once
you have simply walk back towards the main road and
the car park will be in site.
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Duration
: 3 Hrs
