Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge Walk: Route, Map & Parking

The Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge walk is one of the most versatile, low-level and family friendly, easy Lake District walks you’ll find. It’s an area I come to pretty often, either to do this walk, or as a starting point for other walks in the area.

Even if you’re not looking for an accessible walk, it’s still well worth experiencing as it gives you some iconic Lake District views. It also offers a gorgeous walk even when some of the higher peaks, like the ones in the neighbouring Langdales, may be inaccessible in snow, ice or very heavy rain.

My Elterwater walk guide heads to Skelwith Bridge and takes in Skelwith Force along the way. This is probably what you’d class as the ‘main’ Elterwater walk. It’s 5.21km/ 3.23 miles there and back with 174m/ 570ft. ascent and is walkable in about 2 hours.

I always think this is a great one to just enjoy and take things a little slower. You’ll always see something different; whether it’s moody light over the Elterwater area on a cloudy and rainy day, people hanging out by the lake along Elter Water itself on a hot day or seeing the incredible raging Skelwith Force after heavy rain.

Below, you’ll find everything you need for the walk itself. Including my easy to follow, downloadable map, what to bring, what to expect and other walks in the area.

Elterwater Walk Quick Stats

Distance: 5.21km/ 3.23 miles
Elevation Gain: 174m/ 570ft.
Approx Time Needed: 2 hours
Difficulty: Easier, low-level walk. Is classed as an accessible walk ‘to many’. Majority flat, wheelchair accessible paths to Woodburn Bridge just before Skelwith Force. At which point, we think the path becomes slightly narrower and uneven. Your own judgement is needed here to decide whether you are able to go further. The trail stays like this from Woodburn Bridge to Skelwith Bridge. The trail from Elterwater Car Park to Woodburn Bridge is still incredibly beautiful and you won’t feel like you’ve missed out if you do decide to make this your turn around point.

Start Point: Elterwater Car Park (National Trust)
Car Park Facilities: There are public toilets here just outside the car park located here the right hand side of the main street.
Route Type: Linear (there and back)

Our Elterwater Walk to Skelwith Force and Skelwith Bridge Downloadable Route Map

I’ve included a map for my Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge walk through our AllTrails widget. Once you’ve clicked on the map below, you can then download it in a couple of ways.

The first option is to save it to your own (free) AllTrails account. You can then download it for offline use and navigate using the AllTrails app on your phone.

If you’d rather have a paper copy, you can save the route as a pdf from AllTrails and print it out. You can also download this Skelwith Bridge walk as a GPX file and use it with the mapping software you choose. There’s also a Garmin compatible option too.

Elterwater Walk to Skelwith Bridge: What to Expect

The Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge walk starts from the main Elterwater car park in the village across from The Britannia Inn. The start of the trail is fairly obvious as you head out of the car park.

The first section of the walk takes you along a pretty flat path alongside the river. Look to your left and you’ll see the mountains toward Grasmere, and to your right (and behind you) the gorgeous Langdale mountains.

The riverside walk here is beautiful at any time of year. After heavy rain, it can feel raging and all encompassing. On days where things are calmer, you’ll be mesmerised by how clear the water is.

The riverside section carries in for a while, and there’s plenty of different areas that’ll take your attention. The path is very clear so you can just enjoy the walk.

As you continue on the Skelwith Bridge walk, the trail bends slightly in land through light woodland where you can but still see the river to the right and lake in the background through the trees.

The River Brathay and Great Langdale Beck that you’ve been walking along so far converge with Elter Water itself here.

The lake is formed of three smaller lakes when you look at it on the map. The trail emerges at the third section of the lake and it’s also the main viewpoint for the lake too. There’s a couple of benches, a beach area and a few areas where you can sit.

The views out from here are really worth spending a few minutes taking in, as you’re offered one of the most iconic views of the Langdales in the distance and their interesting shapes and formations.

From here, you’ll carry on from the lake as it heads back down the River Brathay toward Skelwith Force. Again, the path is really obvious (there’s only one) so you can just enjoy the views of the river and iconic Lake District landscape around you.

If you’re doing this as an accessible walk with equipment, I would advise taking some caution to decide whether you’re able to continue all the way to Skelwith Bridge, as at Woodburn Bridge, just before Skelwith Force, the path does become more uneven and narrow.

You’ll know you’ve reached Skelwith Force from the sound of the water and you’ll see a turn to the right off the main path. There are some steps down to Skelwith Force where you can go out onto a big rock formation to see the waterfall raging.

When it’s been raining heavily, this path can be incredibly slippery, so just go with caution, and likewise, it can be incredibly full on after the kind of heavy rain we experience in the Lake District. There have been times when I’ve been there where the steps are completely submerged.

If this is the case, you can still see the waterfall area from where the path heads down, so you won’t have missed out if it’s not safe to go down right next to it.

This is a really nice place to sit for a while. We will sometimes head down here in the evening with our dinner and watch the water cascading through the valley.

Skelwith Bridge itself isn’t actually particularly exciting, the main good stuff has already happened, but if you’re walking this route in daytime, I would recommend going via Chesters by the River, which is just a little further down the trail before you reach Skelwith Bridge to turn round and retrace your steps.

It’s a gorgeous little café set alongside the river, and they do the best food, cakes and have a beautiful little gift shop next door. It’s a great place to stop and try something while sitting next to the river.

From here, you can head back the way you came, or if you got the bus to Elterwater, you can do this as a one way and get the same 516 bus back from Skelwith Bridge to Ambleside.

Key Highlights

Places to Swim

You’d think this riverside walk would give loads of options for swimming, but it doesn’t give that many at all. There is one main area that is more suitable than others, but I’ll go through your options, including where not to!  

The riverside walk where the Great Langdale Beck meets Elterwater lake doesn’t have any options for swimming. Whilst it may look appealing due to the clear water, the river is very fast moving and has a strong current. There’re also very few sections where it’s deep enough to swim for more than a few metres at a time.

The waterfall at Skelwith Force is also not suitable for swimming. The river, to this point, is fast flowing and there are a lot of big rocks that can cause serious injury. So, this is a spot to just enjoy from above.

The main swimmable spot at Elterwater is the section where the River Brathay meets Elter Water. I’ve marked the spot on Google Maps here. There’s a bench and a small beach area here with grassy banks that you’ll usually see people stop at for a while.

I’ve tried swimming here a few times and it’s never been my favourite experience. The current of the Brathay meeting Elter Water itself is quite strong, so you get quite a bit of push back and never feel like you can actually make any progress.

There are quite a few rocks under water you have to walk around to get to a bit where you can swim. It’s more of a dip than a swim, but on a warm day, that can be a really nice thing!

If you do want to swim, I’d recommend going a couple of days after rain when the lake is higher, but things have settled. I’ve known a few people to swim here at points like this and had a much better experience.

Best Views & Photo Spots

There are so many gorgeous views and photo spots during this Lake District waterfall walk.

I think it’s a great one to do year-round because the scenery always offers something a little different. It’s also one that I come back to pretty frequently when I want something gentle, or when we have heavy rain. The road to the car park is accessible even in icy or snowy conditions.  

This walk also offers a lot in terms of views due to its location. You’ve got the incredible Langdale mountains around you, which look gorgeous even on a brooding weather day. There’s the river, which either looks crystal clear or raging after (or during) heavy rain.

The view out over Elter Water as it meets the River Brathay (pictured below) is also a favourite. As you can see, even on a moody day, there’s still a lot of beauty there.

Honestly, the photo and view options are endless, as this is before you’ve even taken into consideration Skelwith Force, which can either be picturesque and serene (and a great spot to stop and eat your lunch) or raging and pretty humbling after heavy rain.

Heading further down past Skelwith Force, stopping at Chesters by the River, a picturesque café on the route, for some stunning cake and to look out at the River before heading down to Skelwith Bridge is going to give you some perfect photo stops too.

This walk really does offer a lot for photo spots and just gorgeous views to take in, and is one of the reasons it’s so popular, especially on a heavy rain or windy day when conditions higher in the feels isn’t the best for walking.

Seasonal Differences

One of the things I love about the Elterwater walk to Skelwith Force and Skelwith Bridge is how it changes through the year.

In winter you’ll get this stark landscape, that’s often covered in low fog, and in the woodland sections it can feel like the rocks and trees are dark with stark branches. The water can feel like white water and is loud and overcoming.

In summer, and on a gentle day, the lake can feel pristine, calm and gentle and the river just looks crystal clear.

It’s an incredibly good walk for all seasons as there’s always something vibrant and changeable happening in this area. The way the water shapes the land keeps things interesting.

There’s been times where our favourite bench on the viewpoint section of the lake has been completely submerged and the river so high over Skelwith Force that you can’t even make it down the steps!

However, the road to this walk, and the trail are accessible at any time of year, which means this low level walk is a really good one if others are harder to access due to weather conditions.

Elterwater Walk: Difficulty Breakdown

Technical Difficulty

The Elterwater walk is not technically difficult. It’s mostly classed as an easy Lake District walk. It’s also classed as and accessible walk and ‘accessible to many’.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, the main trail until Woodburn Bridge is accessible for equipment, but at this point, you will need to decide whether the trail is suitable to continue along. As it becomes narrower and less even.

Of course, with any equipment, you’ll need to make your own judgements. The National Trust have said that Class 2/3 mobility scooters are able to take the route.

It’s also suited to pushchairs and strollers, making it a really good family friendly walk too.

Exposure

As this is a low level walk, there isn’t really much exposure at all. The only area that could be seen as slightly exposed is around Skelwith Force.

If you go out onto the rocks to see the water, there are a few moderate drop downs from the rocks to the water.

Navigation

Navigation on the Elterwater walk is easy. There aren’t really any turn offs once you’re on the main trail from the car park, so as long as you know where you’re heading, this is a good one to just enjoy and get immersed in the views.

Steepness

There are no real steep sections at all on this walk, it is very gentle wherever there are slight gradients.

Why I Personally Love the Elterwater Walk to Skelwith Force & Bridge

I’ve come to love this particular Elterwater walk as it’s the perfect low-level walk for pretty much all times. I’ve enjoyed it when I’ve been really tired and haven’t felt up to anything fuller on.

I’ve enjoyed it on rainy days when things feel moody. I’ve enjoyed it on summer evenings when we’ve headed to sit on the rocks at Skelwith Force with a picnic. I’ve even done this walk on Christmas Day with my mum who’s in her late 70’s (she also gives it a big thumbs up).

There’s always something to see, and I think this easy Lake District walk packs in a lot.

There’s a lot to see, experience and keep you interested, and shows that not everything in the Lake District involves going to the top of a peak to feel captivated by and connect to the Lake District’s beauty.

I think one of the things I love the most as well is just how flexible this walk is, and there are plenty of other walks (some of which I’ve listed below) that connect up.

I find myself starting walks from Elterwater a lot and seeing sections of this walk when on other Lake District routes pretty frequently. It’s such a gorgeous area!

Elterwater Walk: Parking & Transport

Parking

The main parking for the Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge walk is the Elterwater National Trust Car Park. The exact location for it is linked here on Google Maps. Note there’s no overnight parking

The car park has 40 spaces and can fill up fairly quickly at peak times (weekends and school holidays). As it is the start of various walks in the area, there is a fairly quick turn over of people, so if it’s ever been really busy, we’ve found waiting a while usually frees up a parking space pretty fast.

There is some on street parking (which you’ll usually see a few cars doing) as you come into Elterwater. This is technically allowed where there’s space, but just ensure you are parked well off to the side so as not to obstruct the road itself.

You can pay by card and contactless at the parking machine. You can also pay using the JustPark app, which we’d recommend downloading and setting up in advance if you want to do this.

This is an option available at a good amount of Lake District based car parks now, but it does also need mobile signal to be able to pay, which can of course be sketchy in some areas, so always bring another payment method too!  

As the main Elterwater Car Park is National Trust operated, it’s free for National Trust Members, and you just need to scan your card to get a parking ticket. For others, prices vary depending on how long you plan to stay. It’s currently:

• Up to 2 hours: £5.50
• 2 to 4 hours: £7.50
• All day: £9.00

It’s also free to park for Blue Badge holders.

Public Transport

It is possible to get the bus to Elterwater, however the service isn’t incredibly frequent so you will need to plan if you want to make use of it for this family friendly walk (it’s also a good option for busier periods).

The 516 bus is reliable and runs roughly every 60 minutes from Ambleside to Dungeon Gyhll (further up the Langdale Valley). It stops in Elterwater and drops you off outside The Britania Inn, which is pretty much across the road from the National Trust Car Park where this route to Skelwith Bridge starts from.

From Ambleside, you’ll find other buses that connect you up to other areas very easily. At certain times of the day, it’s possible to get the 516 bus to and from Kendal, which stops at Windermere too. However, this is very infrequent and the majority of the time, the bus starts in Ambleside.

Here’s the timetable for the 516 bus, but you can also use Google Maps to plan your bus route, which works really well for up to date and live bus times in the area.

Other Walks in the Area

There are so many other walks in the area that complement the main Elterwater to Skelwith Force and Bridge walk really well.

The main, and probably most iconic one is the Elterwater to Cathedral Cave walk, which we have a full route guide for here. It’s well worth doing to see the iconic Cathedral Chamber, but there’s a lot more to this walk too. You pass through some of the most iconic scenery in the central Lake District including stunning views of the Langdale mountains.

Another walk which I love is the Loughrigg Fell walk, which I’ve written a guide to and is extremely close to here. It’s actually possible to do an Elterwater to Loughrigg Fell walk via Loughrigg Terrace to head up to the summit.

This is an extension I’d recommend as the views are gorgeous and gives something a bit different.

Likeiwse from here, you could even extend the Lougrigg Fell walk from Elterwater to include the Rydal Cave walk, which you can easily come down to from Loughrigg Fell.

This would give you a really long route but would be a really great one to see more lakes (Rydal Water and Grasmere) and plenty of interesting things like the caves.

There are honestly absolutely loads of walks that are possible from Elterwater. There’s Elterwater to Lingmoor Fell, Elterwater to Little Langdale and Elterwater Quarry to name a few. This area is a great place to base yourself for a few walks, and each offer something different.

What to Bring on the Elterwater Walk

This is a very simple, low level Lake District walk, but the weather can change really quickly. This is the loose list I’d recommend, depending on different times of year:

• Waterproof jacket (and waterproof pants depending on just how much rain is forecast)
• Waterproof hiking shoes or boots: you can often find the path saturated, especially if you add any extensions to the walk
• Warm layers including an insulated jacket
• Gloves and a hat (or a sun hat and sunglasses in summer)
• Water and snacks
• Map saved offline: signal is patchy, and while the trail itself isn’t difficult to navigate, it’s always good to be prepared
• Swimwear if you plan to try and dip in Elterwater

I’d also recommend reading the guides on our sister site, This Expansive Adventure on what to wear hiking and our day hiking checklist. We’ve also got dedicated gear guides for all the essentials we’d recommend for hiking in the Lake District.

Why Trust Our Lake District Walking Guides

This Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge walk guide has been written by someone who lives in the Lake District and is full of tips that you won’t find quite like it anywhere else. The aim with all our guides is to give you the information you actually need, including maps and the right level of detail to get you out and feel prepared.

When I write a walking guide, it means I’ve done this walk multiple times, assessed it using my years of experience in the fells and spent time thinking in detail about what is actually important for you to know. The Elterwater Lake District walk is no different; I’ve lost track of the amount of times I’ve enjoyed doing this trail.

This just means that when you know what to expect, it’ll feel safer, you’ll feel better prepared and overall, this has a better impact on you and the place you’re visiting, so it’s a win-win.