The Best Loughrigg Fell Walk Route: Map & Parking Guide

The Loughrigg Fell Walk near Rydal and Grasmere is a relatively short, sharp fell walk that gets to the point pretty quickly. Making it a great one if you’re short on time, want great views and a workout as a bonus. This is often my go-to on longer summer evenings for this reason.

My Loughrigg Fell walking route is a little different from others, including Loughrigg Terrace on the way and then takes you to the iconic Rydal Caves and along the shore of Rydal Water. If you want to make it shorter, you can leave them out and return the same way, but they’re well worth it!

This 7km/4.3 miles with 366m/1,200ft. ascent walk packs in a lot, and I think it’s an essential one for anyone visiting the Lake District.

One of the things I love about this walk is how easily adaptable it is. The walk I’ve included below starts from the nearby White Moss Car Parks, but you can also adjust to do a Grasmere to Loughrigg Fell walk, which makes it longer. You can also do the Loughrigg Fell walk from Ambleside, but this does make it longer still (more details on this below).

The walk itself isn’t difficult, and it’s all on well-worn paths that are distinct. There are plenty of gradual inclines, but the section from Loughrigg Terrace to Loughrigg Fell summit are steep. So, if you’re just starting out, keep that in mind in your plans.

Let’s get to everything you need to know about this walk before you go, including a downloadable map, parking information and where all the best photo stops are.

Loughrigg Fell Walk Quick Stats

Distance: 7km/4.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 366m/1,200ft.
Approx Time Needed: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate (some sections are easier, with well graded paths, but the ascent to the top of Loughrigg Fell is steep with uneven rock paths)
Start Point: White Moss Car Parks
Car Park Facilities: No Toilets, Paid Car Park (via card machine or app) 
Route Type: Linear (there and back)

Our Loughrigg Fell Downloadable Route Map

The Loughrigg Fell walk map I’ve included here shows the route through our AllTrails widget. This makes it easy for you to use the map yourself, and you’ve got a few options here. You can click on the route and save it to your own AllTrails account and download for offline use.

You can also download the GPX file directly from AllTrails if you click on the map and add it to the specific software you use. Likewise, you can also print out a PDF of the Loughrigg Fell walk route or send it to a Garmin device too.

Loughrigg Fell Walk: What to Expect

You can start from different locations, but I much prefer to start the Loughrigg Fell walk from White Moss car park. I personally think you get to experience more interesting scenery this way and you’re straight into the good stuff.

As you start out from the car park, you’ll head toward the fairly busy riverside that runs alongside the path and cross the river over the bridge. This section is lovely but pretty busy, but this usually thins out as you get further into the walk.

You’ll start to head uphill slightly as you appear out from the trees at a gate, and rather than heading straight on, the right turn will take you to Loughrigg Terrace. I love this section of the walk as you can see some pretty incredible views out over Grasmere from this higher vantage point.

You also have amazing views out over the surrounding fells toward Easedale and further on toward Helvellyn as the hill follows up the A591 in the distance towards Keswick. This is a great place to stop and watch whatever weather is happening pass over the peaks (and you’ll always see something different).

The Loughrigg Terrace walk is one of the best sections of this trail, and you’ll carry on along this path until you see several paths converging. One heads uphill, another straight on, and then signs of another heading downhill.

This is where a lot of people who are doing the Loughrigg Terrace walk from Grasmere meet up with the trail to the top of Loughrigg Fell. You will take the trail to the left heading steeply up the hill.

This section is where the majority of the effort comes in, and it’s short and sharp, so it makes a great workout. This section of the trail is a slog, but just follow it up and eventually you’ll reach the cairn at the top.

There are a few very light scrambles near the top, but there’s just a few small sections where you might need to get your hands involved. Once you’re at the top, the views are pretty far reaching as Loughrigg Fell stands out on its own.

If you want the shortest route back, you can just retrace your steps back to the car park, which reduces the route to 4.5km instead of 7km and the ascent by roughly 100m.

However, for some extra variety, I love to add in Rydal Cave and walk back along the shore of Rydal Water (which is also great for swimming). To do this, retrace your steps back down from the peak and take a right to head back along Loughrigg Terrace.

I much prefer taking the same route back as I’ve tried various other paths up and down Loughrigg Fell, and just find this one the best in terms of its maintenance and how it feels underfoot. Once you’ve walked along Loughrigg Terrace and you’re back at the turn you came up from on the ascent, you’ll take a right instead to go on to the cave.

The cave is pretty incredible, and if you head out later in the day, there is a good chance you will have them (at some point) to yourself. You can hop over the stones and go to the back for a dramatic view out over the fells with this framing the foreground.

When you’ve finished in the cave, take a right and head downhill along the loose slate path, this looks slippery, but it’s absolutely fine if you’re wearing decent walking shoes. There’s also sections of fence and tree you can hold onto if needed.

At the bottom, you’ll then see another trail down to the lake shore which takes a gradual approach. From here, you can walk along the lake shore of Rydal Water, take a break and head back to the car by going straight on then taking a right through the gate and tracing your steps back through the woodland.

Key Highlights

Places to Swim

If you follow my exact route, the best place to swim on this trail is Rydal Water. The route I’ve included takes you down to the shore of Rydal Water and when you arrive there, you’ll see plenty of easy entry spots right in front of you.

The entry along this stretch is really gentle, and it’s actually one of my favourite spots to swim because you can just walk in, and the stones are small meaning you won’t hit any obstacles on the way in!

It does get deep fairly quickly, and it can also get a bit weedy in summer, so just keep this in mind. However, it’s a great one if you’re new to swimming because there is no motorised boat traffic allowed on the water, just paddle, kayak etc.

I love swimming over to the small island in the middle of Rydal Water in summer. In winter, this lake is a good one if you’re into colder swimming because you can head in near the end of the walk and be close enough to the car to get warm again quickly.

Of course, swimming comes with a risk, so go in with caution and always get out before you feel you need to.

Another option if you want to adjust is to take the trail down to Grasmere from Loughrigg Terrace. At this end of Grasmere, it’s a beautiful lake to swim out into. However, it does get deep really quickly. Within a few steps you can’t stand up, and it can feel very cold!  

Best Views & Photo Spots

There are some incredible views on this walk, and it gets you some pretty iconic views of the Lake District National Park in one short trail. It’s one of the reasons I always suggest it to first time visitors, and I will usually take friends and family on this trail if it’s their first time here.

Some of the key highlights I think for photos and views out are firstly, Loughrigg Terrace. The view from here looking over Grasmere with the mountains surrounding towards Easedale and the peaks heading toward Keswick along the A591 in the distance are beautiful.

Catch this in the evening and you may even get some stunning light setting over the peaks as you see the silhouettes starting to appear. In winter, even the smallest sprinkling of snow and some sun can make this area feel like magic.

The top of Loughrigg Fell has some great views out, as it is pretty much the tallest thing right there so on a good visibility day, you can see a long way out. Though personally, I don’t actually love the views as much from the summit as I do along the way.

There’s also Rydal Cave which is a pretty iconic stop. If you go into the cave and look back out, you’ll have the surrounding fells framed by the inside of the slate cave. If you go in the evening, you may even get it to yourself (for a few minutes).

Seasonal Differences

The great thing about the Loughrigg Fell walk is that its accessible all year round. Of course, if there’s heavy snowfall, it can make the path to the top of the fell more inaccessible, but it is still doable if you have the right gear (sometimes snow spikes are needed).

I will say though, in my time living here, I’ve only ever experienced some ice on the upper fell trail in winter, and this has been easy to navigate with snow spikes. It has never covered the entire trail either, so you can usually walk around any icy sections. This trail lies at a much lower elevation than some others so doesn’t often get the same level of snow and ice.

However, in winter, the direction of the sun does make a difference, and on the shorter days of the year, there are actually sections of this trail (lower sections toward the cave and along some of Loughrigg Terrace) that don’t get the sun very much. So, on a cold day, this can feel much colder!

In spring and summer, this trail is great, but busy. Which is why I’d recommend doing it in the evening if possible. There isn’t much respite from the sun on the way to the peak, so suncream and water is pretty much a given.

Autumn can be a stunning time to do this walk, as the colours all around turn golden and it just looks stunning, especially around Loughrigg Terrace as you look out over Grasmere.

Loughrigg Fell Walk: Difficulty Breakdown

Technical Difficulty

The Loughrigg Fell walk is not technically very difficult. Though it does have some steep sections which are focused on a very small section of the walk as you go to the final ascent from Loughrigg Terrace.

If this wasn’t the case, the Loughrigg Fell walk difficulty would be classed as easy to moderate, but because of this section, it is definitely moderate. The trail is all on well used paths, with a combination of gravel and stone.

Toward the top, there are a few short sections where you may need to use your hands for light scrambling. But this is very straightforward.

The trail up to the top of Loughrigg Fell is made of steep rocky steps, these can become a little slippery in places after heavy rain, but they do also have good grip. Likewise, sections of the trail can become boggy after heavy rain.

Exposure

Generally, there is limited exposure on the Loughrigg Fell walk, apart from on the section between Loughrigg Terrace and the Loughrigg Fell summit. This cuts up the side of the hill and with nothing else around it can feel very exposed.

However, there are plenty of grassy sections, trees and bushes around, so you’re never actually exposed physically.

Navigation

This trail is very easy to navigate, and with the map downloaded, you should find it very simple to find your way. There are also a decent number of signs and trail markers which will help out too. The turns on the trail are very obvious.

Steepness

The trail is pretty steep when you’re heading from Loughrigg Terrace to the Loughrigg Fell summit. This is the main workout section of the trail, and this feels just as steep going up as it does coming down! However, it’s relatively short in comparison to the rest of the walk.

Why I Personally Love the Loughrigg Fell Walk

I love the Loughrigg Fell walk for the variety it offers. It’s got the peak, Rydal Cave, the chance to swim in either Rydal Water or Grasmere and it just has some pretty incredible views.

I come back to this walk, and variations of it, pretty regularly, and on a longer summer evening, it feels like the perfect micro adventure that can gives me a great reset.

Loughrigg Fell Walk: Parking & Transport

Parking

White Moss Car Park

The best place to park for my downloadable Loughrigg Fell walk route is White Moss Car Parks. This puts you right next to the start of the trail.

There have been some people who’ve complained about the White Moss Car Park as it used ANPR and some people have had fines from parking there. I have been using this car park (there’s actually the main one and a couple of side ones next to it on the other side of the road) for years, with no problems at all. Like seriously, no problems at all.

When you arrive and park up, buy your parking from when you arrive rather than now (so if you arrived at 14:20 but don’t get parked up until 14:30 for whatever reason, you’ll need to start your parking session from 14:20.

You can use RingGo or pay with card at the machine. The great thing with RingGo is you can extend your parking if needed, and there is decent signal for the majority of the Loughrigg Fell walk from White Moss car park.

If you pay with card there and then at the machine, you’ll need to know exactly how many hours you need, so always edge on the side of caution.

People have also complained that this car park is expensive, but to be completely honest, it isn’t really any more of less expensive than the other parking in the Lake District.  Likewise, people have also complained a lot about it because it gets busy, but again, this is the same with any of the popular Lake District walks at certain times of year!

If you are visiting at a busier time of year, I’d recommend either getting the 555 bus (more info below), starting early or arriving later in the afternoon.

If it’s any indication, it really isn’t a car park I think about or dread parking in, and it’s well positioned for this walk, especially if you want the shortest version of the walk.

Public Transport

This walk is really well served by the 555 bus route that goes through Kendal, Windermere, Ambleside, Rydal, Grasmere and ultimately finishes in Keswick. There is a specific stop for the White Moss Car Parks called ‘Rydal White Moss Common’ and you can follow my route map exactly the same as if you were to drive.

The 555 bus route runs really regularly through the day and evening and runs to schedule (more often than not). I often make use of this bus if I do this walk on my own as its really handy and also costs less than parking!

It’s also a good option in summer when the car parks are likely to be busier.

Loughrigg Fell Walk: Optional Route Extensions

A really popular alternative is to do the Ambleside to Loughrigg Fell walk. This is a good option if you’re staying in this area. However, I personally find this version of the walk doesn’t quite have as much going on as the version from White Moss.

Likewise, you can also do a Grasmere to Loughrigg Fell walk variant, which starts in Grasmere, walks along the whole lake shore and then heads up hill and meets Loughrigg Terrace before going to the top of Loughrigg Fell.

These variants are good alternatives if you’re struggling with parking, as there are more options for parking in Ambleside and also a few car parks in Grasmere. But the Loughrigg Fell walk from Grasmere is certainly longer.

We’ve got a list on AllTrails here including all the routes we’ve created here if you want to look at the variants, which include the straight up and down Loughrigg Fell walk from Ambleside, the walk from Grasmere to Loughrigg Fell and also the Loughrigg Terrace walk from Ambleside.

Another option entirely is to skip Loughrigg Fell and focus on Rydal Cave and Rydal Water. This is a much easier route and one I often go for if I’m very short on time, or feeling tired. It’s also very family friendly too.

We have a full walk guide to the simple Rydal Cave walk which covers this route alone, and is well worth considering as a simpler option.

Other Walks in the Area

This area has so many great walks, and you can easily base yourself around here (like many people do) and spend absolutely ages just enjoying some of the most iconic Lake District view.

The most obvious walk that you can do separately to Loughrigg Fell is the Rydal Cave Walk, which we have a full guide to as well. This also includes loads of variations and other things to do in the area too. It also makes the whole area much more family friendly if needed.

If Rydal Cave appeals, another good option is the Elterwater to Cathedral Cave walk, which we have a full guide on too. The scenery along this trail is gorgeous and the cave is just a great bonus!

If you like the idea of something longer, an idea would be to head down to Elterwater from Loughrigg Terrace, which is gorgeous in it’s own right. You could then walk a section of the Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge walk to experience some of this area in more detail too (this is a route I absolutely love).

Another great walk in the area is from Grasmere to Easedale Tarn, which is actually one of my favourite Lake District walks, especially with the variations into the higher peaks like Blea Rigg and Sergeant Man.

We have a full guide to the Easedale Tarn walk and the Blea Rigg and Sergeant Man extension on our sister site, as well.

What to Bring on the Loughrigg Fell Walk

Whilst this isn’t a particularly technical walk in the Lake District, the weather can change really quickly. So, here’s a loose list I’d recommend, with the idea that some of it may stay in your daypack just in case:

• Waterproof jacket (and waterproof pants depending on just how much rain is forecast)
• Waterproof hiking shoes or boots, especially if you want to visit Rydal Cave
• Warm layers including an insulated jacket
• Gloves and a hat (or a sun hat and sunglasses in summer)
• Food and water
• Walking poles for the hill to the summit of Loughrigg Fell may be helpful depending on your comfort
• Map saved offline – whilst there is signal, don’t rely on this for navigation
• Micro spikes if it’s icy
• Swimwear if you plan to swim in either Rydal Water or Grasmere

Why Trust Our Lake District Walking Guides

As someone who lives in the Lake District, this guide was written to actually help you get out and enjoy the Loughrigg Fell walk as much as possible. The aim with all of 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.

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.