Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk: Route Map, Parking & Swimming Guide

First up along the trail is ‘The Grot’: a small 1600s stone building situated in the grounds of Rydal Hall. Heading inside, the viewing window frames the waterfall it sits in front of like a painting to encourage reflection.

The trail then winds up through the woodland with cascading waterfalls on your left. Catch this trail in the evening and the waterfalls feel moody and atmospheric. On a sunny day, the light glistens perfectly on the crystal clear pools.

The final section to Buckstones Jump through open land reveals incredible views of Windermere in the distance. Buckstones Jump, with its incredibly clear waterfall pool is just the cherry on top at the end of this trail.

My guide covers the Buckstones Jump from Rydal/Rydal Hall walk and is classed as easy to moderate. The route is 4.3km/ 2.7miles with 185m/ 606ft. ascent. You can walk it in about 2 hours, but will need more time if you plan to swim at any of the waterfall pools along the way or at Buckstones Jump. It’s a perfect one to spend most of a day at if you want to go at a more relaxed place and explore. 

Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk: Quick Stats

Distance: 4.3km/ 2.7miles
Elevation Gain: 185m/ 606ft. ascent and descent
Approx Time Needed: 2 hours, but more if you want to swim along the way
Difficulty: Easy to moderate. There are some steep sections on the Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump walk and uneven terrain that can be slippery. Some sections in the woodland can still be slippery due to lose surfaces even in dry weather.

Start Point: Either Rydal or Rydal Hall, depending on where you park (see parking section later for more information)
Route Type: Out and back
Wainwrights covered: None
Family friendly: Yes

Our Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Downloadable Route Map

The Rydal Falls map to Buckstones Jump I’ve included below works through our embedded AllTrails widget. Once you’ve clicked on the Alcock Tarn map, there’s several ways you can download it yourself.

If you have an AllTrails account (well worth getting), you can save the route to your profile, then download it for offline use with the AllTrails app on your phone.

Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump: What to Expect on the Walk

Depending on how you get to the walk, you’ll either start from the bottom of the hill at Rydal or near Rydal Hall itself. The road from Rydal to Rydal Hall is steep but the grounds of Rydal Hall, your first stop, ease off here.

The Rydal Hall formal gardens are a great start to the walk and if you visit in summer, you’ll have flowers endlessly blooming around you. There are also some great views onto the surrounding fells from here, framed beautifully by the architecture of the garden buildings and Rydal Hall.

If you follow my map, you’ll see that you follow a path under the bridge from the gardens to The Grot: your first proper stop off on the Rydal Hall to Buckstones Jump walk.

The Grot is a 1600s building which you can go inside between roughly 9am-4pm. Outside these times, the door is locked, and it’s really worth getting to experience it if you can.

The stone building sits with one of the most picturesque waterfalls in the area right in front of it. It was originally built as a place for reflection, quietness and to inspire creativity. From inside, the window looks out onto the waterfall and frames it like a painting. There aren’t really words to express how unique The Grot feels when you’re there!

There’s strictly no swimming here, with signs all around. If you’re doing the Rydal Falls walk because you want to swim, don’t be disheartened, there’s plenty of incredible swim spots further along the trail.

From The Grot, you’ll head up through the woodland as the trail climbs fairly steeply at points. There are various waterfalls on your left hand side, each with a really different feel.

Make sure to follow my map at this point, as you can either take the trail right next to the waterfalls, or the trail just outside of the dense woodland. The trail outside the woodland completely bypasses being right next to the waterfalls as you climb up and I think, having taken this trail to switch things up once, makes the walk a lot less interesting overall.

This trail outside the woodland is easier in many ways as it is well graded (still steep). With the woodland trail, you’ll need to keep an eye on your footing through the steep, sometimes slippery or loose dirt sections, and any dense tree roots.

Pretty much every single one of the pools that you’ll come to along the trail that heads uphill right next to the waterfalls are swimmable. Provided you can find a way down to them.

Some of them are easier to access than others, and you’ll see there are plenty of steep slopes to get down to a few. If you do plan to swim in any of these pools, make sure you can safely get down first. Some people who’ve had experience with light scrambles before will find this relatively easy. Whereas for some people, some of the pools can seem completely inaccessible. I generally find the pools lower down easier to access.

Always make sure you find a clear entry and exit point before you get in. I wouldn’t recommend jumping into these pools as their depth can change depending on recent rainfall. If you do, though, make sure you enter the water safely first to acclimate to the temperature and access depth and entry and exit points.

Likewise, if you visit and the waterfalls are raging rather than calm, this is a great time to enjoy them from dry land. The water flowing through can be incredibly powerful and dangerous after heavy rain!

As you come to the top of the woodland, you’ll follow the trail that winds away slightly from the waterfalls. There is then a left turn, which goes over a bridge that you’ll take to head up the final section to Buckstones Jump.

This is where people sometimes get stuck trying to find Buckstones Jump, as some maps don’t quite locate correctly where you can get down to it. If you keep following the trail straight on and then left, you can ultimately get to Buckstones Jump, but the trail is much more uneven, less trafficked, can be boggy, and you arrive on top of Buckstones Jump rather than right in front of it.

Once you’ve crossed the bridge and walked through the gate, you’ll take a right uphill, which then starts twisting round to the left. The views from here make you realise you’re actually quite high up and you can see over to Windermere in the distance. Whenever I take someone on this walk, they always find the far reaching views from here all the way up to Buckstones Jump to be completely unexpected.

The last section of trail up to Buckstones Jump is uphill and there are some really light scrambles over rocks at points here, but they’re very easy to navigate. The last section before the Buckstones Jump waterfall pool has a gate off to the right which you’ll go through.

From here you just head over the grass to the pool, which can be boggy at pretty much any time of year. The large gravel section around the water is perfect for getting changed for a swim or relaxing with the sound of the waterfall.

The pool varies in depth based on recent rainfall, so as above, always check the water first. The water does get quite deep toward the fall itself.

From here you can return the same way back to where you started the trail from. Some sections on the downhill through the woodland can be really slippery even when dry (loose dirt) so I’d recommend taking your time and keeping an eye on your foot placement.

Key Highlights

Places to Swim

One of the main places to swim on this walk is Buckstones Jump. The pool here is really inviting and gets quite deep just before the waterfall that feeds it. It’s pretty popular because the entry is easy with soft gravel.

Wild swimming at Buckstones Jump is great, but this isn’t the only spot on the walk to take a dip. You can pretty much swim at any of the waterfall pools you see, and can get down to along the Rydal Falls trail up to Buckstones Jump. The exception to this is the waterfall pool where The Grotto is, where there are strict no swimming signs all around.

I think it’s worth keeping in mind that every spot you can swim along the Rydal Falls and Buckstones Jump waterfall walk can stay really cold. Each pool has constant flowing water, and this makes them much colder by default. It can actually be really surprising just how cold they are, so make sure you take some warm layers with you.

If you want to jump in, make sure you walk in first, even on a warm day. Check that it’s deep enough to jump in, get an entry and exit point sussed out in your head and acclimate to the temperature of the water so you don’t get a nasty cold shock (which can actually take your breath away).

If you’re visiting as a family, I’d recommend checking the water levels in whichever pools you swim in before you let children get in, as they can actually be a lot deeper than they maybe seem from the surface.

Don’t try and swim here after heavy rainfall. The waterfall pools can be dangerous. The water can be really fast moving and can easily push you onto rocks under the surface. When the waterfalls are faster moving, this is the best time to enjoy the power of them from dry land.

Best Views & Photo Spots

There are great photo spots all the way up, from The Grotto all the way up to Buckstones Jump. I love going up here with my SLR camera and using slow shutter speeds to capture the flow of the water. I think some of the best Rydal Falls photos I’ve got are using this technique.

Of course, if you visit The Grotto (which is open in the daytime) first, you’ll want to take pictures out of the iconic window onto the waterfall. It’s absolutely stunning, especially if you catch it on a sunny day.

There’re also the views from Buckstones Jump. You’re higher up and out from the woodland when you get to this point of the walk. If you look out from Buckstones Jump in the direction you came from, you can see the surrounding hills and gorgeous views out over Windermere.

I don’t think a lot of people realise you have these far reaching views on this walk as there’s a lot of focus on the waterfalls, but it’s a nice surprise if you’re not expecting it.

Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk: Difficulty Breakdown

Terrain and conditions

The terrain is mostly through woodland with dense tree roots that can cause tripping hazards. The waterfalls can splash the edges of the paths at certain times and cause some areas to stay muddy. On the section where you leave the woodland to Buckstones Jump, the trail is mostly rocky.

There are some boggy sections at Buckstones Jump, which can stay incredibly wet even after dry periods, so keep this in mind when finding your way down to the actual waterfall pool.

Buckstones Jump walk conditions can vary a lot depending on the weather and time of year. Because it’s also steep in places, it can be very slippery and can make the trail quite difficult (and no fun). I would attempt this walk with caution after prolonged rain, particularly in winter.

When it’s been much drier, I’d still recommend wearing waterproof hiking shoes or boots with good grip. There are steep sections that are still slippery due to lose soil even when the ground is bone dry.

Technical difficulty

This trail isn’t really technical, but it is rugged, rough and steep. It is family friendly. Whilst it is a short trail, the terrain, location and conditions mean it isn’t accessible by wheelchair.

Exposure

In general, there’s no real exposure on the Buckstones Jump walk. Though if you go right to the edge of the waterfalls, there are a few drop offs. You can mostly avoid these if you stay back from the edge.

Navigation

Rydal Hall to Buckstones Jump is pretty easy to navigate if you follow my route map. The only section where you pay more attention is when you get out of the dense woodland and take the final section to Buckstones Jump.

Many people miss the turn and keep heading uphill, but there’s a turn to the left over a bridge, that goes through a gate and then immediately turns right along a wall. This is the correct way to Buckstones Jump and is marked clearly on my map above.

Steepness

None of the steep sections last very long before you have a break in it, but it is pretty steep in places. Particularly as you start to go uphill through the woodland and past the waterfalls.

You do need to keep an eye on your footing, both as you ascend and maybe more importantly as you come back down.

I’ve felt my feet slipping more times than I can count on this walk, even when the ground is dry as there’s loose soil on some downhill sections that always seem to catch you out. Don’t let this put you off, just take your time and go downhill slowly in the steepest sections.

What I Like About the Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk

I love the walk through the woodland. If I do this hike in the evening, the dense trees make the waterfalls feel dark and mysterious. If it’s sunny, the light twinkling through the trees onto the waterfalls is gorgeous.

The waterfall pools as you go uphill seem so deep, clear and like they never end, and I love how each one is unique. They also change after heavy rain, with powerful white water cascades so loud you can hardly hear yourself think.

Whilst Buckstones Jump is the end goal for a lot of people, you’re higher up, so have beautiful views over the hills around you and down to Windermere, which you also get to enjoy for a while as you head back downhill. Something that most people don’t even realise is there.  

Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk: Parking & Transport

Parking

There isn’t a specific Buckstones Jump car park. Parking is pretty limited for this walk, so you’ll need to get there early or a little later in the day, and if you can, avoid school holidays and weekends.

There are a couple of main options for where to park for Buckstones Jump, listed closest to furthest:

Car Park location just up the hill from Rydal Hall on the left
Sorry I can’t give you an exact name for this car park, but it doesn’t actually show up on the map! However, there is a proper car park at the Google Maps location I’ve given above, so just navigate to that and you’ll find it. You can pay for parking with RingGo. In my opinion, this is the most reliable and nearest.

Rydal Hall
They offer day parking, so is only really available if you visit when reception is open. Parking is really limited here, I’ve never been able to get a space here. But you might get lucky.

Pelter Bridge Car Park
This Rydal Falls parking puts you a couple of minutes walk away from the start of the trail. This is relatively small and gets full quite quickly too. You can pay by RingGo, contactless and card.

Public transport

Depending on the time of year you visit, this area can be really busy. If you’re staying relatively close in places like Ambleside, Grasmere, Keswick, Windermere or Kendal, I actually think it can be better to use the bus for the Rydal Falls Buckstones Jump walk.

Both the 555 and the 599 bus routes stop right at the end of the road from where the trail starts, covering routes that span Kendal to Keswick via Ambleside, Grasmere and Windermere.

The buses are frequent and run through the day and evening, so you can be pretty flexible. You can also use your map app on your phone and plan the route by public transport to see live bus times and make the best plan from wherever you’re staying.

Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk: Route Extensions & Other Walks in the Area

There are lots of great walks near Rydal! This area is one of the most iconic in the Lake District, so you’re not short of other ideas if you’re staying around here or want to make the Buckstones Jump walk longer.

Pretty much opposite Rydal Falls is the Rydal Cave walk. Both these walks can be done in a couple of hours each and can easily be combined to make a Rydal Falls and Cave walk.

I’d recommend starting this version at White Moss (big parking area), where our guide linked above for Rydal Cave starts and head up to the cave first. You can then descend along the upper path of Rydal Water, down to Rydal then follow the route in this guide to Buckstones Jump.

After you’ve descended most of the way back to Rydal, you can take the ‘Coffin Route’ trail on the other side of Rydal Water to get back to the starting point. Here’s an AllTrails map for this version.

Another option on top of this would be to add in Loughrigg Fell too (our guide covers this route in more detail). For this version, I’d recommend starting the walk from White Moss again, ascending Loughrigg Fell from Rydal Cave, down to Rydal and up to Buckstones Jump from there.

You could either take the Coffin Route back or roughly retrace your steps along Rydal Water’s lower path. This of course adds on another section of ascent but is well worth doing if you’ve got the energy.

Other trails I think are really worth doing in the area are Alcock Tarn from Grasmere, Elterwater to Cathedral Cave and Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge with an optional stop at the iconic Chesters By The River café at the end. I’d also recommend Easedale Tarn from Grasmere.

Our main Lake District walks hub has all the trails we currently have guides written for listed by area, so it’s also worth looking there for more inspiration.

What to Bring on the Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump Walk

The Rydal Falls walk is easy to moderate, mostly because it can be slippery, and is steep in places. There are lots of tree roots on the trail and some areas near the various waterfalls need some caution when the ground is wet.

Weather conditions in the Lake District can change pretty quickly too, so being prepared for this will give you extra piece of mind and likely mean you have a better time.

On a basic level, here’s what I’d recommend bringing, with adjustments based on the time of year you visit:

• Waterproof jacket (and waterproof pants depending on just how much rain is forecast)
• Waterproof hiking shoes or boots with very good grip: the trail can be very slippery after rainfall or in icy conditions. If it’s icy and you still want to get up to Buckstones Jump, I’d recommend bringing snow or ice spikes.
• Warm layers including an insulated jacket: Whilst swimming in the pools on this walk can feel idyllic on a hot day, they can also be really cold! A lot of the trail is under dense tree cover, so this can make it feel a lot cooler and it can take a while to warm up after swimming here
• 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 too difficult to navigate, there are a couple of turns, especially for Buckstones Jump that aren’t immediately obvious
• Swimwear and microfibre towel if you plan to dip in any of the waterfall pools or Buckstones Jump

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

Why Trust Our Lake District Walking Guides?

This Rydal Falls to Buckstones Jump walk guide has been written by someone who lives in the Lake District. 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 walk guide, it means I’ve done the route multiple times over different seasons and assessed it in detail using my years of experience in this landscape.

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.