Where is this walk?

Elter Water

October 14, 2018

A walk round Elter Water will bring some easy walking and excellent views. In particular the north side path is very good, the south side having to leave the shores of the lake as it is private land.

The Walk

Elter Water had passed me by (or I it) for many years as I drove up Langdale towards the famous set of fells that surround the valley. However Elter Water is rightly a popular spot. In particular the walk around the north side is as pretty as anything in the Lakes. The National Trust have maintained an excellent path from Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge. However look out for the Scandinavian swans from which the lake is named, they are very very big!  Elter Water is the smallest of the 16 lakes in the Lake District. It is actually silting up.

The land to the south and west of Elter Water is sadly privately owned so access to the lakeside is not available. Therefore the best bet is to take detours in to the woods from the road. To be fair the road is quiet and there are tantalising glimpses of the lake but I do prefer to take this section first. From there the walk gets better and better. However the roads are soon left behind with a short detour taking you to Colwith Force. A little further on Skelwith Force is another idyllic place.

Recommend

A cup of tea in the Eltermere Inn is worth it. The views of Elter Water are not seen clearly from anywhere else on the south and west shores.

Navigation Tips on Elter Water

On occasions road walking is the only option. This walk is one of these. The key is to look for the quietest roads, certainly ones not coloured on a map. Red means A road, Orange is a B road and yellow a C or well used road. Look for those which are white. In addition they should appear to go nowhere in particular and certainly not between two villages/towns.

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