Wordsworth weekend
LAKE DISTRICT
Route by ABOVE BELOW
This is a leisurely weekend or a very fun and full on day out.
Location: Lake district, England
Total distance: 10 miles
Above distance (hike, run): 8 miles
Below distance (swim): 2 miles
A (start): brockhole
B (finish): brockhole
Duration: Day trip
Difficulty: HARD
OS MAP: OS Explorer OL7
Before you set off, please read our safety guide and blog post on the risks of biosecurity. And here is our recommended kit list.
need to know
There are many ways to make this work. Pubs, campsites abound. Our favourite start is the jetty at Brockhole Adventure centre – the view of the swim across to Low Wray is superb. And thanks to Colin Hill for first flagging this one back in 2016. You can also end here.
Bioscurity - MUST READ - this route links lakes at risk of contamination by invasive species. Please read our blog here to understand the risk and what you must do. There are, on this route, many ways to wash, clean and dry your kit.
Terrain: nice lake swims of 1 - 2km and low level rolling Lakeland hills and fells.
Safety - extra things to look out for:
Boats on Windermere start at 10am so best to be off and out before them on windermere or stay out of the big ferry lanes from Ambleside. Other than that, it’s a fairly straightforward swim with the RuckRaft as a float.
Extra kit:
A pair of fins is always handy in case of the need for extra push. Floor of lakes can be sharp rocks so water footwear to swim in or clip to RuckRaft (e.g. crocs) is a good idea.
Things to look out for:
Lots of lovely stuff on this route. After the first swim over Windermere there’s a cafe in Low Wray castle, then another at Skelwith Bridge on the walk over to Loughrigg Tarn. There’s a campsite at Loughrigg Tarn that’s not online (Tarnfoot Farm). The Langdale YHA is excellent also. A cracking cafe at Rydal Hall waterfalls on the way up to Buckstones Jum. And easy detours to pubs like the Drunken Duck.
Highlights
Above: Loughrigg Fell, Rydal Caves, Low Wray Campsite, Tarn Farm campsite, YHAs, pubs.
Below: The first cross is short but has a lovely epic feel to it. Buckstone’s Jump is a must.
description
Stage 1 – Windermere to Loughrigg Tarn:
A swim across Windermere at dawn from Brockhole jetty to Wray castle (and a stop for a coffee and bit of cake). The swim can be extendedround to wray campsite (where there is food). Walk and over to Skelwith Bridge. Dip in River Brathay, Elter Water and then a lovely hike over to the spectacular Loughrigg Tarn. After a swim there we headed up to Langdale YHA for food only to return in the dead of night with a full moon to Loughrigg for a magical skinny dip (photos of that to remain private)! There’s also the campsite by the tarn.
If doing it all in a day, head straight over Loughbrigg fell from the tarn and down to Grasmere.
Stage 2 - Grasmere to Rydal water with a trip up to Buckstone’s Jum:
Down to Grasmere to swim the length. Then a short walk through to Rydal water, swimming it’s length from the beach. A few of the group left to go home from Ambleside while the rest of us headed up to the spectacular Buckstone’s Jum for a dive and dip.
Then back down to Ambleside and a swim or walk along the lake to Brockhole. Or there’s a cracking beer garden at the Waterhead Inn, Ambleside.
Accommodation and other ideas:
There are many ways to make this route work - day, two days, wandering weekender.
Stops, campsites, YHAs are all en route.
One option would be to start and finish at Low Wray Camspite. This could be a base for doing longer swims in Windermere on an extra day. The swim at the start above could become your final swim, or you do the whole loop in reverse from Low Wray and finish with a pint at the Drunken Duck.
The secret Tarn Farm campsite is somewhere we keep meaning to stay. But to travel light we stayed in three YHAs - Windermere, Langdale and Ambleside. All solid.
your guide
Want to give this route a go, but not ready to go it alone?
Get in touch with our local guide Lauren Munro-Bennett on 07486060073 or via email lauren@lmbcoaching.info
Lauren grew up in The Lake District and has a genuine and infectious passion for for the outdoors, specialising in running, triathlon, open water swimming coaching and guiding in the beautiful Lake District. Read more about Lauren and her coaching here.
All our local guides are qualified lifeguards or swimguides with first-hand experience of the route.