Little Langdale Circuit - A Family Walk

Date : 29th May 2016
Start/Finish: Skelwith Bridge
Distance: 6 Miles
Time Taken : A leisurely 5 hours including lengthy lunch and pub breaks.

The route : Clockwise from Skelwith Bridge

This a cracking little family walk that is especially suitable for young kids. My lad first walked it aged 5. He is now 9 and took his friend with him today. It is mostly flat and easy going. It has woods, waterfalls, great paddling spots, a tarn, a lake and a pub. It can easily be walked in 3 hours but it is really not a walk to rush. We had a picnic, 2 paddles and an ice cream (a beer for me and the Mrs) and it took 5 hours. The paths are clearly marked the whole way round and indeed follow the Cumbria way for some sections.

The start of the walk from Skelwith Bridge

The first section is through open farmland

Some lovely cottages adorn the route

Park Farm

Heading down towards the river

The path then crosses a road and there is the option of taking a direct route up through woodland, or taking a slight detour to the right to see Colwith Force. We detoured.

The route to Colwith Force

My photos of Colwith Force never seem to do it justice. It is an impressive waterfall though and well worth seeing.

Every good kids walk has a money tree

High Park Farm and coffee shop

Views over to Lingmoor Fell

Winner of this years 'worlds scraggiest sheep' competition

We stopped by Slater Bridge for a picnic lunch. The kids had a great time paddling in the Greenburn Beck and trying in vain to catch the tiny fish darting around their feet.

Slater Bridge

Fish spotting

Going in for the hunt

We could have stayed there all day. The kids ended up stripping down to their undies and wading all the way in. Despite their best efforts though ...... the fish went uncaught.  

More great paddling spots

The onwards path towards Lingmoor Fell

Little Langdale Tarn

We followed the path to Elterwater with the promise of an ice cream providing adequate motivation for the kids. 

Little Langdale Tarn with the Coniston Fells beyond

Elterwater village

All good low level walks in the lake district have a pub along the way. This walk is no exception and the Britannia Inn at Elterwater is a cracking place for refreshments. From here, the walk follows the Cumbria Way along the River Brathay back to Skelwith Bridge.

Some sheep playing hide and seek

Crystal clear water

Elterwater with the Langdale Pikes beyond

Getting friendly with some locals

The Cumbria Way by Elterwater

Skelwith Force

Admiring the different types of local slate you can have in your kitchen

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