Walk Summary
A short, easy walk and a nice way to spend a couple of hours in Ambleside. Visits the wonderful waterfalls of Stockghyll. Follows a good trail on either side of the ghyll with excellent viewpoints.
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Date: 23/12/2023
Length: 1.341 miles
Height Gain: 95 m
Terrain: Muddy trails, lightly used roads.
Navigation: The track around Stock Ghyll is obvious.
Start: Rydal Road Carpark (paid)
Route: Rydal Road Carpark, Stockghyll Lane, Stockghyll, Stockghyll Lane
Map: OL7 Lake District - South Eastern Area
Weather: Grey, occasional showers .
Walkers: Nun, Kapitan and Cabin Boy
Captain's Log
Christmas Eve
Midday on Christmas Eve and I'd been going a bit stir crazy in our holiday let in Ambleside. It had rained and blown a hooley overnight. By lunchtime the sun was trying to break through and I mooted the idea that we might go for a walk. The Kapitan and the Cabin Boy were sat on the sofa and looked as though they'd settled down for Santa to arrive. Eventually though I managed to cajole them into action. I suggested a short walk to see Stockghyll's waterfalls. Given the amount of rain we'd had over the last couple of weeks, I thought they might be quite impressive. I dragged the Kapitan and Cabin Boy off their nest.
Lower Falls
Lower Footbridge
Stockghyll Lane
Even as we walked into Ambleside's centre, dark clouds gathered on the surrounding hills. Maybe we might have to endure a shower or two. The town centre was surprisingly quiet. Maybe people were just staying in and watching telly, I guessed. As we made our way up Stockghyll Lane to the waterfalls the Cabin Boy said that she'd never been along this road before. I can think of half a dozen previous occasions when she had been, and there were probably more. By the time we entered the park area containing the waterfalls, spots of rain had started to fall.
Upper Falls
Stockghyll
There was a lot of water coming down the falls and it was indeed impressive. We crossed over the footbridge and started climbing upwards on the muddy trail. Winter is probably the best time to view the falls since there's little foliage to block the views. It wasn't long before we were crossing the upper footbridge and coming back down the other side. We stopped off at a couple of the other viewing points. A couple of the fences had padlocks attached as is the want from courting couples. It always seems a bit of waste of metal to me, although I admit that I'm not a romantic. I suggested to the Kapitan that he and the Cabin Boy might want to attach a padlock. The Kapitan said that he didn't have one. I told him that he might want to use his newly purchased steering wheel lock for his car since he is unable to avoid honking his car horn every time he puts it on. He didn't think much to that idea.
Any Old Iron
Stockghyll
There Was Plenty Of Water Coming Down
Rothay Park
Back in Ambleside, the centre still seemed a bit quiet. We went for a wander around Rothay Park. The Kapitan and the Cabin Boy couldn't resist having a go on the zip wire. It was the first time I'd seen both of them crack a smile for quite a while. An apocalyptic gloom descended during this activity and so we started making our way back to the holiday let. The heaven's opened just before we got back and we got a little wet.
Stockghyll Falls was a worthy stocking filler for a showery Christmas Eve in Ambleside. The walk was just long enough to stretch our legs and provided enough energy output to justify one or two Bishop's Fingers later in the evening.