When googling and looking for places to visit/hike in the Lake District, the results are endless. However, in my opinion, Stanley Ghyll waterfall belongs in that category of ‘world-class’. Even though Stanley Ghyll sounds like its supposed to be the name of a well-known painter, it’s far from it. It’s a 60 foot high waterfall in a narrow and dramatic deep gorge, located in Eskdale in the Lake District.
Not only is this a beautiful waterfall, the walk that gets you there is just as beautiful! We would totally recommend visiting the Stanley Ghyll Force if your ever staying or passing through the Lake District, just watch out for the slippery steps if you ever visit whilst its raining! It’s a 150ft drop at the top (that’s if you’ve got your dare-devil hiking boots on!).
How to get there:
The Stanley Ghyll Waterfall is located in the English Lake District in the county of Cumbria. Full Address;
Holmrook
CA19 1TF
Eskdale
Lake District
How Long Is The Walk?
There are multiple routes you can take to reach the Stanley Ghyll Waterfall, just look for the well displayed sign posts. The route we took was just over an hour and a half. Of course we stopped for photos along the way and took our time as it was coming towards the end of the day.
How is The Route?
Upon arriving, we parked in the National Trust car park (we recommend parking here if arriving by car). This is a little off the beaten track, with a walk along a small road and track to get down to the river. Once you’re there, the walk through woodland along the rocky river bed is very beautiful. However, make sure you watch your feet, as there is a narrow path along the ghyll.
We found the ground is quite uneven, and involves quite a lot of climbing up and down, and the rocks can be slightly slippery in wet weather. The walk to the waterfall is not very long, however the last short section involves crossing a small style over a wooden bridge.
Then what looks like scrambling up a cliff edge, but the waterfall is only just around the bend – for those not willing to risk the last bit. There is still a nice view from the wooden bridge, which unfortunately you won’t see the full view of the fall itself.
Our Experience
After a short walk from the car park, you’ll get to a picturesque wooded area which then leads to the steps that lead up to the falls. The climb is broken into stages with wooden bridges linking either side, which gave us the chance to stop and enjoy the view / take some amazing photos.
After about an hour of walking, you’ll soon reach the first viewing point which provides a close view of the waterfall. We then continued to follow the path upwards, where we reached a rock platform which allowed us to look down over the waterfall. If you’re not afraid of heights, we would totally recommend doing this!
Overall, it really is such a scenic and pretty easy walk. We took a nice and steady walk which was enjoyable and we were able to take our time. We had an amazing time hiking and discovering the hidden gem in Eskdale and would recommend to anyone.
The Dalegarth Station Route
When you leave the station, take a right and continue forward for a short distance. Then take a left onto a narrow signposted lane. This will take you across the River Esk. Judging by the rope hanging from the tree, this has been enjoyed by many youngsters on a hot summers day.
Within 100 yards of the River Esk Bridge, you will see a car park for use too. Continue heading forwards and you’ll come upon a road junction with Dalegarth Hall in view. Take the left turn, continue upwards until arriving at a gate on your left with a sign post to Stanley Ghyll. From the gate, you’ll find the paths be much wider and easy to follow. This will make its way to the streams waters edge.
On your journey following the stream, you’ll come across three bridges on your journey to the waterfall. With a scramble up the left hand bank of the stream, you will arrive at the waterfall! Now, it’s time to relax and embrace the amazing views!
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