Thirlmere & Fisherplace Gill

Thirlmere is a lake that is often missed by visitors who tend to pass it by when travelling between Keswick and Grasmere. It’s a reservoir that provides water to much of the north-west, but it still offers some charming walking opportunities.

This walk explores the north-eastern side of the Lake, with a steep section at the start that will certainly work those leg muscles, but is definitely worth it for the views. Beginning at Legburthwaite, the route ascends around 100 metres along the side of Stybeck Fall, before following a trail that runs along the base of Raise fell, passing waterfalls along the way. The route then descends down alongside Helvellyn Gill, through a tunnel under the A591, and down to the shore of Thirlmere, before a gentle return back to the car park.

It’s worth noting that at the start of this walk there is a short stretch along a minor road, and at the end of the walk you will need to cross over the A591, and therefore children will need close supervision. During May, much of the second half of the walk is covered with a blanket of bluebells.

1. Legburthwaite Car Park – the Start of the Walk

The walk starts at a United Utilities car park at Legburthwaite. The grid reference is NY 318 195 and the nearest post code for sat nav is CA12 4TQ. The car park is just north of the Lodge in the Vale Hotel. If you are coming from the hotel the entrance to the car park is on the left hand side. Additional parking is also available at Thirlmere Recreation Hall, south of the Lodge in the Vale, just off Stanah Lane.

There are public toilets at the car park at Legburthwaite. Once parked, head out of the car park back onto the road and turn right. You will now need to walk along the road for half a mile. There are grass verges and the traffic is generally slow and infrequent, but care should still be taken. You will pass the Lodge in the Vale on the left hand side, where there is a café open during the day.

2. Stanah Lane

The road eventually leads back to the A591, but just before that junction there is a turning on the left hand side, with some houses on the left and a phone box on the right. Directly in front of you is Thirlmere Recreation Hall, where further parking is also available (but you will still need to walk the half mile along the road on your return journey). The road veers sharply left just before the village hall, and you will see the street name for the lane: Stanah Lane.

Continue up here and after a short distance you will come to a fork in the track. Take the left hand fork and the track begins to ascend gently with farm buildings just ahead. Just beyond the first set of buildings, look out for a stone wall on the right with a set of wooden steps and a sign for “Sticks Pass” on it. Head over these steps.

3. The Ascent to Stybeck Waterfall

Once over the wall, you will be in a field that rises steeply. Follow the path as it leads up, and then veers right, where you will see a gate with a large rock behind it. Go through the gate. The top of the rock offers a good vantage point and is a fun point for younger children to practice their scrambling skills. Continue to follow the path as it leads around the bottom of the rock and towards another gate at the end of a stone wall.

Go through this gate and you will find yourself at a footbridge that crosses over the bottom of Stybeck Waterfall. Cross over the bridge and follow the path towards the gate ahead of you.

4. The Path Towards Fisherplace Gill

Go through the gate. A few metres beyond the gate there is a fork in the path with a signpost. Head right here. The path is not that clear at this point, but you just need to head towards the stone wall directly in front of you. The path eventually joins the stone wall so that you will now find the wall on your right hand side.

Head through another gate. Do make sure you turn around every now and again to admire the view of Blencathra behind you. The path remains fairly level during this section, with occasional small streams to cross over using stepping stones.

5. Fisherplace Gill Waterfall

Continue along the path which is narrow at times. When the wall on your right starts to drop away down towards the lake, there is a small fork in the path. Take the left hand fork. Here the path becomes less clear but you just need to keep going straight until you see another gate ahead of you.

Beyond the gate there is a wooden footbridge that crosses over Fisherplace Gill waterfall. Cross over the bridge and follow the path as it winds up slightly, given further views of the falls. The path then joins another wall and once again you will be walking with a wall to your right hand side.

6. Views of Thirlmere & a Possible Diversion

Follow the path, crossing over another small stream. Just after the stream there is a turning on the left (though it is hard to spot) where you can climb the hill, going back on yourself, to reach the top of Fisherplace Gill waterfall. It’s a steep climb, and younger children would probably struggle, but the views of the falls are worth the trek.

After, return back the way you came and rejoin the path. You will then come to a gate. Beyond the gate is a crossroads with a signpost. Continue straight on, signposted for Swirls Car Park.

7. Heading Towards Swirls Car Park

The path continues along the fell side, though you will now start to notice a slight descent. You will continue to be rewarded with fabulous views of Thirlmere. At times the path can be uneven with streams trickling across it, making it slippery in places. Go through another gate and you will continue to follow the path where there is quite a bit of loose scree.

The path then drops down considerably, with a wall on your right, before you will reach another waterfall. There is a small, narrow, wooden bridge to cross and beyond this the path continues to gently descend, with the Swirls Car Park eventually becoming visible in the distance. As you get closer to the car park, you will reach another gate to go through.

8. Swirls Car Park & the Underpass

Go through the gate and turn left, following the track down towards another gate ahead of you (with a small footbridge in front of it). Go through this gate and you will now be on a path that follows the Helvellyn gill. You can continue along the main path down towards the car park, but you might wish to take one of the smaller paths off to the left up to the steam where there are quiet picnic spots.

Return to the main path after and you will arrive at a gate. Go through the gate and cross through a small enclosure before arriving in the car park. There are public toilets here. To get to the underpass, do not go towards the car park’s main entrance. Instead, go to the far end of the car park (opposite where you came in on the path) and there is a gate here to go through. Beyond that, a track takes you to the underpass.

9. The Small Mound with the Big View

Once through the underpass, you can continue straight on along the track to get to the lake, but it’s worth taking a slight detour first. There is a gate on the right hand side that leads up to the parking area on the A591 where there is usually an ice cream van (in the warmer months) selling locally made ice cream.

In addition, there is a path through this gate that takes you to the summit of a mound that offers fantastic views of Thirlmere. It’s a short, steep walk, but the views are worth the effort. In May, this entire area is carpeted with bluebells.

10. Thirlmere Lake Shore

After you have descended from the mound, rejoin the main path that you came in on, and head down towards the lake. The path leads gently down, with a gate to go through along the way. At the bottom of the path, it turns towards the right, becoming a much wider track and on the corner there is a smaller path on the left hand side. This leads to a small beach on the lake shore, which is a great picnic spot, though you should heed the warning signs regarding deep water.

11. The Woodland Path

Rejoin the track and continue straight on. You will come to a turning on the left with a signpost indicating a footpath. Take this footpath and it leads you through woodland (whilst the track continues up to the hotel). The path here can be tricky to navigate at times, with protruding roots and a lot of overgrowth in the summer. The path then rejoins the track leading down from the hotel and you should head left here. It then begins to rise gently and you may notice a number of monkey puzzle trees here, which always delight children.

12. Returning to the Car

There is now a fairly lengthy stretch along the track. Thirlmere is visible at times and during the spring you will continue to be delighted with the bluebells that grow in abundance here. The track veers down to the right at the foot of Great How, and then follows a stream on the right, with Great How Wood on your left. Across the stream, you will see farm fields and, if lucky, you may spot a sheepdog at work.

Continue along the track until it ends at a gate. Go through the gate and you will see the A591 on your right. You will need to cross here and children will need close supervision. Once over the road, turn left to walk along the road (there is a small path to follow) up to the track on the right around 100 metres in the distance. Turn right onto this track and this leads you directly back to the car park.