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Stepping Stones Walk Highlights
Route: Patterdale - Glenamara - Grisedale Valley - Grisedale Beck - Patterdale
Distance: Approx 2.7 miles
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
OS Map: OL5
Stepping Stones Walk Details
Overview
A fairly gentle walk easily accessible and with superb views of Ullswater and up the Grisedale Valley towards Helvellyn.
Route
From the cottage turn left and follow the road towards the pub. Just before you get to the pub take the track opposite to the left past the Public Loos. Follow this path past the workshop and head through the glade of trees. Once through the next gate you’re up onto the fells.
Head up the path. Half way up you’ll see a path off to your right to a gate into what we call the “Hide and Seek” field (for obvious reasons). Anyone in a real hurry can take this very short cut but for the rest carry on up the path. Take a moment to look behind you and see the views to Boredale Hause and Place Fell. Go through the gate into Glenamara Park.
Between April and November watch out for the cows who graze here - especially if you have a dog. (Click this link for advice on advice for dog walkers with cows). If you haven’t got a dog the cows will probably ignore you anyway!
Follow the path and continue towards the eponymous stepping stones. I have only had a problem crossing this beck once in 8 years - and that was when we had the Flooding of 2009 when to be fair you couldn’t even drive a car from Patterdale to Glenridding!
Once over the stepping stones you’ll start to get some great views across to the east towards Ullswater. Keep going until the path branches. You can either take the short cut here to the right through the gate and down to the road to Patterdale, or follow the path to the left. Don’t go left up the slope unless you want to go up St Sunday Crag, just follow the fence and wall towards the fir tree copse ahead. When going through this watch out for Red Squirrels. Follow this path until you get to a gate in the wall, then drop down the slope to the sheep pens and go through the gate to the right and walk down towards the old bothy at the floor of the Grisedale Valley.
To your left you’ll get great views up the valley towards Hole in the Wall and Striding Edge and you’ll probably here to Hounds from the Ullswater Hunt barking in their kennels. Drop down to the road and turn right, through the gate. Here you can either continue straight down the road or turn left and take a detour through Patterdale Hall Estate. Cross over the old bridge and go through the gate on your right marked “Patterdale Hall Estate Private Access”. Please make sure if you have a dog it’s under close control.
Follow this enchanting path down the side of Grisedale Beck and once out the other end turn right and cross into the King George V playing field. Continue through this and to the left of the tennis courts - through the glade and churchyard and then turn right on the road to walk past the Patterdale Hotel, and pub back to The How.
Wonderful!
Alternate Routes
As above there are 2 main shortcuts - the first through the “Hide and Seek” field which takes you down to the King George V playing field and the other half way round that misses out the Grisedale Valley section.own to Deepdale and Beckstones.
Other Useful Info
More photos from this one which is Morgan’s Daily Morning Walk.
Walks Index | Helvellyn Walk | Angle Tarn Walk | Place Fell walk | Pipe Track Walk | Stepping Stones Walk | Silver Point Walk | Patterdale Boundary Walk
Walks Index | Helvellyn Walk | Angle Tarn Walk | Place Fell walk | Pipe Track Walk | Stepping Stones Walk | Silver Point Walk | Patterdale Boundary Walk
