Discovering Rydal Caves | Exploring the Lake District
More often than not we try to avoid tourist hot spots; even more so now the masses seem to be descending on the Lake District post-lockdown. That being said, I'm so glad we made the walk along the side of Loughrigg Fell to find Rydal Caves. Read on to discover how to find it, and why it's worth a visit.
About Rydal Caves
Where can I park?
We parked in the South White Moss Walks car park (there is a second to the North) just off the A591.
To find the car park, use this post code: LA22 9SE.
If you are travelling from Grasmere, the car park is on the right, just past the northern one (on the left) and is quite hidden, so take care to pay attention when trying to find it. If you are travelling from Ambleside it will be the first car park you see, on your left.
White Moss Walks doesn't require you to pay & display, you simply pay when you leave for the time you spend there. You can pay at the machine or online via paywithease.co.uk.
You can also park at Pelter Bridge (LA22 9LW).
N.B. Wherever you choose to park, it can get quite busy in these car parks, so your best bet is to arrive early.
How far is the walk?
It took us around half an hour to walk from White Moss Walks car park to Rydal Caves.
What's available at Rydal Caves?
The most stunning views on a clear day
The walk to the cave itself has some epic views to enjoy. It is one of the most stunning walks we have done to date. Thus, if you can, try and plan your visit when you can make the most of the views over Rydal Water and across to Heron Pike, Rydal Fell and beyond.
FAQs about our family days out
Is it suitable for children?
We tracked the walk there and back at just over 2 miles, which took us just under an hour to complete (excluding the time spent at the cave). Although it's not the longest walk we've done, there is a fair bit of elevation.
From the car park to the woodland you will find paved pathways followed by muddy woodland paths up to Loughrigg Terrace and the fell beyond. The stoney, loose scree paths beyond the woodland are only really suitable for all-terrain strollers with two adults to allow you to carry it over the top of some larger rocky sections. In our case, John carried Munchkin up… something I would recommend as an easier option if you can. Our girls (6 and 3 years old) both managed the walk without any complaints.
Are there facilities available?
The only toilets available are found by taking the path to right opposite the entrance to the White Moss Walks car park.
N.B. When we visited the toilets were an absolute diagrace thanks to people not being respectful. Please, if you use the facilities, leave them as you would wish to find them.
Bonus: How to find Rydal Caves
The route from White Moss Walks car park
Once parked, look for the paths at the opposite end to the entrance you drove in. The path to the right leads to a toilet block. You want to take the pathway to the left, which is the start of the main path.
This area is suitable for all, and takes you past a spot alongside River Rothay where we stopped for a picnic and saw ducks, people kayaking and gave the girls a chance to paddle in the shallow edge water.
Continuing along the main pathway, you will come to the first signpost spot, and chance to cross the river. Turning to the left you need to cross the bridge (which is wheelchair accessible too!) over River Rothay, which at this time of year (July) is flowing through beautiful greenery whichever way you look.
At this point, the signposts forget to tell you which way the Rydal Caves actually are.
At the first sign, you want to follow the arrow pointing straight up, in the direction of the woodland walks to view points on Loughrigg Terrace and paths around Rydal Water. Keep to the path and follow the hill up through the woodland until you reach the stoney, loose scree pathway fork at the top.
Here you will see a derelict stone building to your left, and a sign post pointing left to Ambleside or right to Grasmere. Here we decided to head down the path toward Ambleside, and hooked a right further down to follow the hill paths up to the Rydal Caves.
Once you get there, it is worth it. From the views along the top (as I said earlier in this post… stunning!) to the cave itself, which may seem underwhelming to some, but we all loved. Especially as going in via the stepping stones is great fun to do (we went out the side though for ease!)
N.B. Younger children may need assistance over some of the gaps, and it may not be something you can do after heavy rain!
The girls enjoyed some rock climbing inside, the echoing of the giant cave chamber and of course we has to take a selfie too!
Over all, this is a walk I would highly recommend, and if you want, you can also walk down by Rydal Water, across to Grasmere or even all the way up to the top of Loughrigg Fell. The beat thing about exploring the Lake District? The versatile nature of using a multitude of pathways and routes which allows you choose where you wish to go.
For more blog posts about exploring the beautiful places we have on our Cumbrian doorstep check out my Lake District category here. Have you found somewhere amazing to visit in the Lake District? We love to explore new spots, so feel free to share in the comments below.
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