Ambleside and waterfalls - a circular walk of 2 to 2.5 hours
From the piers at Waterhead cross the main A591 road by the corner of the Waterhead Hotel and take the public footpath marked to Jenkins Crag. The path is rough and quite steep at first, then it levels out and crosses a field into woodland. Follow it up into the woods for just over 100 metres and look carefully for the turning left, it is not too obvious at first, but after a short distance the path soon becomes clear and as it leaves Skelghyll Woods it joins a rough track.
Go left and admire the view across the lake head and the ancient Roman Fort of Galava. The track soon meets a surfaced roadway, carry straight on down towards the village and you will see the garden centre below.
The first road you come to is the Old Lake Road and you turn right onto it (the main road runs parallel to it but we wish to avoid that),. Follow the road past the car park on your left, past Fisherbeck Lane and then Blue Hill Road on your right, then take the next right turn up Low Gale Road (marked "No Through Road"). After 150 metres, ignore the path down to the village and follow the sign for Stockghyll and Warisfell which points up the road 'Gale Howe Park'. In another 50 metres you will see the footpath going left. Follow this path until you come out onto a driveway "Havenwood" and carry on left between high beech hedges until you come to the road then turn left. You should by now be aware of the sound of rushing water and as you walk down the road you will catch your first sight of the waterfalls to the right. The entrance to Stock Ghyll Park is only 200 metres away.
The walk through the woods is a delight at any time of year. Birds, flowers, squirrels, tumbling waters all within a few hundred yards of one of Lakeland's busiest villages. Whenever the path forks keep to the higher levels on the right and walk to the top of the falls.
A wooden foot-bridge crosses the river here and the path brings you back down the other side. The full circuit need only take thirty minutes but this is not a walk to hurry and there are many viewpoints and resting places. When you are ready to leave, join the road again and continue down until you come to the main road in the village. You may go left through the village centre, and the main road will bring you back to Waterhead and the piers. However if you want to avoid the village turn right on the main road, walk past the market cross and the shopping precinct, (the Bridge House is approximately 100 metres further along the main road), and turn down Compston Road for 50 metres and follow sign right for Rothay Park and Loughrigg. Walk on past St. Mary's Church and through the park until you come to the river.
Do not cross the bridge but follow the path left alongside the riverbank. When you reach the end of the park cross over a wooden stile and continue until you come to the road. Turn right down the access road and right again onto the main road, walking against the one way traffic system pass Riverside Lodge Country Hotel on the right and Rothay Manor Hotel on the left. Do not cross the bridge on the right but walk round Rothay Manor and after 50 metres turn right onto a public footpath. Again do not cross the bridge but enter the field by the gate alongside and walk to the riverbank. Follow the river downstream through two fields and carry on alongside the riverbank eventually coming to a wooden boardwalk over the worst of the muddy ground ' Enter the field and walk past the remains of Galava, the Roman Fort, to an iron kissing gate to enter Borrans Park. Follow the path towards the lake and you will soon be able to see across to the piers at Waterhead and watch for your boat coming in to take you back to Bowness or Lakeside.
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