Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge

Elterwater to Skelwith Bridge:

This fantastic 3.5 mile out and back route begins at the Elterwater National Trust Car Park, postcode LA22 9HU. There is parking for approximately 30 cars, in the summer months I would recommend arriving early to make sure you get a spot!

We love this walk for the easy, safe and accessible path making the walk both pram and bike friendly. You are also able to enjoy a bite to eat at the well known Chester’s By The River – you won’t be disappointed!

The start of the walk, leaving Elterwater Car Park

Enjoying a play by the River Brathay

An easy, accessible and pedestrianised path.

The Route:

The pedestrianised path makes this route a perfect choice for those who have little ones who enjoy going on their bikes and scooters. It is a safe, easy and enjoyable path offering beautiful views of the Lake District. This path is also pram accessible.

The route itself is extremely easy to follow, starting from Elterwater National Trust Car Park follow the footpath down to Skelwith Bridge. The River Brathay stays on your right hand side throughout the first half of this walk. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop off and paddle by Elterwater.

We use Chester’s By The River as our half way point, here you can enjoy a bite to eat before retracing your steps and heading back to the car park. The River Brathay will now be on your left hand side.

A few points to look out for:

as you near to Chester’s there is a bridge on your right hand side, do NOT cross the bridge. Continue with the river on your right and walk straight on.
Shortly after this bridge you will come to Skelwith Force waterfall. There is a path leading to this waterfall so that you can view it. We opted not to do this as it didn’t seem a safe option with little ones in tow.

Overall this is a lovely day out and will make a beautiful walk for the whole family.