Route: Aira Force
Area: North Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 3rd August 2016
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 2.0 miles
Ascent: 300 feet
Weather: Cloudy, several showers
In view of a negative weather forecast which ruled out a fell walk I decided to visit Dalemain garden and since I was heading east it seemed a good idea to visit nearby Aira Force on the way there. I parked in the National Trust car park at the foot of Aira Beck, which was empty when I arrived but almost full when I left – a good reason to come early to this place as it’s popular with tourists
There’s a good reason for its popularity – Aira Force is a spectacular waterfall dropping 65 feet down a ravine into a rocky pool and is set in beautiful ancient woodland. The Trust has laid out various waymarked trails, and provides a map at the entrance, so the Maps Page does not suggest a route, but links to a Google map showing the location of the start
From the visitor centre I climbed up the left bank of Aira Beck, crossed the higher of the footbridges, and descended along the other bank
Aira Force was on good form after recent rain and was an impressive sight and sound. There are other small falls further upstream and these are worth visiting too. This is a great little walk for anyone who is short of time, even when it’s raining – as was the case today
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for a location map
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before I set off this morning…
…and a song thrush
The start of the walk as I climb up through the woods, which are full of wonderful old trees - this is a monkey puzzle tree
I heard it before I saw it - Aira Force
Footbridge over Aira Beck
Looking down from the bridge as Aira Force tumbles down the ravine
I continue upstream, where there is a succession of smaller cascades…
Just beyond this point I crossed another footbridge and followed the path down along the other side of Aira Beck
The end of the walk
