Route: Dalemain
Area: North Eastern Lake District
Date of walk: 7th May 2014
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 7.3 miles
Weather: drizzle and rain much of the time
We parked at Dunmallard car park, next to the bridge over the River Eamont in Pooley Bridge. A public footpath follows the course of the river before heading away from it slightly to cross over fields to Dalemain Mansion
We’ve visited Dalemain many times and it’s our of our favourite historic houses with wonderful gardens. After visiting the tea room for refreshments we strolled round the superbly planted gardens, though it was a shame that rain and overcast skies accompanied us
An easy track leads out of the grounds as far as Dacre. We walked past the castle and then walked along the quiet roads for about a mile before heading across a field towards Dunmallard Hill. We traversed round the foot of the hill through woodland, and the path scored a bullseye by bringing us directly back to the car park
Even though the weather had been poor – to say the least – we’d enjoyed this return visit to Dalemain and look forward to our next one
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Looking across to Pooley Bridge from Dunmallard car park
From the same place, the bridge over the River Eamont
The riverside path
Small lake - or large pond - at the point where we leave the riverbank
Heading towards Flusco Hill
Looking back towards the Ullswater Fells
Dalemain Mansion comes into view
Closer to Dalemain
Young fallow deer in the deer park as we enter the grounds
We didn’t have time today to look round the house - but having done so before we can highly recommend a visit
We enter the award winning gardens
View from the terrace, with some unusual planting in the urn……
Looking along the herbaceous borders - it was raining quite heavily here, so keeping the camera lens dry was an issue
Dacre Beck, where we saw a dipper and a grey wagtail
Wild garlic
Leaving Dalemain via the estate road to Dacre
Further along the easy track
We pass by Dacre Castle
One of the attractive old houses in Dacre
We leave the township of Dacre
After a short spell of road walking, we turn left by this massive sycamore tree
Gilly’s failed attempt to hug a tree
We head towards Dunmallard Hill
Our route takes us into the wood and then traverses left around the hill
More bluebells! They seem to be following me on my recent walks - not that I’m complaining
Back to the start and looking along the River Eamont from Pooley Bridge
