Route: Slater Bridge, Langdale
Area: Southern Lake District
Date of walk: 17th February 2022
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 6.3 miles
Ascent: 900 feet
Weather: Cloudy with a very cold wind
The object of today’s walk was to revisit ancient Slater Bridge (also known as Slater’s Bridge). The bridge, dating back to the 17th century, is in two parts and takes advantage of a central large rock and a very long slate slab to cross the River Brathay on its way from Little Langdale Tarn to Elterwater. The bridge was originally built to provide the quarrymen of Little Langdale a shorter access from their homes to the slate quarries on the other side of the river
We started the walk from Skelwith Bridge where there is roadside parking, but nearby Elterwater would be just as convenient. We followed a path from the road down to the banks of the River Brathay. A delightful path, part of the Cumbria Way, then took us beside Elter Water into the village of Elterwater. There were good views of the Langdale Pikes along this section of the walk. Beyond the village we passed through Elterwater Hall and below the crags of Lingmoor Fell before arriving at Little Langdale, a small hamlet consisting of a few cottages. We crossed the lane to descend gently to our destination, Slater Bridge. After admiring its weathered form we crossed it and set off along the return leg. Progress was impeded near Colwith Force by numerous fallen trees, possibly victims of yesterday’s Storm Dudley. We had to clamber, duck and divert on several occasions in order to avoid the obstacles in our way
Beyond the woods, a lovely path took us past Park Farm and Park House back into Skelwith Bridge
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
Red squirrel in the garden yesterday as Storm Dudley kept us indoors for most of the day
The start of the walk as we follow the roadside path out of Skelwith Bridge
We descend to the easy path beside the River Brathay, with views of the Langdale Pikes ahead
Looking across the River Brathay
We follow the cobbled path, part of the Cumbria Way, along Great Langdale
Approaching Elterwater
We cross Great Langdale Beck via the road bridge in Elterwater and turn left at the white house, Bridge End
Having left the road at Elterwater Hall we follow a stony track below Sawrey's Wood...
We ignore a path on the left and continue ahead in the direction of Wetherlam
The lower slopes of Lingmoor Fell on our right
The track becomes a lane as we arrive in Little Langdale
We reach the Little Langdale road and here turn left and then immediately right
Little Langdale Tarn and the Tilberthwaite Fells
Wetherlam and Great Intake as we descend to Slater Bridge...
Great Intake and Wetherlam again
Little Langdale Tarn
We arrive at the furthest point of our walk, ancient Slater Bridge (also known as Slaters Bridge). The first section is a long slate slab, followed by a traditional packhorse style bridge beyond the rock
Crossing the bridge...
Beyond the bridge we cross another bridge on the lane to Stang End
Looking across Little Langdale to Lingmoor Fell
We pass by Stang End
We continue towards High Park
A view across Little Langdale
We follow the path to High Park
Looking back to High Park and Lingmoor Fell beyond it
Serious storm damage in Tongue Intake Plantation, probably caused by yesterday's Storm Dudley, blocked the path in several places and we had to resort to a combination of clambering, ducking and detouring
Nearly out of the woods
Looking back along the path
We pass through Elterwater Park
The path to Skelwith Bridge
Looking across Langdale
The River Brathay below, and the path which we'd taken at the start of the walk
Traffic
We arrive back in Skelwith Bridge, here looking along the River Brathay from the road bridge
Blue skies at last as we walk through the village back to the start of an enjoyable walk
