We parked in the main car park in Ambleside and headed towards the centre of town. At a sign ‘To the Waterfalls’ we did as instructed and followed along the right bank of Stock Ghyll, leaving the lane at another sign to follow a path which gives good views of the waterfalls
We left the woods via a wooden gate next to a revolving metal one and started the climb up to Wansfell Pike. The weather was warm and sunny during this part of the walk and we were soon down to our t-shirts. The climb is quite steep but has been made much easier in recent years thanks to the provision of a well made and unobtrusive rocky staircase. We were soon at the top of Wansfell Pike enjoying superb views back to Ambleside and across to Windermere. Wansfell Pike is not in fact the summit of Wansfell, as the highest point of the fell lies a short distance away to the north east. As the difference is only 15 feet or so, and since the views from the true summit are inferior, we were content with having climbed the Pike and started the gentle descent towards Troutbeck
We soon reached Nanny Lane, an old drovers’ road, and this took us into the village of Troutbeck, where we had a coffee break at the Old Post Office. Just beyond the post office we joined another walled track known as Robin Lane and followed this around the lower flanks of Wansfell, through Skelghyll Wood and back into Ambleside to complete a superb circuit.
