Stanley Ghyll

Overview

About Stanley Ghyll

Why stop

Fern-lined gorge feels wild even on a short walk
The waterfall swells dramatically after rain

Heads up

Steep, muddy steps and uneven stones
The viewing platform is exposed if heights unsettle you

Stanley Ghyll is a 60-foot waterfall dropping through a deep, narrow ravine in Eskdale. The fall is impressive, but the approach is the real reason to come: the path follows Stanley Ghyll Beck through dripping woodland, mossy rock, ferns, small cascades, and footbridges before climbing to a viewing platform above the gorge.

Parkwolf’s verdictWhy stop

Map

Where it is

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SightStanley Ghyll54.38444, -3.27303

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Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to visit

Go after rain if you want the strongest flow, but allow for a wetter and more slippery path. On a dry day, an early or midweek start gives the woodland a quieter feel and makes it easier to pause at the bridges and platform. Soft overcast light suits the dark gorge; in brighter weather, look for dappled light on the fern-covered walls. Bring waterproofs, shoes with good grip, and enough time to take the route carefully rather than treating it as a quick roadside stop.

Getting there

The usual starting points are the car park at Dalegarth Station on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway or the nearer National Trust car park off Austhwaite Brow. From either arrival point, follow the signed route toward the beck and into the woods. The common walk from Dalegarth is roughly 3 miles (5km) as a circular and usually takes about 1½ to 2 hours, though the shorter approach from the nearer car park takes less time.

8 active Lake District alerts

ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallMentions this placeThe section of Footpath 408037 leading towards Stanley Ghyll Lower Falls is closed because severe rockfall damage has made the path unstable and further rockfall remains a danger.Official details
ClosureChapel Stile footpath closed for retaining-wall riskPart of Footpath 543030 between Chapel Stile and Baysbrown campsite is closed because a retaining wall beside the path could collapse and material it supports could fall across the footpath.Official details

See all 8 alerts

A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone — Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Lake District Tour Guide

Your drive to Stanley Ghyll, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Lake District National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

Recorded for this place

Dalegarth: Stanley Ghyll or Riverside Walk

0:00 / 1:09

“You're coming up on Dalegarth Station, the starting point for a walk to Stanley Ghyll's sixty-foot waterfall.”

Plays as you drive up to Stanley Ghyll in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.

More about Stanley Ghyll

What to expectThe final approach to the upper viewing platform is the demanding part.

The final approach to the upper viewing platform is the demanding part. Expect steep steps, uneven stones, exposed roots, and mud after rain. The platform gives a dramatic look down into the gorge, but it is not a relaxed overlook for anyone uncomfortable with heights. This is not a pushchair-friendly walk, and sturdy footwear is much more useful than trainers with smooth soles.

Why stopThe ravine is a protected nature site with unusually humid, sheltered conditions.

The ravine is a protected nature site with unusually humid, sheltered conditions. Look closely at the walls and banks for the mosses, liverworts, and ferns that thrive there, and keep to the path so the fragile vegetation is not trampled. This is a woodland waterfall rather than a broad open viewpoint, so the experience is atmospheric and close-up.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Lake District

All Lake District wildlife maps

81 sightingsRed DeerMost seen around 7 PMSighting map

13 sightingsEurasian OtterMost seen around 6 AMSighting map

76 sightingsOspreyMost seen around 8 AMSighting map

51 sightingsEuropean BadgerMost seen around 8 PMSighting map

233 sightingsMute SwanMost seen around 6 PMSighting map

176 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.