Parking
Park at Grizedale Visitor Centre, the signed start for the route (SatNav LA22 0QJ).
Overview
About Grizedale West Multi-user Accessible Trail
Why go
- Designed for mixed walking and mobility needs
- Forest tracks, bridges and sculptures in one loop
Heads up
- Shared with bikes and horses
- Steep or uneven sections limit the accessible experience
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Lake District map
Full mapElevation115–258 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Lake District alerts
- 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
- ClosureStanley Ghyll Lower Falls footpath closed for rockfallThe 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
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Lake District Tour Guide
Your drive to Grizedale West Multi-user Accessible Trail, 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 trailhead
Grizedale Forest: Sculptures and Carron Crag0:00 / 1:07
“You're nearing Grizedale Forest's visitor centre, where you can head into the woods to discover sculptures tucked among the trees.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Lake District Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bogle Crag: The Rusland Valley Outlook
- Esthwaite Water: Ospreys and a Lakeside Pause
- Brantwood: Ruskin’s House and Gardens
- Blind Lane: Woodland and Rusland Heritage
- 298 audio storiesacross Lake District’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Red Deer, Eurasian Otter, Osprey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 265 trails, 89 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Grizedale West Multi-user Accessible Trail
Route and distanceGrizedale West, also signed as Greenwood Trail 6, is a 10.5 km (6.
Grizedale West, also signed as Greenwood Trail 6, is a 10.5 km (6.5 mile) loop starting and finishing at Grizedale Visitor Centre. Because the loop shares one approach path, the recorded line covers that approach out and back so the total represents the complete visitor walk. Allow 3 to 4 hours on foot, with about 3.5 hours a realistic planning figure.
How the walk unfoldsLeave the Visitor Centre past the mountain bike hire and Home Farm, then climb into the woods.
- Leave the Visitor Centre past the mountain bike hire and Home Farm, then climb into the woods.
- Follow the forest track over the two Farra Grain bridges and continue through mature woodland.
- Pass a tarn, then a waterfall beside a wooden bridge.
- Reach the upper forest with views toward Bethecar Moor.
- Visit the stone Treefold Centre sculpture and viewpoint, the high point of the route.
- Descend a steep bridleway and track, then cross the cattle grid back to the Visitor Centre.
Difficulty and footingPractically this is a moderate to easy-moderate forest route rather than an easy stroll.
Practically this is a moderate to easy-moderate forest route rather than an easy stroll. Surfaces are forest roads, tracks and public bridleways, with stone bridges, a wooden bridge, gates and cattle grids. Three gradient sections are the main effort, and the descending bridleway is the steepest and most uneven part.
Mixed use and accessibilityThe trail is designed for walkers, horse riders, cyclists, runners and all-terrain motorised…
The trail is designed for walkers, horse riders, cyclists, runners and all-terrain motorised wheelchairs, so expect people travelling in both directions. It is not universally accessible: all-terrain motorised wheelchair users are advised to use the forest-road alternative at the steep bridleway section, and less experienced cyclists will find the gradient sections demanding.
Hazards and etiquetteFast descending bikes at one bridleway junction, so listen and look before stepping across.
- Fast descending bikes at one bridleway junction, so listen and look before stepping across.
- Shared traffic with horses and cyclists throughout: step aside, and pass horses slowly and quietly.
- Steep gradients on the bridleway descent, where the footing is rough and uneven.
- Dogs are welcome but must be kept under close control around livestock, horses and bikes.
SceneryThe route mixes mature conifer and broadleaf woodland with open fell and moorland edges,…
The route mixes mature conifer and broadleaf woodland with open fell and moorland edges, streams, the Farra Grain crossings and a waterfall. Sculpture is part of the character here, with the Treefold Centre and RUUP references marked on the official trail leaflet.
Planning notesOfficial start: Grizedale Visitor Centre, SatNav LA22 0QJ.
- Official start: Grizedale Visitor Centre, SatNav LA22 0QJ.
- Refreshments are available at the Visitor Centre, and a bike shop at the start rents bikes and electric bikes.
- Budget the full 3 to 4 hours of walking, and add extra time on top for the sculpture and viewpoint stops.
Optional add-onsThese are separate from the 10.5 km main loop:
These are separate from the 10.5 km main loop:
- Satterthwaite: add 3.1 km
- Smooth Knott Forest Look: add 1.5 km
- Mustard Hill: add 1 km
Wildlife
Wildlife in Lake District
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 mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Lake District. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
