Millican Dalton's Cave and Castle Crag

A 6.5 km / 4.0 mile loop from Rosthwaite that links the River Derwent, Millican Dalton's cave and the quarried top of Castle Crag. Rated moderate at 5/10: the valley walking is easy, but the cave approach and the summit climb are narrow, rocky and loose, with short hands-on scrambling and exposed edges near the top.

• Leave Rosthwaite village on the farm track and cobbled riverside path to New Bridge.
• Follow gates and the River Derwent into woodland below old slate heaps.
• Take the steep, narrow scramble up to the two connected cave chambers and the carved inscription.
• Return the same way to the main track and bridleway, then climb past Broadslack Gill.
• Push up the steep loose slate to the quarry, summit and war memorial area.
• Descend the spoil and return by the river, stepping stones and footbridge to Rosthwaite.

The cave is a there-and-back detour off the main track. Do not try to link it directly to the summit: the ground between them is dangerous. Drop back down to the established path and start the ascent properly. The cave itself was Millican Dalton's summer home for close to fifty years in the first half of the twentieth century, and he styled himself the Professor of Adventure.

Slate is the theme here, and wet slate is genuinely slippery. Expect loose spoil on the climb and descent, steep rocky steps, a scramble to reach the cave, and vertical cliff edges around the summit workings. Boots with grip matter more than fitness on this walk. It is not suitable for wheelchairs or buggies.

Allow 2.5 to 3 hours with stops and photographs; faster recorded times are not a sensible plan. Start from the National Trust car park at Rosthwaite near the village hall, with the adjacent Borrowdale Institute car park as an alternative. Bus 78 serves the village. Dogs are allowed on these public footpaths and bridleways, but keep them under close control or on a short lead near livestock, and hold them close on the crag where the edges are sheer. There is no guaranteed water or shade on the route; refreshments are available in Rosthwaite.

The payoff is the contrast: mossy, fern-hung Borrowdale woodland and the Derwent below, then a summit of broken slate with long views over Rosthwaite and the surrounding fells. Early and late light works best for the valley and the top. The cave is dark and close, so plan for low light rather than sweeping shots.

The Castle Crag walk starting from Seatoller is a bigger day at around 8 km, with rolling contour paths and a riverside return. It is a different route with a different feel, not an extension of this one.