Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall

Stock Ghyll Force

Stock Ghyll Force has been a popular Lake District destination since Victorian times, this divided waterfall is located a short walk up the hill from the centre of Ambleside village. The waterfall can be reached - appropriate enough - via Stockghyll Lane, on the northeast outskirts of the village. The path is well signposted from the village centre.

This is one of the more easily accessed Lake District waterfalls, but you should still allow 10-15 minutes for the walk. A waymarked path leads through the lovely light forest of Stock Ghyll Wood to a viewpoint at the level of the top of the falls. You can also descend to the foot of the falls and cross over the beck to get better views. The waterfall drops 70 feet in two steps, forming a lovely 'V' shape as it does so.

Stock Ghyll Force in summer

The water from Stock Ghyll was used for many years to power bobbin and fulling mills along the beck, and the remains of old mill buildings can still be seen rising from the banks of the water course.

Getting There

From the tourist information centre on Rydal Road (the A591) walk uphill, with the Salutation Hotel on your left. Rydal Road turns right just by the hotel but you want to keep going uphill on a short lane that turns into Stockghyll Lane. The lane turns sharply left and you can see a sign labelled 'To the Waterfalls' on a stone wall.

Simply walk uphill along the lane for 5 minutes and you will come to a signed footpath leading into the woodlands on your left. The trail follows the course of Stock Ghyll uphill, past a series of minor waterfalls until you come to the main falls.

A view from the far bank

There are several viewing platforms for the waterfall; I prefer the lower one for unobstructed views. By far the best time of year to view the falls is in winter when the foliage has died back.

You can follow the trail to the top of the falls and cross over Stock Ghyll on a wooden footbridge to the far bank. The trail then descends along the stream to a second footbridge, making for a pleasant circular loop back to the start of the trail.

Though you can catch glimpses of the waterfall from the trail on the far bank the view is not nearly as good, so you may wish to skip the circular loop over the falls and just return the way you came.