Thanks to Lee Benson for this contribution to the blog. Gowbarrow and High Cascades, Ullswater.  We have also done this walk, and it offers amazing views over Ullswater and surrounding fells.

Today was meant to be a short walk from High Cascades to Aira Force and back, but some how our new found confidence and inquisitive nature took us up to the summit of Gowbarrow.

Lee parked at the National Trust High Cascades car park between Ullswater and Dockray at GR397211 on OS map OL5. The path from the car park leads you straight to the High Cascades to do a clockwise loop of Gowbarrow (as Lee did).  Or you could park in the Park Brow National Trust car park at GR397205.  This brings you out directly at Aira Force, then you go up Gowbarrow and loop back down anti-clockwise via the High Cascades (as we did).

The path to the summit is easy to follow, and being part of the Ullswater Way, it is well signed. There was a 60 metre stretch that was steep and really tested our three year old (who ended up getting carried a bit of the way), whilst the older child (six) kept marching on.

The path after this steep bit to the summit is all new and easy going and the younger child was off and going again.

The summit offered great views up and down the lake and surrounding fells. The track we took down was ninety-five degrees right to the one we came up and looked like a sheep track at first but soon widened into a well walked route. Beware several tracks off the top going to different places.  Use your map to follow the path directly south towards Green Hill and then down to the waterfalls again.

The way down was gentle and when getting back to the woods with the stream in we just headed past the falls and back to the car.

You could carry on a short distance down stream and take in Aira Force then double back to the car if you didn’t see it at the start!

Obviously the stream gives the well deserved opportunity for stone throwing or paddling in one of it many shallow pools. Walk was just over three miles and took about 3 hours, may be easier to do it anti-clockwise.  This is quite a climb, and is officially a “Wainwright” fell at 481 metres in height.

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We went anti-clockwise