Lake District

Thorneythwaite Farm Picnic and Waterfall walk

View of Thorneythwaite farm in the Seathwaite valley in Borrowdale on a summers day — A view of Thorneythwaite farm in the Seathwaite valley, Borrowdale | © National Trust Images/John Malle

This short walk introduces you to the three parts of a hill farm – the in-bye land, the in-take land and the open fell. You will see hay meadows and wood pasture as they're gradually restored, then climb to discover a hidden valley with a beautiful waterfall – all overlooked by towering Coombe Crag.

Near to

Borrowdale and Derwent Water

Start point

Seatoller National Trust car park, grid ref: NY245137

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 2.3 (km: 3.68)

Duration1 hour 10 mins

Dog friendly***

*Mixture of tarmac lanes, field paths and rough tracks. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Route ends with a steep climb to the waterfall. For further details, please see Access section.
***Dogs welcome on leads. For further details, please see Facilities section.

Waterfall

The waterfall is a beautiful place to stop for a picnic at the midpoint of your walk. Please look out for the steep drops when taking photos and looking for the best spot to sit.

Address
Seatoller National Trust car park, Borrowdale, Cumbria, CA12 5XN
Directions via Google Maps
On foot
The Cumbria Way, which runs from Ulverston to Carlisle, passes close to the start of the walk.
Cumbria Way
By bus
Regular bus service from Keswick to Seatoller. Bus stop at Seatoller car park, the start of the walk.
By road
From Keswick, take the B5289 Borrowdale road. Follow this up the valley to Seatoller, located at the bottom of Honister Pass. Satnav for Seatoller car park: CA12 5XN.
Total stages: 4
Total stages: 4
Start point
Seatoller National Trust car park, grid ref: NY245137
Stage 1
From the car park, turn left and walk down the road. At the junction, turn right onto the road signposted 'Seathwaite 1 mile'. Go through the first wooden gate on the left onto a public footpath (this field has yurts in it April–October).
Stage 2
Cross the footbridge, turn right and follow the edges of the field. Turn right again into the next field and follow the wall to the wall gap on the left. Go through two gates to join the tarmac lane.
Stage 3
Turn left and walk along the lane away from the farmhouse. Following it left round a corner, continue between the walls for 0.3 miles (500m). Turn right on a public footpath signposted to Glaramara. Go through the gate and walk up a rough track as it winds up the hill and through the next two gates.
Wild apples and rare lichen
Thorneythwaite’s wood pasture is unique due to its abundant wild apple trees. Since sheep were introduced, they have nibbled down the young tree saplings. Today, it's once again grazed by cattle that don’t damage the saplings. The trees here are host to some very rare old growth forest lichens. These species grew in forests that sprang up when the glaciers receded nearly 10,000 years ago. They’re very sensitive to fertilisers – another reason why we’re adopting more nature-friendly farming techniques.
Wild apple trees in blossom in the wood pasture at Thorneythwaite Farm | © Jonathan McMeekin
Stage 4
Go through the gate in the fell wall and onto the open fell. Follow the path as it climbs until you reach a large waterfall on the left. Find a picnic spot and enjoy the sound of rushing water – just watch out for the steep drops. When ready, retrace your steps back to the car park.
Herdwick sheep
The fell wall is the last wall between here and the farms in Langdale. This is all farmland, but the Herdwick sheep don’t need walls – they will only stray if pushed by bad weather. The lambs are called ‘hoggs’ after their first winter, and Herdwick ‘hogget’ is available from February. Many local restaurants have it on the menu for its deep, rich flavour. By sampling hogget, you’re supporting the local economy, enabling farmers to manage the land for nature.
Look out for Herdwick sheep grazing on the open fell | © National Trust Images/Val Corbett
End point
Seatoller National Trust car park, grid ref: NY245137
Trail map
Map of the Thorneythwaite Picnic and Waterfall walk | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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