Galleny Force

The walk in

Reaching Galleny Force is part of the charm: from Stonethwaite, an easy, roughly one-mile walk follows the Cumbria Way up the valley beside the beck, through some of the loveliest low country in Borrowdale, to the pools. The path is gentle but rough and rocky in places, so it's on foot rather than by pushchair. It sits perfectly with a longer Borrowdale day — a valley round from Rosthwaite, or the climb onto the fells at the dalehead — and the beckside is a beautiful spot for a picnic whether or not you swim.

Wild swimming

Galleny Force is a genuine wild-swimming honeypot — a run of clear, green pools that are a joy on a warm day. But it's open, unmanaged fell water, so swim with real care: the pools are cold all year, even in summer, so get in slowly and watch for the gasp of cold-water shock; after rain the beck runs fast and higher, which changes the pools completely; and, above all, never jump or dive — depths shift, rocks lurk under the surface, and jumping into pools like these has caused serious injuries. Keep swims short, stay well within your ability, and take your litter home — this is a much-loved, fragile spot.

When to go

For swimming, pick a warm, settled summer day, ideally after a dry spell when the pools are calm and clear. For the falls themselves at their liveliest, after rain is best — though that's also when the water is coldest and fastest, so it's less suited to swimming. It's a quiet, out-of-the-way corner compared with the roadside honeypots, but it does draw swimmers on hot weekends; an early or midweek visit is the peaceful one.

The setting

This is classic Borrowdale: a flat-bottomed valley of walled meadows and beck, ringed by steep fellsides, with the crags of the dalehead rising ahead. Stonethwaite is one of the quietest and most beautiful of Lakeland hamlets, on the old packhorse and Cumbria Way routes through the hills. The pools of Galleny Force sit in this gentle, green world — a soft, sheltered contrast to the high ravine falls, and a reminder that not every waterfall is a thundering drop.

The name & its story

The formal name is Galleny Force, on Stonethwaite Beck; the nickname "the Fairy Glen" is a modern, affectionate one, earned by the clear pools and dappled, tree-shaded rock. It's worth saying plainly that this is not the famous Fairy Glen in Wales (near Betws-y-Coed) that dominates online searches — this is the quieter Borrowdale one. "Force" is, as ever, the Old Norse fors, a waterfall, and Stonethwaite itself is a Norse name — the "stony clearing" — a reminder of the Norse farmers who settled these dales.

Family, dogs & accessibility

It's a lovely, gentle family spot on foot — easy walking, safe pools to paddle at the edges, and a beautiful picnic beck — but the rough path means it's not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs. Keep a close eye on children near the water, especially after rain. Dogs are welcome, but this is working farmland and open fell, so keep them under close control around grazing stock. There are no facilities at the pools, so bring what you need and take everything home.

The fells above

At the head of Stonethwaite rise Eagle Crag, a bold little rock peak guarding the valley junction, and the long whaleback of Ullscarf beyond — wild, quiet fells that make Stonethwaite a fine base for a bigger day. Downstream, the gentle round of Rosthwaite and the Borrowdale valley floor is an easy classic.

Getting there & parking

Without a car: The nearest stations as the crow flies are Windermere (20 km away) and Staveley (25 km away). The bus map has every stop we hold.

Galleny Force is reached from Stonethwaite, signed off the B5289 Borrowdale road south of Rosthwaite. Parking in the tiny hamlet is very limited — please park considerately and don't block lanes or gateways — so it's best reached by the Keswick–Borrowdale (78) bus to the Stonethwaite lane-end and a walk in, which also makes for a lovely car-free day.