Loughrigg Tarn
Getting there, parking, where to stay and the fells you can walk straight from Loughrigg Tarn.
Heron Pike (Rydal) today: Save it · Too windy for the tops
14°C at the summit, gusts 47 mph
Scored for 12 September by the site’s own scorer · all 214 todayThe sun reaches the Elterwater Village start about 07:24 in September · sunrise 06:45
From the terrain around the start (Copernicus GLO-30), mid-month · how we work it outThe 517 stops at Skelwith Bridge, at Foulstep crossroads
Times on bustimes.org, which is better than ours for live boards · the bus mapLoughrigg Tarn at a glance
Loughrigg Tarn is a small, reedy lowland tarn tucked beneath Loughrigg Fell, between Grasmere and Skelwith Bridge — a gentle, pastoral spot a world away from the high mountain tarns. Wordsworth loved it, comparing it to Lake Nemi in Italy and calling it the "Diana of the lakes". Its great asset is the view: across the water to the shapely Langdale Pikes.
Quick facts
| What it is | A small, pastoral lowland tarn below Loughrigg Fell |
| The walk | An easy stroll on lanes/paths; part of many Loughrigg and Elterwater circuits |
| Can you swim? | No — it's privately owned, with no public swimming or access to the water |
| Famous for | Wordsworth's "Diana of the lakes"; the Langdale Pikes view |
| Getting there | On foot from Grasmere, Skelwith Bridge or Elterwater |
Where is Loughrigg Tarn?
The district’s layer · every place page carries this
Loughrigg Tarn near Grasmere, in the Lake District. Zoom and pan to explore — or see all the Lake District lakes & waters on one map.
The walk
The tarn is circled by quiet lanes and field paths and is best enjoyed as part of a gentle low-level round — linking Loughrigg Fell, Skelwith Bridge and Elterwater — rather than a destination in itself. The classic view is from the lane on its northern side, looking over the reeds to the Pikes.
The fell above
Directly above rises Loughrigg Fell, one of the District's finest little viewpoints — an easy climb that pairs naturally with the tarn. The tarn lies between Grasmere and Elter Water.
Getting there & parking
Without a car: The nearest stations as the crow flies are Windermere (9 km away) and Staveley (14 km away); the 517 stops at Skelwith Bridge, at Foulstep crossroads, 0.8 km from here (times on bustimes.org). The bus map has every stop we hold.
There's no dedicated car park at the tarn; reach it on foot from Grasmere, Skelwith Bridge or Elterwater (use their car parks). Please keep to the paths — much of the surrounding land is private farmland.
Fells & walks near Loughrigg Tarn
Straight-line distances from the centre of Loughrigg Tarn — the nearest summits with a full guide on this site.
All walks from Loughrigg Tarn → — every route and fell within about 5 km, ranked, with today’s conditions.
Parking near Loughrigg Tarn
All the car parks around Loughrigg Tarn on the parking map →
Straight-line distances from the centre of Loughrigg Tarn. We publish whether a car park charges, and who runs it, but never the price — tariffs change and a stale one is worse than none, so check the sign or the operator’s own site on the day.
Vehicles are left entirely at their owner’s risk. We list places people park; we cannot vouch for any of them. Judge it on the day: take valuables with you, leave nothing on show, and if a spot feels wrong when you get there, park somewhere else.
How long from Loughrigg Tarn?
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elterwater riverside loop | 4.3 km | 91 m | 1.0 hrs |
| Elterwater & Skelwith Force | 7.6 km | 164 m | 1.8 hrs |
| Lingmoor Fell from Elterwater | 11.5 km | 487 m | 3.1 hrs |
| Loughrigg Tarn & Loughrigg Fell | 9.8 km | 382 m | 2.6 hrs |
Routes starting within about 2 km of Loughrigg Tarn, or on its doorstep at one of the car parks above. Estimates are moving time for a steady walker and take no account of stops, conditions or daylight — they are a guide, not a schedule.
Events across the Lake District
The district’s layer · every place page carries this
Planning a trip around a show or festival? See our Lake District events & festivals guide for what's on near Loughrigg Tarn — traditional Lakeland sports, agricultural shows and seasonal events, month by month.