Rydal Cave – A Unique Gem In The Lake District

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I won’t exactly called it a hidden gem as there are a number of people who know about it, but Rydal Cave is a little bit hidden. It is a cave after all. The trail to reach it is easy, the parking situation might not be. The reward though? Definitely worth all the effort. A true gem of the Lake District, and such an interesting and photogenic place.

How busy is Rydal Cave?

Since it’s not always as convenient to park and walk to as other easy-to-reach places in the Lake District National Park, you might be lucky to enjoy Rydal Cave without too many people. Especially if you visit earlier in the day or mid-week.

More on reaching the trailhead below, but parking fills up pretty quickly anywhere in the Lake District. Therefore the earlier in the day you can visit the better. The walk to Rydal Cave is not long, or difficult. Which makes it a popular spot with those who know about it. The good news is there are still a lot of people who don’t know about it.

How to get to the Rydal Cave trailhead

The trail that leads to Rydal Cave can be accessed from a couple of different directions. The first involves nabbing one of only a couple of roadside parking spots along the A591 between Grasmere and Ambleside. They are tight spots and on a winding road – which means you can easily drive past them if you don’t know they’re there. You would then walk east along the trail. The Google map above shows the route with the parking spots pinned.

The second option is parking at either Rydal Water Car Park or White Moss Car Park and also walking east; or keep driving past Rydal Water and parking at Pelter Bridge Car Park. This would then have you walking west to get to the cave. Just like the spaces along the road, these car parks are small and parking is limited. Unlike the road spots you have to pay, and Lake District parking isn’t cheap.

The third option, is less of an option and more of an “if all else fails”. It involves a bit more walking, so likely only for the avid hikers out there. Continue driving to Ambleside, a much larger village with many more parking options, and then walk back to the trailhead. At almost 2-miles it will add an extra half hour walk along the busy road to reach Pelter Bridge Car Park and the trailhead just beyond it.

Do I need to pay to visit?

Nope, not a single penny. Unless you count the parking if you don’t manage to nab one of the free roadside spots. But other than that, Rydal Cave is one of the best free attractions in the Lake District. In a national park filled with hundreds of fantastic trails, this is just one of them.

Because the trail is easy enough you don’t even need to be a hiker to enjoy it. Therefore minimal gear is needed. I would suggest you have some comfortable and sturdy shoes for the trail, a water bottle to keep hydrated and a layer or two in case the weather changes. But other than that, just enjoy the views and the cave.

What can I see on the trail?

Since I left early in the morning to avoid people as much as possible, I was able to snag one of the coveted free parking spots a short walk from the trailhead. Therefore I walked from west to east along the trail to reach Rydal Cave.

As we parked and entered the trail we walked through a wooded area. It was filled with birds and we even managed to see a red squirrel. He was a little too quick for me to be able to catch a photo though.

The start of the trail hugs the shoreline of Grasmere (the lake, not the village – a little confusing but the village of Grasmere is named after the lake). There’s a little pedestrian footbridge which runs over the river feeding into the lake. Take a detour to the right and get a little closer to Grasmere, a nice place to sit and relax.

The path is pretty easy to follow. There’s a slight incline not far from the start of the trail, but it doesn’t last long. As you climb a little you get better and better views of Grasmere where you started, and Rydal Water a little further along. You can’t go wrong with any Lake District views but it’s especially nice here. In the mid summer months the area is starting to blossom with striking pink foxgloves – one of my favorite wildflowers.

When walking the trail, once you’re on the ridgeline keep going straight and keeping Rydal Water to your left. The scenery is spectacular, and just an added bonus of taking this trail to Rydal Cave. At last the path will reach an open area with lots of broken slate on the ground. Since the cave was built in a former slate quarry this is a sign you’ve arrived.

Exploring Rydal Cave

Take in the views, and notice some of the stacked slate people have tried to make into little statues or designs. Then continuing along the path and to the right you will see the entrance to Rydal Cave.

Depending on the time of year, and the amount of rain there has been, you might notice a decent amount of water at the cave entrance. Wondering how to get into the cave? Get a little closer and there are two ways.

The first is a path of stepping stones leading to a (usually) dry section in the middle. The second route is skirting the right-hand side of the inner wall of the cave. You may have to climb over a rock or two to get in the cave.

I still can’t decide whether the cave looks more amazing from the front peering in, or from the inside looking out. Rydal Cave is actually a lot more cavernous than I initially expected. Even on a hot summer morning the cave was eerily dark and dank, with moisture dripping from the roof.

One of my favorite things about the cave is that because of the water around the cave entrance it creates some spectacular reflections. Almost mirror images of the jagged mouth of the cave which is a monstrous contrast to the pretty scenery just outside.

Fish and photo shoots at Rydal Cave

Did you know there are fish in the water around Rydal Cave? It’s hard to believe since there’s no obvious water source other than rain water and inability for the sun to reach this area enough to dry it up. So I was even more surprised to see hundreds of tiny fish in the water.

They’re especially evident if you take the stepping stones route into the cave. We met a local man who lives close by, and comes a couple times a week to feed the fish.

The unique setting of the cave and the reflections caused by the water there make an ideal photo spot. I took advantage and really tested my Dad’s photography skills to capture me sitting in the middle of this serene setting.

If you’re looking for a fun spot for taking some Insta-worthy photos, or even a special occasion like a wedding/engagement shoot, this is a perfect place. The walk there was so easy that I was in a dress (it was also the middle of summer) so no need to worry too much about the “correct” attire.

Rydal Cave: Easy hike with a big reward

The walk from where we parked to Rydal Cave was about 30-minutes. That included a number of small stops along the way. The walk was phenomenally beautiful, not at all challenging and well worn enough to spot where to go. The only thing missing was a sign you’re going the right way, but don’t stray too far off the middle/main path and you shouldn’t get lost.

The cave itself is really impressive. The scenery outside, the reflections caused by the water, and the kind of spooky dark cave all work together to make this a photographer’s dream.

The pretty Lake District villages get a lot of attention, as do some of the more difficult trails along some of the peaks. Because of that, these easier trails a little further from the villages often get overlooked. But if you venture just a little bit away from the more popular tourist spots you might be pleasantly surprised.

Rydal Cave is a short trail requiring minimal effort, but with a very big reward at the end. Allow plenty of time for photos and enjoying this beautiful local gem of a place.

If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you been to Rydal Cave? What do you think of this unique Lake District location?