Todd Crag Hike

Where: Todd Crag hike from Ambleside in the Lake District of England
When: July 2014
Weather: Sunny
Height: 735ft / 224m

Todd Crag is on the west side of Ambleside. This hill has great views over Ambleside and Lake Windermere. There is a direct hiking route from Ambleside centre straight up the steep east route, and another route via stepping stones and up from the north. This tour goes up past the stepping stones and back down the steep route.

The image below is from the large car park at the north side of Ambleside, looking west to Todd Crag. This is a pay and display Car Park, don't think there is any free parking in Ambleside.

Leave this car park via the main entrance onto Rydal Road, then follow the roadside path north towards Rydal, Grasmere, and Keswick for just under 1 mile.

Ambleside Road Map

The image below is of Rydal Road about 1 mile north of Ambleside. The gates on the left here lead to the stepping stones and Todd Crag. There is a roadside path all the way from Ambleside to here.

The image below is of the gates leading to the stepping stones and Todd Crag. Make your way across this field towards the Cottage, where you will find the Stepping Stones.

The image below is of the Stepping Stones over the River Rothay. This is one of the top photos in the Lake District.

After crossing the stones, follow the single lane road named Under Loughrigg to the left. Large Image.

The image below is from Under Loughrigg Road, about half of a mile along from the stepping stones. You pass a woodland path about half way that also runs up onto the hills. This trail goes up through a field, then a woodland path.

If you are just out for a level walk, you can follow Under Loughrigg Road for about another half mile to the bridge into Ambleside centre.

The image below is from the path up through the field, with the hiking gate leading to a scenic woodland path.

The image below is of the road at the top of the woodland path. If you follow this road to the left for about 300 yards, you will see the steep trail to the top of Todd Crag.

The image below is heading up the road to the right for the less steep, and more scenic route to the top.

The image below is from just past a house up on the hillside, looking up to Todd Crag. There is a faint trail up here that leads to a stone dyke with a gate.

The image below is from just through the gate at the stone dyke, looking to the first of 3 peaks on Todd Crag.

There are a number of scenic paths up here through deep ferns. If it has been raining, the ferns will be wet, so you may need waterproof trousers, as some ferns hang over the paths.

The image below is from the north peak looking southeast to the other two peaks. Not sure which one is the highest, so had to visit them all.

The tarn here has seating by it. The paths lead all over this area, with some interesting routes to the tops over rocks. Many 3,000ft mountains do not have as interesting summits.

The image below is from the highest peak, I think, looking down to Lake Windermere, and Ambleside down to the left.

This has to be one of the best views in the Lake District, and it is from under 1,000ft. Large Image.

The image below is from one of the peaks looking at the steep route down into Ambleside by going over the style there.

That is the 1,581ft Wansfell Pike over to the east of Ambleside, that is another good hike.

To the northeast is the 2,864ft Fairfield with a horseshoe loup containing 9 peaks.
Large Image to Fairfield.

The image below is of the steep trail leading down to Ambleside.

The image below is from where the steep path down reaches the road. If you go left along the road for about 300 yards, you will get back to the woodland path and field trail down to the stepping stones.

If you follow this road down past this house, that is really steep, you go down to a footbridge into Ambleside.

The image below is from the bottom of the steep section of road, then walking to the right towards Rothay Park Bridge.

The little Bridge here leads to Rothay Park and the centre of Ambleside.

The image below is of the path leading through Rothay Park to Ambleside centre. This seems to be a popular park for fitness training.

The image below is of St Mary's Church in the centre of Ambleside by Rothay Park. That is Todd Crag in the distance. If you are hiking straight up the steep east route, this is the road you will take out from Ambleside, named Vicarage Road.

This was a scenic short hike with some great views. I hike to look for good photos, and they do not get much better than on this hike.