Spout Force is an atmospheric gorge waterfall with a tiny plunge pool at the base. The cliff walls are covered in moss and bracken and their height gives the waterfall a secluded hidden away feel. It’s a beautiful spot and yet it’s one of the lesser visited waterfalls in the Lake District!
Perhaps that’s because the official lookout offers a poor view as it’s heavily obscured by foliage, the way to really experience Spout Force is from the unofficial path leading to the base of the falls.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Spout Force.
The walk to Spout Force
The stats
Distance: 0.5 miles each way (800m)
Elevation gain: 90m
Difficulty: Easy - Moderate
Summary: The walk to Spout Force is short, but does involve walking down and then back up a small hill. The track along this stretch is not very well maintained and a touch overgrown. It can be slippery when wet.
The final 100m to the base of the falls is not on a path and involves a little rock hopping, or walking through the water.
This would be more challenging after times of heavy rainfall (don’t go in at all if the rain has been very intense, as it could be powerful and dangerous). Even in relatively dry conditions, you’ll need to walk for a few steps through the water to get to the pool at the foot of the falls - but it’s for less than a minute.
Starting the trail
From the parking area (details below) you look for the small arrow and public footpath sign which will point you into a little patch of forest.
Follow this narrow dirt path through the trees and bracken, and then you’ll arrive at a stile after 100m. You’ll climb over the stile and walk through an open patch of land with some lovely fell views.
It’s a flat easy stroll before you’ll reach a second stile 150m later.
In summer there are some beautiful wildflowers here and the only thing that stops it being wholly lovely is the bald patch on the hill where the trees have been cut down.
The path gets overgrown
The next 50m of track are pretty overgrown. The bracken is dense and almost entirely covers the path - some of it was almost as tall as me!
You can see a gap where the walking trail is, so just push through it and you’ll come to some stairs leading downhill after 50m. The stairs last for 150m and are uneven and not in the best condition, but it’s not too slippery when dry.
Once you’ve come down the stairs you’ll see a small wooden bridge ahead. Cross the bridge and follow the trail right. This is a very pretty section of track as you’re walking beside the river and there are many wildflowers.
You’ll follow the narrow gravel path above the river and it’s a very gradual uphill. After less than 100m you’ll see two paths a few moments apart, both leading down to the river.
Continuing on the main trail will see you climbing a few stairs before you arrive at the ‘viewpoint’ 230m after the bridge (680m into the walk).
The viewpoint is poor because it’s both distant and obscured by trees. In winter you’d see a little more, but there will still be branches and it’s not going to blow you away. The best view is from below.
The path to the base of Spout Force
From the lookout, walk back the way you came for 30m and take the path down to the river (this is the second path you will see if you decide not to venture to the lookout).
It’s a narrow stony trail which is a little steep, but quite stable and easy in dry weather. Then head left along the trodden down grassy path.
It’s flat and easy and after 40m you’ll be walking along the riverbank.
During times when the river’s flow is not too high, you can continue along the riverbank and then do some rock hopping for the next 100m.
If the water is higher it will cover some of the rocks and rock slabs, and you’d need to take your boots off or succumb to squelching through in wet boots.
Most of the rocks are quite grippy when dry, but a few were very slippery, so go carefully. It’s best to treat it all like it will be slippery even when it isn’t, as some of those slick rocks look similar to the grippy ones.
You’ll then reach a small exposed patch of dry pebbles where you can leave your boots for the final minute to the base of the falls.
Although there is a small wooden plank set up to get you on to a large rock slab with your boots still on, the plank is wobbly and slippery and not really worth it.
It’s easier to just walk in the water for less than a minute and then you can get to the gorge walls easily and really take in the view.
On the way to the falls I kept my boots on and rock hopped, but on the way back I went barefoot all the way to the start of the river section, and if you don’t mind the cold water, barefoot was a lot easier as there’s less risk of slipping than when you’re trying to keep your boots dry.
Arriving at Spout Force
You’ll arrive at the base of the falls 870m after leaving the car park. The last 120m which take you through the gorge are really pretty and create a sense of anticipation for the waterfall to come.
The gorge walls are high and curve like a canyon, it’s really beautiful and makes for a mysterious atmosphere.
The sky started to completely cloud over when we were in there and it gets quite dark, which definitely added to the enchanted feel.
The waterfall itself is not that high, but the flow was good even in summer. After heavy rain it would be very powerful and depending on just how powerful, it may not be safe to enter.
In calm times, you can sit on the gorge wall and simply admire the falls, or you can venture in for an ice bath….
Swimming at Spout Force
Whilst you definitely can’t swim at Spout Force, you can have a dip.
The water looked like it would be really shallow, and it did start off shallow, but as you near the falls it gets a lot deeper, just below shoulder height at the deepest point.
The water is cold and you can’t swim to warm up, so it’s a plunge pool experience in summer and more like an ice bath in any other season!
Even a quick plunge here will leave you feeling invigorated, but it might not be the best one to start with if you’ve never been wild swimming before!
When the water levels are low like on our visit, you could even have a shower underneath the waterfall itself.
There are a few rocks inside the water to watch out for as they can be slippery, but overall it’s quite easy to get in.
When you’re ready to leave you simply retrace you steps back to the car park. It’s uphill for part of the way, but it doesn’t take long before you reach the flatter trail again.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the park, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Parking for Spout Force
The car park for Spout Force is free of charge and whilst there isn’t a huge amount of room, it doesn’t tend to get too busy here. You can find the location on Google Maps here.
It’s located near Whinlatter Forest, a 15 minute drive from Keswick, 45 minutes from Ambleside and 15 minutes from Cockermouth.
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