Tray Dub is a beautiful gorge pool with crystal clear water and a serene setting amongst the fells. A small waterfall completes the picture perfect scene. If it weren’t upstream of Black Moss Pot, it would be much more well known. But that’s what makes this spot extra special, as you’re very likely to get it to yourself, even in the school holidays.
Whilst the gorge pool is quite large, much of it is rocky, so it’s more a place to laze around in the water on a warm day, than it is a proper swimming spot. However, there are a few deeper sections for a refreshing plunge.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Tray Dub.
The walk to Tray Dub
The stats
Distance: 2.9 miles (4.7km) each way
Elevation gain: 150m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Summary: The walk to Tray Dub does have a small amount of uphill track, but it’s never steep and much of it is so gentle as to feel flat.
The only thing which can be a bit tedious on this walk is the stony ground underfoot. It’s not difficult to walk on, but it does make it less comfortable and slows you down a bit.
Starting the trail: to Galleny Force
From the parking area in Stonethwaite (full details below) the walk heads through the village, past the Langstrath Country Inn and some beautiful little cottages.
You’ll see a gate straight ahead of you. Head through the gate and follow the flat path towards the campsite.
Continue through the campsite for 800m, it’s stony underfoot, but still a flat easy stroll.
You’ll pass through a couple of gates, the final one of which has a short (one minute) descent on a rocky/tree rooty path before it levels out again. It’s not slippery when dry, but can be a little bit slippery when wet.
You’re then just 200m from the first pool of the walk, the lower gorge pool at Galleny Force - which is often missed as you can’t see the pool until you’re on top of it.
Just a touch further along the path is Galleny Force itself, a show stopper that’s aptly become known as the ‘fairy glen’.
I won’t go into all the details here, but if you are interested in all the pools around Galleny Force, we have you covered in this post.
Heading on to Black Moss Pot
From Galleny Force, you can follow the path which hugs the river, or continue on straight from the gate just before Galleny Force.
There’s only a few minutes in it, so we’d recommend taking the path beside the river so you can see Galleny Force up close, as well as other small pools along the way. It’s a flat dirt track with some stony sections. You’ll pass many small cascades and a few pools big enough for a dip - and all are usually very quiet.
After 250m you’ll come to a large set of cascades, although they are behind the fencing you can still get a good view. From here it’s a brief gentle uphill walk on a stony track before it all but flattens again.
Just 350m beyond the cascades you’ll come to a bridge, don’t cross, continue along the path on the right side of the river.
Although the trail on the other side of the river will also take you there, access to Black Moss Pot and Tray Dub are easiest from the right side of the river.
The stony track continues, passing a small ruin, with some lovely views out to the fells. The path is a mix of flat and a gentle uphill climb and it does get rougher underfoot.
It’s not difficult, but you have to watch your step as it’s the sort of terrain that is easy to roll an ankle on.
Continue following the path for a further 1.55km from the bridge and you’ll see a large wooden gate with a stile to the left ahead of you - you can’t miss it.
This is the entrance to the top of the gorge and Black Moss Pot. Once you’ve walked through the gate you’ll come to a large rocky platform and can look down into the gorge.
If you want to know more about swimming at Black Moss Pot, and some tips for avoiding the crowds, we have you covered in this post.
Continuing on to Tray Dub
From Black Moss Pot follow the worn down path on the right side of the river. The path is less obvious at first than it has been to this point, but you will spot it.
You will quickly come to some boggy ground, keep to the path on the right, heading slightly uphill to avoid it.
The stony path is much the same as the one to Black Moss Pot, just much quieter. There’s a very short rocky downhill patch 100m beyond where you started going gently uphill, but it’s nice and grippy when dry.
After this, the path is fairly flat and the views of the fells are fantastic. Just over a kilometre from Black Moss Pot you’ll see a pool on the left.
Although we didn’t end up swimming here, it looked beautiful and it gets the full sun, so it should feel pretty warm on a hot day. The sunlight also brings out the glorious emerald hue to the water.
Reaching Tray Dub
Just 250m beyond the pool, continuing on the main path, you’ll see a small wooden bridge over the river. Just below this bridge is Tray Dub. A stunning gorge with crystal clear water.
The rugged gorge walls and small waterfall, as well as the emerald water, make for a spectacular place to spend a day lazing around in the water.
It’s so quiet, in fact we never saw another soul, which is a marked difference from the crowds you’ll often find at Black Moss Pot. It was just us and a number of glittering dragonflies that flit regularly across the water.
Getting into the water at Tray Dub can be done just before the bridge, which involves a short easy scramble, or a minute’s walk downstream, which only involves climbing down a couple of rocks.
The scramble down by the bridge is jagged, so can be a bit uncomfortable on the feet, but it’s tiered and therefore quite easy, especially when dry.
Wild swimming at Tray Dub
The main pool at Tray Dub is large, but pretty shallow due to the huge number of rocks in the water. That’s why this is a good place for lazing around in the water, rather than somewhere you can have a proper swim like Black Moss Pot.
Moving around in the main pool requires a bit of care due to the rocks, but it’s worth it to relax in the incredible beauty and serenity of the secluded gorge.
Part of the pool gets some good sun and part remains in the shade, so it’s the kind of spot you can spend a while without having to be out in the constant sun - not that constant sun is something you usually have to worry about in the Lake District : )
The second pool along from the main pool under the bridge is deeper and you can swim a few strokes in this one. It’s still rocky, but easier to move around in due to the depth.
Despite the fact you can’t have a proper swim like you can at Black Moss Pot, we fell in love with this spot. It has such a lovely feel to it, like you’re in on a secret that no one downstream knows about!
When you’re ready to leave, you can either retrace your steps, or walk back on the opposite side of the river. Personally we just went back the same way, so I can’t comment on the condition of the path on the other side.
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 and getting to Tray Dub
Parking for Tray Dub is very limited and you must not block access in and out of the village. There is room for a small number of cars to park fully off the road by the phone box at postcode CA12 5XG.
If you don’t get a space here we noticed the school further up the road were advertising parking spaces in the summer holidays and proceeds go towards supporting the school.
I did notice the campsite had a sign up saying parking there was £5 per day and I wasn’t sure if this was for anyone or just campers, but you could always get in touch with them to find out - do this ahead of time if you think you might want this option as there is no phone signal in Stonethwaite.
If driving, Stonethwaite is roughly a 20 minute drive from Keswick, 55 minutes from Ambleside and 40 minutes from Cockermouth.
You could also come by bus, taking the 77A or 78 Borrowdale Bus from Booths in Keswick. It takes about 35 minutes and you’ll need to hop off at the Stonethwaite Road End stop and walk about half a mile to the trailhead.
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