Aira Force Waterfall,
Lake District
I really love this walk to Aira Force, the most famous of the Lake District waterfalls.
The route starts from National Trust car park which is £5 for 2h where you can find information point, facilities and a shop.
Aira Force provides a glimpse of a landscaped Victorian park with dramatic waterfalls, arboretum and rocks scenery. The main force falls 70 feet from below a stone footbridge and is on land owned by the National Trust.
The name Aira Force means "the waterfall on gravel-bank river" derived from Old Norse.
It rises on the upper slopes of Stybarrow Dodd at a height of 720 metres (2,362 ft) and joins Ullswater, a magnificent lake in North Lake District.
The path to the Aira Force waterfall is very accessible and it only takes around 20 minutes to get there. At the top of the waterfall there is a small arched bridge spans the stream along with another bridge at the foot of the falls. Both have been constructed in 20th century in honour of two members of the Spring Family.
The path up to the Aira Force is very popular and busy with tourists of all ages.
There is another waterfall upstream the river but the path to this one is more rocky and not accessible for everyone. This waterfall is smaller but we have enjoyed walking near the river and listening the birds singing.
The water is so clear and it was nice to see few kids enjoying the weather and playing in the water.
The area around Aira Force was created by Howard family of Gerystoke Castle in 1780’s, using it as a pleasure garden and establishing a network of tracks, footpaths and bridges.
The Howards also planted over 200 specimen of of trees, creating an arboretum below Aira Force.
There is a Sitka tree now around 118 feet(35m) high, around 6 meters circumference and over 150 years old. From this angle it looks like an big elephant.
This loop route is quite short, around 1.8 miles but it is very relaxing and enjoyable and I would like to go back there and explore the surrounding area.
