Ravenglass: A level beach walk





Ravenglass Walk Guide and Information

Overview of Ravenglass Walk:

This walk is an easy family walk in the beautiful coastal village of Ravenglass, a small part of the Cumbrian Coast which falls within the Lake District National Park. There is a risk due to tide times on this walk, please see below.

Villages houses at the edge of the beach in Ravenglass, Lake District, Cumbria

Submitted: 23Dec09

Date Updated: 

Recommended Map:  Explorer OL6

DANGER NOTE: There is no danger provided you first check the tide times to check when high tide occurs. There is a large notice on the beach which states that the path is liable to flooding when the height of the sea water is greater than 7.2m and to avoid using the path two hours either side of the predicted high tide. There is absolutely no danger providing you check the high tide time at http://www.easytide.co.uk/ before you set off on the walk.

Difficulty Rating: 

40% Complete (warning)

Family Walk

Danger Rating: █████

See below: You must check the tide times before setting off.

Time to complete: About 2 hours

Distance: About 5.5 km (3.5 miles)

Car Parking/Walk Start: 

Main public car park in Ravenglass behind the two hotels.

Refreshments: 

Non en-route but there are facilities in Ravenglass.

Wheelchair and Push Chair Suitability: 

From start of walk to point “A” is suitable for wheelchairs and push chairs; return via “B” and along the beach is possible with push chair.

Public Transport: 

Ravenglass is mid way on the Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness train line.

The X6 bus service runs from Whitehaven to Barrow-in-Furness.

 

Walk Description:

A convenient sign directs you out of the corner of the car park towards the ‘Roman Bath House’. Walk across the footbridge over the main railway line; continue on in this direction past the playground. Eventually you come to a gate; turn right onto a tree lined private surfaced road past the camping site on your left. To avoid walking on the road there is a footpath located just yards on the left running alongside it.

 

After a short while you reach the impressive walls of a Roman Bath House. After an investigation of the structure, continue on along the road until it splits in two. Take the unsurfaced road on the left towards ‘Knott View and Newtown’. (If you were to turn right you could do the shorter walk suitable for pushchairs).

Map of Ravenglass, Cumbria

Continue on past the houses, Knott View Cottage and Newtown House, ignoring the path on your left and the drive on your right. After the buildings continue on the main track, with the stone wall at first on your left, then after a gate the wall is then on your right.

 

As the track starts to move away from the wall and turns left, bear right onto a track heading towards a high stone wall with an unusually high gate. Having gone through the gate continue in the same direction downhill (with glorious mountain views) across a field to find a gate in the wall at the other side. Shortly after leaving the field take the grassy path on the left and then a right onto the permitted route, through a gate, joining the Cumbrian Coastal way footpath. Turn right and follow the reed strewn path in the direction of the railway bridge, with the River Esk on your left and a stone wall on your right.

 

Continue on the path, close to the wall and eventually go under the Carlisle to Barrow-in-Furness railway line. Bear right and keep the wall or fence on your right as you soon start walking on the beach in the direction of Ravenglass. On reaching the village you walk past its pretty cottages turning right just before the Pennington Hotel and back to the car park.

View of Fells from River Esk, Ravenglass, Lake District Old boat at Ravenglass, Lake District

Points of Interest:

We’ve had many good days out in Ravenglass; a place we visited as young children with our families and on school trips; and many more times as adults with our own children. It is a quant coastal village with outstanding natural scenery and wildlife. It benefits from two big visitor attractions on its doorstep: Muncaster Castle and Gardens – www.muncaster.co.uk– which is a worldwide owl conservation centre, and the La’al Rattie Steam Railway- Ravenglass Railway – which runs seven miles to Dalegarth Station for Boot; doorstep to England’s highest mountains.

Owl at Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Lake District La'al Ratty, Ravenglass and Eskdale RailwayRoman Bath House remains at Ravenglass

The walk takes you past the surviving walls of a Roman Bath House, which was part of the fort known as ‘Glannoventa’. The fort itself lies between the bath house and the sea on the other side of the road. The fort appears to have been in use from AD130 to the end of the fourth century. The defences of the fort appear to have been turf and timber, which were replaced by stone walls at the end of the third century.

 

 

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Signs used in the maps

Whilst we try our very best to ensure the accuracy of this information, we accept no liability for anyone getting lost or injured.  You should always consult your ordnance survey map for exact details and wear appropriate clothing for the weather conditions.