Walking Britain Lake District Walk
Eel Tarn and Stony Tarn from Eskdale
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Walk Route Description
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This half day Lake District walk combines visits to two tarns with some rugged Lakeland terrain. The views in good weather are excellent for relatively little ascent. In poor weather, navigation can be problematic as the landscape has few obvious landmarks
This Lakeland walk starts from the small car park on the north side of the road from Eskdale to Hardknott Pass at Wha House Farm (Grid ref. NY201009). After parking walk east towards the River Esk. Cross the bridge and take the signed footpath on your right. This follows the river for a short way before entering woodland. Keep right at the junction (Grid ref. NY203005) and continue past Penny Hill Farm to cross the River Esk using Doctor Bridge (Grid ref. NY189007). Having reached the far bank, turn right along the path to reach the road just to the west of the Woolpack Inn.
Turn right along the road towards the Inn and take the signed path up the lane to the immediate left of the Inn. Going through the intake wall at a gate, follow the green path uphill to reach Eel Tarn, which lies to the right of the path. Continue to the northern end of the tarn, cross the outflow and go right onto the green path going southeast (Grid ref. NY188020). This path occasionally fades but by keeping the higher ground on your right Stony Tarn soon comes into view in a large depression on your right.
Stay on the path following it north-east towards the Scafells. Continue past Cat Cove (Grid ref. NY202034) for approximately 400 metres before leaving the path and heading east across unpathed territory to reach the main Scafell path. Once this is reached turn right and it is an easy descent back to the start near Wha House Farm.
Other walks nearby
Walk 1299 Green Crag from Eskdale - moderate - 6.5 miles/10.6 km
Walk 2361 Walking on Water to Scafell from Eskdale - hard - 9.5 miles/15.4 km
Walk 2362 Scafell Pike and Scafell from Eskdale - very hard - 11.0 miles/17.9 km
Walk 2229 Tarns of Eskdale - easy/mod - 7.5 miles/12.2 km
Walk 1932 Slight Side from Whahouse Bridge - moderate - 5.6 miles/9.1 km
Walk 2226 The Scafells from Eskdale - very hard - 12.0 miles/19.5 km
Walk 1916 Harter Fell and Low Birker Tarn (Eskdale) - moderate - 6.5 miles/10.6 km
Walk 3419 Scafell Pike from Brotherilkeld, an Eskdale circular - very hard - 12.5 miles/20.3 km
Walk 2355 Blea Tarn & Eskdale Green from Boot - easy/mod - 6.5 miles/10.6 km
Walk 1668 Silver Knott & Muncaster Fell from Irton Road - easy/mod - 5.0 miles/8.1 km
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