Stock Ghyll Force: Ambleside's Waterfall Walk, Route & Parking

The honest version

A waterfall in the woods, ten minutes from the Square

Stock Ghyll Force is a free waterfall walk that starts a few minutes from the middle of Ambleside. There is no ticket office and nothing to book. It is public woodland, so there are no opening times either. We walked it on Friday 2 October 2026, Ellie, Cass and me, and my verdict is one word: excellent. We had phone signal throughout, which is handy to know on steep steps beside a ravine; it was one day on our phones, so do not rely on it.

Two things to know before you go. The way up past the falls is an extremely steep climb up steps, so it is short but not gentle. And the big wide fall you meet first, near the bottom of the woods, is a weir. It is lovely, but it is not the Force. Stock Ghyll Force itself is the twin drop higher up the woods.

If you only do one thing: go up the left-hand side and cross the bridge at the top. You end up at the viewpoint with the picnic table, where both ways out of the woods are, so nobody has to walk back down.

Getting to the start

Finding it from the middle of Ambleside

Start at the Square in the centre of Ambleside, the one with Greggs and Costa. Head out to the right and up the road, past the Market Hall, then down the back lane just up from the Square, going the same way as the one-way traffic. The road climbs from the very start.

Follow the “To the waterfalls” sign into Stockghyll Woods. We left the Square at 13:32 and reached the first waterfall at 13:41, so allow about ten minutes. A brown Stockghyll Woods sign on the lane asks you not to scramble up the ghyll; more on that below.

A white “To the waterfalls” sign fixed to a mossy slate wall beside double yellow lines — The “To the waterfalls” sign on the lane wall.

A brown Stockghyll Woods sign reading No ghyll scrambling, on a post beside a slate building — The Stockghyll Woods sign by the lane: no ghyll scrambling.

Metal railings beside a leaf-covered bank above the beck, with double yellow lines along the lane on the left — Railings and the beck beside the lane.

A tarmac path with railings on the left leading into Stockghyll Woods under tall trees — The path into the woods.

The route

The loop, the way we recommend

The first waterfall, and the weir

You see the first waterfall at the beginning, near the bottom of the woods. It is wide and low and made by people: a weir. Enjoy it, take a photograph, and keep going, because Stock Ghyll Force is higher up.

/// what3words — the first waterfall ///blasted.starters.creatures A 3-metre square. This pin is the first waterfall only, not the Force.

A wide curved weir with white water spilling over its edge into a pool, in woodland — The weir, the wide fall at the bottom of the woods. It is not Stock Ghyll Force.

A wooden footbridge over the beck among boulders, in green woodland — A wooden footbridge over the beck.

The junction: take the left fork

A little further on you come to a junction that takes you right, back towards the road and up the hill. Don't. Instead, drop down and take the left fork, then go up the left-hand side. That takes you to the very top, over another bridge and back onto the right-hand side. At that point you are at the very top of the falls.

The reason is where you finish. The route we were following sent us back down to the bottom of the woods, and published descriptions of the loop run it the other way round, up the right-hand side. Going up the left means you end beside both exits, which matters most if you are carrying on up Wansfell Pike. The steps are extremely steep all the way, so go at your own pace.

White water tumbling over dark rocks in the beck, seen from above — The lower cascade.

A small stone arch in a mossy bank above boulders furred with moss and scattered with autumn leaves — A stone arch and mossy boulders.

Stock Ghyll Force itself

From the viewpoint higher up you look down on the Force: a twin drop, two streams of white water falling through a mossy rocky cleft. Sources vary on the height; roughly 60 to 70 ft over several drops is the usual figure, and we have kept it that loose on our Lake District waterfalls guide. We reached the top viewing point, with its picnic table, at about 14:02, thirty minutes after leaving the Square, photo stops included.

Stock Ghyll Force dropping through a narrow rocky cleft between mossy rocks — Stock Ghyll Force, closer.

White water cascading over rocks between mossy banks in the ghyll — Cascades on the beck.

The upper falls: white water pouring down a narrow rocky channel beside a mossy bank — The upper falls.

At the top

Two ways out at the top, and neither is back down

The route we were following sent us back down to the bottom of the woods and up the main road. I would not. There are two ways out at the viewpoint with the picnic table, and both leave you higher up than you started.

The ladder stile, which we took

There is a ladder stile over the wall at the top viewing point. A sign there reads “Grove Barn café, 600m, over stile”. Cross the stile, go up the hill and turn left onto the tarmac path. It saves the long way round, and it is how our Wansfell Pike walk went on.

The revolving gate, which we did not

Published descriptions of the walk also describe a revolving iron gate, signed from the picnic bench, that puts you straight onto Stockghyll Lane. It is the signed, standard way out. We did not use it, so I can't tell you more than that.

Grove Barn

The sign points to the Grove Barn café, which is trading under that name. We did not go in, so I can't tell you what it is like or when it is open: check before you visit.

A wooden ladder stile over a stone wall at the top of the woods, among bare-trunked trees — The ladder stile over the wall at the top.

Carrying on

Carrying on up Wansfell Pike

The stile is also how our walk carried on. We went over it, up the hill, left onto the tarmac and on up to Wansfell Pike. Our full Wansfell Pike guide picks up from this spot, with the awkward turns pinned. If the steps past the falls put you off, that guide also starts from Waterhead, where the climb is less steep.

Getting there

Parking and getting there

There is no car park at the falls. You walk up from the middle of Ambleside, so you park in the town. We did not drive for this walk, so the options below come from our Ambleside walks guide: check the signs on the day.

By car

Ambleside's pay and display car park on the A591 above the town, or the laybys on Stockghyll Lane, which are signed for a parking disc and a time limit. Read the sign before you leave the car.

Waterhead car park (LA22 0ES) is the pay car park by the lake, a walk from the middle of town. See our Ambleside Roman Fort guide.

On foot from the Square

What we did: out of the Square to the right, up the road past the Market Hall and down the back lane, then the “To the waterfalls” sign. About ten minutes to the first waterfall. The directions are above.

From Windermere town

Bus 555 from Windermere station runs to Ambleside in about 20 minutes, according to our Ambleside guide. Check the Stagecoach timetables before you rely on it.

Swimming and scrambling

This is not a swimming spot

A Stockghyll Woods sign by the lane asks for no ghyll scrambling, because of damage to the ancient woodland along the banks of the ghyll. It is a good enough reason to stay on the path.

Stock Ghyll Force is a place to look at, not to get into. If you want to swim, our wild swimming guide lists places that suit it. Cass was on the lead for the whole walk.

Common questions

Stock Ghyll Force, answered

How long is the Stock Ghyll Force walk?

About 30 minutes from the Square in Ambleside to the top viewing point, with photo stops. We left the Square at 13:32 and were at the picnic table at the top at about 14:02. The first waterfall is roughly ten minutes from the Square. Allow longer if you want to linger at the falls.

Is Stock Ghyll Force an easy walk?

It is short, but it is not gentle. The way up past the falls is an extremely steep climb up steps, so take it slowly. Allow time.

Is Stock Ghyll Force free to visit?

Yes. It is public woodland with no ticket office and nothing to book. There are no opening times either, because it is open woodland.

Where can I park near Stock Ghyll Force?

We walked from the Square and did not park, so we cannot recommend a space. Our Ambleside walks page lists the pay and display car park on the A591 above the town and the laybys on Stockghyll Lane, which are signed for a parking disc and a time limit. Read the signs on the day. If you are coming from Windermere town, bus 555 from Windermere station takes about 20 minutes.

Is there a circular walk around Stock Ghyll Force?

Yes. The two sides of the ghyll are joined by bridges, so you can go up one side and come down the other. We went up the left-hand side, crossed the bridge at the top and came back onto the right-hand side at the very top of the falls, which is where both ways out of the woods are. Published descriptions run the loop the other way round.

Where are the waterfalls in Ambleside?

In Stockghyll Woods, a short walk uphill from the Square. The first waterfall, a wide weir, is near the bottom of the woods. Stock Ghyll Force itself, a twin drop, is higher up and is seen from the viewpoint near the top.

Can you swim at Stock Ghyll Force?

No. It is not a swimming spot. A Stockghyll Woods sign by the lane asks for no ghyll scrambling because of damage to the ancient woodland along the banks of the ghyll.

Is there a café near Stock Ghyll Force?

Yes. A sign at the top of the falls points to the Grove Barn café, 600 m away over the ladder stile. We did not go in, so check before you visit. There are also cafés back in the middle of Ambleside.

Keep exploring

Stock Ghyll Force, Ambleside