LOUGHRIGG TARN - ELTER WATER Distance: 4.5 miles (7km) Start/finish: Elter Water car park, LA22 9HR Terrain: Grass path, track, quiet lane Toughness: Moderate Ascent: 162 metres Navigation: Easy Good for: Wildlife, woodland Route info: wildrunning.net/82 A lovely quiet run through the Great Langdale valley, starting and finishing by Langdale Beck or, if flooded, the well-signed Cumbria Way. From start, follow Langdale Beck downstream. Run beside tranquil Elter Water, Lake of the Swans: often the birds can be seen in residence, with the Langdale Pikes as their stunning backdrop. Follow River Brathay from Elter Water towards Windermere. At Kirkstone Gallery, head N, taking in an anticlockwise loop around Loughrigg Tarn, a favourite place of William Wordsworth. Cross on paths through Little Loughrigg before a fantastic, long descent which steepens as it leads back down to Elter Water, turning R on reaching lake to follow Langdale Beck and the Cumbria Way back to the start. Miles Km Directions 0.0 0.0 From car park follow Langdale Beck south east downstream, passing Rob Rash alongside Elter Water and joining the River Brathay, following this to reach the A593 1.6 2.6 Turn left onto A593 and follow to Skelwith Bridge, turning left and heading north up Foulstep, ascending steeply towards Loughrigg Tarn 2.1 3.3 Turn right, crossing Mandale Bridge and then left onto track and footpath looping anticlockwise around Loughrigg Tarn to reach lane 2.8 4.5 Turn left and follow lane for 100m before turning right onto track at Loughrigg Fold. Follow this and then footpath descending steeply and crossing the B5943 before returning to the path on the River Brathay. Turn right and follow this back past Elter Water to the start..