Rydal Caves is one of the most popular tourist spots in the Lake District, but according to a TripAdvisor review it’s clearly not for everyone.
Every year visitors and locals alike hike up to see the caves and all their beauty. Rydal Cave is a large cave on the north side of Loughrigg Fell, above Rydal Water.
This famous Lakeland beauty site was actually created by man as a result of slate quarrying. Once you get to the top, you can even go into the cave via the stepping stones.
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However, it seems that not everyone shares the view that it is a nice place to visit. One person used TripAdvisor to compare the area to a “plague”.
They left a one-star review on TripAdvisor and said, “Full of debris and bugs. Avoid the entire area as there is a plague going on at the moment.
Another person was not impressed by its beauty either. The review said: “Too many people and not worth it even if they filmed Witcher here. Cathedral Cave in Langdale Valley or Caves at Hodge Close in Tilberthwaite much better. Or if you want a proper walk and a cave with a view there is the Priests Cave in Dovedale.”
A third review compared the caves to a “big hole”. The visitor said, “It’s a big hole. We visited the cave on a walking tour from Ambleside. The cave is about a 30 minute walk off the main road into Rydal, a good 3 hours if you walk via Loughfell.
(Image: Christine Hasman)
“The cave itself isn’t that big, there’s another one around the corner.”
However, many people have left reviews about how amazing the view is. One person said: “We went for a walk in Rydal Waters because we stayed at a campsite nearby and we loved the caves! We hadn’t done too much research but we knew there would be caves along the way… Let’s not get our hopes up too high so we were pleasantly surprised with what we found – definitely worth a visit!”
Another said: “I’ve been coming to Rydal Caves for years, usually on other hikes in the area and call here when I’m passing. It’s a hit with most people, adults are fascinated by it and kids want to go inside. It’s usually always busy, but it’s a relatively short free walk with some stunning views from the top and parking nearby.”
A third review states: “I had just climbed Loughrigg and decided to visit the caves off Rydal Water. Definitely worth a visit if you’re around, very nice, stepping stones to skip over, small fish in the water too. Great visit !”
Rydal Cave is on the north side of Loughrigg Fell above Rydal Water and like Cathedral Cavern is man-made; a consequence of quarrying, again for slate. Starting from the north side of Loughrigg Fell on the A591 this takes you to the cave and summit of Loughrigg Fell before coming back along Loughrigg Terrace overlooking Grasmere.
At the entrance there is a shallow lake full of small fish but there are stepping stones so it is usually possible to get onto the dry ground inside and explore.
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