About Ambleside
Elder Grove is on the south side of the town on Lake Road. Walking from Elder Grove into Ambleside, the following information gives you a circular tour of the town centre, with a few detours.
- Homes of Football, a different view of football on two floors with hands-on games.
- The Old District Bank Building; inside you can see the old safe door, now sells locally-made chocolates
- Church Street,
The Royal Oak is an old coaching inn; The Priest Hole Restaurant is part of the oldest buildings in Ambleside and has a priest hole in the floor. Across the road is the Old Stamp House (above the kitchen shop). William Wordsworth worked here from 1813 to 1843, It is home to Stampers Restaurant, one of our favourite, they offer a good selection of freshly prepared produce.
Further down Church Street is the old police buildings, and old courthouse. Across the road and into Compston Street (to the left) is Herald Yard, home of the Ambleside Herald Newspaper - no longer printed here
Continuing along Lake Road and past the White Lion (coaching inn), we enter the Market Place (no longer used for the market). Ambleside Market is held on a Wednesday at the King St. Car Park.
-The Old Court House (older than the Church Street building) is now home to an art gallery and shop.
-The next building uphill is the Mechanic’s Institute - originally used as meeting rooms; notice the copper turret on the roof.
An option now is to take the road alongside Barclays Bank and walk up to the waterfalls; this is a short walk through Stock Ghyll woods to Stock Ghyll Force, and is at its best when it’s raining. Alternatively save this walk for another day.
- The Market Cross (stone pillar), this was moved from Market Place with the invention of traffic and was restored for the 50th anniversary of V.E. Day.
- The tourist information centre is here, a leaflet called the Heritage Trail can be bought which gives much more information on the historic buildings of Ambleside.
-Bridge Street (to the left) is part of the oldest area of Ambleside this cobbled yard has a ginnel down to the main road, and was formally known as Rattle Gill, given this name because of the noise from the surrounding woollen mills.
-The Waterwheel shop is a converted mill and still has some pieces of machinery inside, and the waterwheel on the outside.
- Peggy Hill, off to the right of North Road, is a footpath up to the oldest area of Ambleside. Walk along Fairview Lane to the right and circle to the left passing St Anne’s church, the old parish church, now flats. You can either circle back to Peggy Hill and back to North Road, and then turn right. Or walk onto the Kirkstone Road and head down hill.
- Where North Road meets the Kirkstone Road is our butcher’s shop (F.W. Garside), where they use an old family recipe to produce the tasty Cumberland sausage we serve at breakfast.
- Down Smithy Brow takes you back to the Rydal Road, the main road into Ambleside.
- To the right is the Ambleside Armitt Museum. This is the home of the history of Ambleside form the Roman settlement of Galava Gate to the famous people who have spent time in Ambleside and the area.
-Across the beck is The Glass House Restaurant, which has been recently restored and gives you the opportunity to see a waterwheel close up.
-As you walk over the bridge notice the stone manor in the pavement- Above Beck and Below Beck this was the marker for the separation of the classes. Also over the bridge you can see the restored millrace for the waterwheel.
-Over the beck is the Old Bridge House, built by a wealthy resident as a summerhouse, and built over the river to avoid paying taxes.
- To the right is The Glass House Restaurant, this old Mill building has been restored and the waterwheel can be seen in action.
Compston Road
— To the left is the recently built Market Cross shopping area.
The buildings on the right were built along with the majority of Ambleside, by the Victorians.
- Zeffirellis - this used to be the
auction rooms and now has two cinema screens, cafe/restaurant & Jazz bar
- To the right, then immediately left into Vicarage Road passing the Fish and Chip Shop, pass the original school building to the right (now K2 nursery & after school club)
- A large park with children’s play area, football pitch and paths along the riverbank, this is where Stock Ghyll joins the Rothay River, and gives access to a quiet lane which takes you out to Rydal
Through the iron gates and you enter the parish Church of St Mary’s
- Take a look inside our parish church. On the back wall is a mural of the rushbearing, a traditional ceremony held on the 1st Saturday in July and stems from the time when rushes were collected from the lake and used for the church floor.
Head out through the main church gates and walk around White Platt’s recreation area; Putting, Golf, Tennis and Bowling. Continue down Rothay Road.
-Just passed the lane on the right is an old drinking trough set into the wall.
Wansfell Road is to the left and this takes you back to Lake Road and Elder Grove.
Further around the head of Waterhead bay are piers and jetties for pleasure boats, steamer’s and rowing boats. Here you can take a trip down Lake Windermere and access the attractions of Bowness and Lakeside without the car.
Walk up to the main road (Lake Rd) turning left head back towards the town — Hayes Garden World is on the left and this sells much more than just plants. Across the road from Hayes is the Mountain Rescue Base.
Elder Grove is now a short walk away.
- On the corner of Lake Road and Wansfell Road is Wansfell Towers — notice the interesting stone work; this used to be a training school for Catholic Priests, in the 1920’s .