Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
Lake DistrictAira Force is a showcase for the power and beauty of nature; it’s a place to escape the ordinary.
near Watermillock, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 0JS
M T W T F S S Open
Closed
Opening times for 21 February 2026
Asset Opening time Countryside Dawn - Dusk Aira Force car park Dawn - Dusk Tea-room 10:00 - 16:00 - Audio guide
There are audio guides online.
Audio guide - more information- Car park
Parking at Aira Force car park £6 for 2 hours, £8 for 4 hours or £9.50 all day. Glencoyne Bay, Park Brow & High Cascades car parks £5.50 for 2 hours, £7.50 for 4 hours, £9 all day. Cash or parking app to pay. NT members park for free - please scan membership card at the pay and display machine to obtain ticket.
- Dogs allowed
Dogs on leads welcome. Due to the wildlife, surrounding livestock and the experience of all our visitors, dogs must remain on leads at all times during your visit.
- Picnic area
- Tea-room
Tea room serving drinks, snacks and ice cream with indoor and outdoor seating. Takeaway available. Drinking water taps around the car park and tea-room for people to refill drinking bottles.
- Toilet
Small toilet block in the main Aira Force car park (including an accessible toilet). Portaloos provided in summer when site is busy, situated next to permanent toilets. Next closest public toilets situated in Glenridding village (3 miles south on the A592.)
Toilet - more information
Accessible parking spaces. Mobility toilet. Waterfall not accessible by wheelchair. Much of the countryside is steep and rugged.
- Accessible route and/or map
There is a busyness map and a map of the walking routes.
Accessible route and/or map - more information- Accessible toilet
Mobility toilet adjacent to car park entrance
Accessible toilet - more information- Designated parking
It is possible to drop visitors off outside the Welcome Building if all designated parking bays are full.
Designated parking - more information- Drop-off point
- Induction loop
- Large print (guide or menu)
There is a large print introduction to Aira Force and Gowbarrow and its history.
Large print (guide or menu) - more information- Photograph album
There is a sensory story that describes the sights and sounds you might experience at Aira Force.
Photograph album - more information- Seating available
- Steps/uneven terrain
Much of Aira Force and the countryside is steep and rugged The waterfall is not accessible by wheelchair or pushchair.
Steps/uneven terrain - more information- Virtual tour
There is a Virtual Reality (VR) experience that follows the footpaths to Aira Force waterfall and Gowbarrow Fell.
Virtual tour - more information- Wheelchairs available
1 manual wheelchair is available from the Welcome Building
Wheelchairs available - more information
Visitor Welcome Building - what3words: ///agreeable.dove.growl
- By road
- Approach the valley via Windermere and Bowness (A592) and Ambleside (The Struggle) for a scenic drive down the steep windy Kirkstone Pass. Alternatively access the valley from Junction 40 of the M6, or from Keswick/Penrith on the A66.Parking: Main Aira Force Car Park postcode CA11 0JS. Pay for parking with card or cash at the ticket machine or use the parking app. (£6 for 2 hours, £8 for 4 hours, £9.50 all day). National Trust members park for free. Glencoyne Bay* - Postcode CA11 0NQ, OS reference NY386180 High Cascades* - Postcode CA11 0JY, OS reference NY397211 Park Brow* - Postcode CA11 0JY, OS reference NY397206 *£5.50 for 2 hours, £7.50 for 4 hours, £9 all day, National Trust members park for free.Sat Nav: use CA11 0JS (please note that SatNav does not always take you directly to the car park so look out for signposts for Aira Force.) What3Words: ///chromatic.tractor.port
- On foot
- From Glenridding (3 miles) or Glencoyne Bay (1.5 miles), follow the low-level, off-road footpath to Aira Force. From Pooley Bridge, a more challenging 6.5 mile walk over undulating, mixed-terrain footpaths (map recommended.) The Ullswater Way includes the above trails, details and maps can be found here. The Coast to Coast long distance footpath passes through the Ullswater Valley as it cuts across the country running from St Bees in the north west to Robin Hood's Bay in the north east. The Cumbria Way passes within 4 miles, with footpaths which link to Ullswater
- By train
- Penrith 10 miles
- By bus
- Stagecoach bus service 508 from Penrith takes about 30mins. 509 runs on Saturday & Sunday from Keswick - Penrith, get off at Aira Force Park Brow stop.
- Cycling
- NCN71, 2 miles
- By ferry
- Ullswater Steamers operate from Glenridding and run services to Aira Force.
Planning your visit
Access at Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
We’re working to make Aira Force and Gowbarrow as accessible as possible. While the rugged terrain poses challenges, steps are being taken to ensure everyone can enjoy the site’s history and beauty. Learn more about accessibility and how to plan your visit. Aira Force supports the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
Visiting Aira Force with your dog
Aira Force is a three pawprint rated place, and well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome here. There are water bowls around the car park and tea-room area. Please read the Canine Code to make sure everyone has an enjoyable day.
Group bookings at Aira Force
Booking is essential for coach parties. Please see Aira Force’s guidance on coach parking and access, then get your group booked in for a great day out.
Highlights
Aira Force Waterfall
Eighteenth-century pleasure ground with dramatic 65-foot waterfall and woodland trails, with champion trees and rare red squirrels.
Tea-room
Tea-room serves hot drinks, snacks and ice cream, with seating indoors and outside.
Lakeshore
Lakeshore access to Ullswater at Aira Green and Glencoyne Bay.
Gowbarrow Park
Once home to a large deer herd, evidence of old shooting boxes and stalkers’ huts can still be seen today. Now grazed by low numbers of hardy, traditional sheep such as Herdwicks, with great walking trails including the summit of Gowbarrow Fell.
Things to see and do
Exploring Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
Find out what Aira Force has to offer, including waterfalls, walks with far-reaching views, ancient woodland, red squirrels, picnic spots and access to the lake.
Family-friendly things to do at Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
Go on an outdoor adventure at Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park this winter. Whether you're following the pathway through the woodland to see the waterfall, looking for rare red squirrels or skimming stones on the shore of Ullswater there are plenty of outdoor adventures to be had come rain or shine.
Access at Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
We’re working to make Aira Force and Gowbarrow as accessible as possible. While the rugged terrain poses challenges, steps are being taken to ensure everyone can enjoy the site’s history and beauty. Learn more about accessibility and how to plan your visit. Aira Force supports the Sunflower Lanyard Scheme.
Top trails
Aira Force to Glencoyne Trail
Follow this linear trail from Aira Force to Glencoyne, taking in veteran trees and views of the fells beyond Ullswater in the Lake District
Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park trail
Explore Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park on a circular walk passing through woodland and open glades all accompanied with the roaring sounds from the waterfall in the gorge. Enjoy expansive views over Ullswater from the summit of Gowbarrow.
Patterdale and Glenamara Park trail
Patterdale, near Ullswater, is home to Glenamara Park – a former deer park and site of several stately ancient and veteran trees. Explore them on this easy circular walk.
Aira Force Glencoyne Farm trail
This is a 3-mile walk through the upland hill farm of Glencoyne, with great views of Ullswater. You will pass through woodlands that are home to red squirrels, as well as historic farm buildings and charcoal pitsteads.
Hartsop to Hayeswater Gill trail
Climb up to Hayeswater Reservoir from Hartsop village on a circular walk, following the beck and the history of the mills and mines it once served.
Eating
Eating at Aira Force
Stop for refreshments at Aira Force tea-room for a delightful selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes and sandwiches. Perfect for refuelling during your Ullswater Way walk or waterfall adventure.
Places to stay
Millbeck Towers
An impressive 18th-century carding mill, now a large six-bedroom escape perfect for family get-togethers.
Upcoming events
Sorry, there are no upcoming events at this place
About Aira Force and Gowbarrow Park
An 18th-century pleasure ground, Aira Force was the backdrop for William Wordsworth’s poem ‘Somnambulist’ – a Gothic tale of love and tragedy. There are so many woodland trails to discover in this landscape of contrasts. Quiet glades give way to dramatic waterfalls, with Aira Beck thundering down a 65-foot drop past ferns and rocks. If you walk to the summit of Gowbarrow, you will be rewarded with panoramic views over Ullswater. Starting your day in Glenridding, arriving at Aira Force by boat then strolling back along the lakeshore, allows you to take in the wonderful Ullswater Valley sights.
Our work
Riverlands projects in Cumbria
Rivers are life forces. They’ve helped sustain ecosystems, cultures and communities for millennia, their quiet power steadily shaping everything from landscapes to place names. Find out more about the work the National Trust is doing with local partners, tenant farmers and other landowners in the area to help restore the Cumbria's rivers and improve the water quality in lakes and tarns.
Volunteer with us
Search for live volunteering opportunities, or register your interest with Aira Force and Ullswater.
