Aira Force and Gowbarrow Fell

Head up through the car park to the information boards, go past and bear left onto graded the path. Go through the gate, and the next gate onto The Dell. Turn left to climb through the Pinetum. The path to the lower bridge from this side is currently closed (Sept 2012) due to a landslide. Continue to the upper bridge. Cross over, and immediately turn left onto a rough path alongside Aira Beck. The return path rejoins here so you don't need to drop down to the lower bridge for photos.

This path meanders alongside the beck for quite a while. Ignore any side turnings or bridges. The path is very rough in places with a few patches of stone pitching. The slopes to your right covered with bracken. Reaching the obvious wall, go through the gap signposted Dockray, and continue through the gate shortly after. The views open out now.

At the next gate, do not go through, but turn right to climb alongside the wall. A makeshift sign here painted on the other side says "Gowbarrow hill" and points up hill.

Climb up to a gate, go through, and continue on the path with the wall to your left. Bear left as the wall does.

The slopes gradually change from bracken to heather. The path now floats across the top of the peat bogs, a delight to walk on.

Follow the path to the summit trig point.

Green Hill now lies roughly south, or as you look down to Glenridding and Patterdale, just left of the 'knee' of Ullswater. The path, marked in Wainwright as 'intermittent', continues just to the right of the summit area as you approached it and drops down left to skirt a similar height knoll. Meander along following this slightly wet and often boggy path.

There are two faint junctions you can bear left at to get to the cairn on Green Hill. Either of them will do. The second is more obvious as the cairn is in sight. You'll start wondering how you get there when the junction appears.

Having admired the views bear right away from the summit, dropping down through bracken and crags, aiming this time for slightly right of Ullswater's 'knee'.

This path again meanders, and the bracken encroaches the path in summer, but should be easily followed.

As you drop down further the path swings right slightly to intersect the gill. Go through the kissing gate and bear left to the top bridge. Drop down to the lower bridge, signposted "steps to lower bridge".

Continue on the path dropping down alongside the beck. Cross the bridge into The Dell. Join the main path bearing left to return to the car park.