I went to the Lake District many times growing up, but the first time I visited by myself to do some hiking, I knew I wanted to check out some of the Lake District caves.
I found a few different guides and some social media posts to help me figure out how to find Cathedral Cave, but there wasn’t a huge amount of really cohesive information about how to get there.
So I wanted to put together this quick guide to help you plan how to get to Cathedral Cave in the Lake District, where to park, where to walk and what to do when you’re there.
This is a beautiful natural area, please do your part in protecting it and allowing others to continue enjoying it by not damaging the natural environment and taking your litter with you.
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What is Cathedral Cave?
The history of this cave is actually fascinating!
Cathedral Cave or Cathedral Quarry is a disused slate quarry located in the Lake District.
Slate quarrying was a huge industry in Cumbria during the 19th and 20th centuries but the industry declined rapidly after the world wars and most slate quarries closed for good in the 1960s and 1970s.
What makes this one so fascinating (aside from it’s unique size) is that it was gifted to the National Trust by Beatrix Potter – yes, the famous author and creator of Peter Rabbit among others!
If you’re spending time in the Lake District, you may already know Beatrix Potter’s connection to the area, you can even go and visit Hill Top Farm where she often lived for a portion of the year and did much of her writing.
Beatrix Potter bought up huge areas of the Lake District in an effort to protect and conserve the natural environment. She then went on to gift these to the National Trust, therefore protecting the area from construction and development, making her a huge contributor to the Lake District National Park as we know it today.
Cathedral Cave was one such area that was previously owned by Beatrix Potter and then gifted to the National Trust. The Cathedral Quarry is now owned and protected by the National Trust.
Where is Cathedral Cave located in the Lake District?
Located fairly centrally in the Lake District, Cathedral Cave is closest to the village of Little Langdale.
Ambleside is just a 17 minute drive away.
How to get to Cathedral Cave
The National Trust site suggests three starting points for the short walk to Cathedral Cave:
- Elterwater
- Hodge Close
- Tilberthwaite Farm
While all of them are short walks, between 1.5-2km, I would recommend Elterwater for the best views of the surrounding hills and countryside. You can park at Elterwater National Trust Car Park and the walk is fairly straightforward from there as you pass through Little Langdale and down the hill. If you’re planning to drive then this is the best place to park.
However I actually started from Little Langdale itself as I was in the area for some photography.
There is limited roadside parking here so if you’re visiting between April-October I would recommend parking at Elterwater and walking down through Little Langdale. Please be considerate of local residents when you’re parking.
From the centre of Little Langdale, there’s the Three Shires Inn on the right, just beyond it on the left you need to take this road: Fitz Steps.
You’ll walk past two properties on your right-hand side, then come across a gap in the stone wall which is a public footpath – walk through this.
Continue across the field, walking down towards the river. This is the River Brathay and you’ll see a stone bridge crossing the river – aim for that.
This is the reason why I love this route, because the stone bridge crossing the River Brathay is a stunning relic of history and the landscape. This is a packhorse bridge called Slater’s Bridge, made of rough stone and slate, it looks like it’s straight out of a fairytale and part of its charm is how seamlessly it blends into the landscape – almost as if it’s a natural feature.
I’ve heard that sometimes Slaters Bridge gets a bit busy and having to cross in single file means you might have to wait a minute or two. However I’ve only ever visited in January and April and never seen another person there so it really does depend on the time of year you visit!
Read my guide to the best things to do in winter in the Lake District.
Cross over the Slater Bridge until you reach a gravel path, this is Stang End.
Turn left up this track and you’ll need to pass through a wooden gate, this is the start of National Trust property and it’s just a short walk to the cave.
The entrance to the cave will be on your right a short way up the track – you won’t miss it!
Inside Cathedral Quarry
Due to its size, there’s more than enough space inside to accommodate plenty of people, but the short tunnel into the main chamber is a bit more of a squeeze, take a head torch if you’re apprehensive but you can see light at the far end the whole way through.
Once inside the Cathedral cavern, there is the main chamber and a small network of linked quarries. With a stunning main support pillar inside the cathedral chamber with light filtering through the large cavern from an opening in the roof – it’s absolutely magical!
This also makes the cave open air, so for those with a fear of enclosed spaces, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a fairly large opening that lets in natural light into the main cavern, so you’re never totally enclosed or in complete darkness.
I saw last year that they had a small rock slip inside the quarry so certain areas were closed for repairs.
It goes without saying but if you’re going to explore beyond the main cavern into the cave system, please use caution and don’t proceed anywhere beyond closure signage.
Climbing up the loose slate scree, you can also walk on the tree top area above the cavern. There are also some smaller chambers, moss covered walls and a network of smaller chambers which can be seen and explored.
We saw a small group of older children on an outdoor adventure course doing some basic rappelling in here, so it’s definitely a well-visited area and a .
On the top of the cavern there’s also beautiful views of the surrounding landscape, even on a low visibility day!
Summary: how to visit Cathedral Caves in the Lake District
Cathedral cavern is a great spot to visit in the Lake District. It is a great easy hike but being a relatively easy walk, plus the recent popularity of the spot on social media means that it can get busy, particularly if you’re visiting during the peak season in summer.
I would highly recommend visiting on a weekday and during the low season or shoulder seasons to enjoy this beautiful landscape with less people. Part of the magic of visiting Cathedral Cavern is the eerie, majestic and almost other-worldly nature of this man-made but natural cave and I think it’s best enjoyed with as few people as possible.
