Penrith Attractions

Venue: Aira Force    When: Daily

The 70-foot Aira Force waterfall on the west side of Ullswater is part of an area planned and planted from the late 18th century onwards by local family, the Howards of Greystoke Castle. After 200 years of growth, it all looks perfectly natural and is one of the most popular walks in the Lakes. In addition to the spectacular cataract, there are 13,000 acres to explore, including High Force further up.

This popular landmark is close to the area of Ullswater where Wordsworth was inspired to write I wandered lonely as a cloud. It was in the 1780s that the Howards renovated their hunting lodge and started to landscape around the waterfalls, planting something in the region of half-a-million trees and creating an arboretum. In 1906 the newly-formed National Trust purchased 750 acres of the surrounding land, and increased this holding over the next century.

Also of interest are the stone bridges that visitors walk over to get to the falls. Built in memoriam to members of the Spring-Rice family from adjacent Watermillock, where there are memorial tablets to them in All Saints Church. Continuing the literary theme, one of the Spring-Rice family wrote the words to the hymn I vow to thee my country.