Lydford Gorge has the wow factor. We started the walk with no expectations, and from the moment we entered the mysterious moss covered walls of the gorge, we were blown away. Not only is the gorge itself absolutely beautiful, but the walking trail really makes the most of the scenery. This is not your average manicured track - narrow paths cling to the rock walls, with stunning views to the crystal clear river and cascades.
It’s a one way walk and few people venture beyond the waterfall. This all adds to enchanting nature of the trail, as you feel like it’s just you and this wonderful wild gorge. This is one Dartmoor walk you do not want to miss.
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Lydford Gorge.
The Lydford Gorge Circular Walk (including Whitelady Falls)
The stats
Distance: 2.5 miles (4.1km) loop
Elevation gain: 175m
Difficulty: Moderate
The Lydford Gorge circular walk also encompasses the Whitelady Falls track. If you only want to see the waterfall, you will be walking on a well maintained path the whole way (there is stepped and non stepped access). If you want to venture further into the gorge it becomes more rustic. However, it’s not a hard walk.
There is little elevation gain and though sections of the track are slippery, there is almost always a handrail to help out. There are several rocky sections, which are narrow - so it won’t be for everyone - but if you have shoes with good grip and take it carefully, it may just be one of the best walks you’ve done in England!
Note that the walk is one way, this means you never have to worry about passing people, and keeps the track feeling wonderfully quiet and serene.
Starting the trail: to Whitelady Falls
From the car park (details below), the walk heads downhill on a good gravel path. You’ll head left at the signpost and after 250m hit the staircases down to the falls.
From here the walk becomes very pretty, taking you through a lovely stretch of woodland. The stairs are well maintained and easy to descend on, leading to a series of switchbacks.
After 300m descending, you’ll reach the last few metres to the falls. This is a rocky patch of track, but it is literally just a few steps.
You’ll then be standing in front of the gorgeous Whitelady Falls.
As you can see from the pictures, we visited during an unusually dry spell so there wasn’t much flow. Even then, it was a beautiful spot and you can normally expect much more water.
The waterfall flows into a small pool and is surrounded by tall gorge walls, which give it a more dramatic feel.
Sadly you can’t take a dip in the pool, or anywhere else along the trail, but it makes for a lovely place to sit and relax, while you listen to the sound of the rushing water.
Into the gorge
From Whitelady Falls, the walk heads over the small suspension bridge and along the path on the other side of the river.
We visited during the summer holidays and the waterfall was quite busy. After leaving the falls, we saw just one family during the rest of the entire walk!
The trail begins heading uphill through the forest and you’ll soon encounter a short section of smooth rocky track, which can be slippery, but there’s a handrail in place.
This is a good indicator of what’s to come, so if you’re in two minds you can easily check this bit out and turn back if you’re not keen.
From this point on, you enter the mysterious world of the gorge. This is when I went from enjoying the track, to absolutely loving it.
There might be handrails here and there, but that doesn’t stop it feeling wild. The gorge is narrow and dripping in moss, the water is gorgeous and crystal clear, and rustic path keeps it all feeling a little bit adventurous. It’s unlike any walk we’ve done in England and it will definitely have me on the look out for anything similar!
As the track follows the river, you’ll also encounter long stretches of flat easy path, so it’s by no means all slippery rock.
It’s generally a very relaxing walk, with only certain sections requiring more care.
Traversing the mysterious world of Lydford Gorge
After 1.2km (from the car park) you’ll come to some wooden stairs and a series of especially pretty cascades. They flow through a very narrow part of the gorge and it makes for some dramatic scenery.
You’ll then pass through a small hole in the cliffs, which kids will love, before heading up to one of my favourite parts of the walk - where a series of rudimentary steps hug the cliff wall right beside the water.
I love that rather than creating a wide path, the track feels like it’s part of the gorge, which really changes the atmosphere.
From this point you have just 500m left in the narrow part of the gorge before you emerge to a wider part of the river (2km from the car park).
I really didn’t want to leave the gorge and would happily have carried on for miles!
Sadly after 200m you’ll come to a small bridge and cross it to start making your way back up to the car park.
Completing the circuit
Just 100m beyond the bridge you head right at the junction, towards the car park. From here you could also head left towards the Devil’s Cauldron when it re-opens (the viewing platform is currently being repaired).
Heading towards the car park, there are a few staircases to climb before the path flattens and takes you through some nice shady woodland.
At the 3km mark the path begins to undulate and continues this way for the rest of the walk. There is one short (100m) section which is a bit steeper, but overall the rise and fall of the trail is quite gradual.
After just under 4km you’ll reach the main path you came in on and head left back to the car park, which is just 100m away.
Overall this walk is easily one of the best in Dartmoor. In fact, it would be my number one pick, if it weren’t for the ethereal beauty of the rare ancient forest at Wistman’s Wood.
If you only have time for a couple of walks in the area, make it these two!
The best time to visit Lydford Gorge
If you want to see Whitelady Falls at her best you’ll want to come after a period of rain, or at least not during a long dry spell. Rain will make the gorge walk more slippery, but to be honest, it’s the kind of walk that has some slippery sections anyway, so I wouldn’t let this put you off.
Whitelady Falls can get busy, so if you are planning to go during peak periods (weekends in summer/school holidays), then you’ll probably want to come early or later in the day.
However, as the trail beyond the waterfall empties out significantly (we visited in the summer holidays and saw just one family), I wouldn’t be overly worried about timing.
If you’re keen on photography, then a cloudy day is best in the gorge. We aimed for a cloudy day, which in a rare turn of events actually turned out to be sunny (it’s not often this way round in Dartmoor!) and we found getting good photos a challenge due to the uneven light.
Sun in the gorge creates some harsh shadows and lots of dappled light. Personally, I prefer even light and also find that a gorge like this benefits from a slightly dark moody day, it all adds to the mysterious vibe!
Parking and entry fee for Lydford Gorge
Lydford Gorge is run by the National Trust and there is an entry fee if you’re not a member. That’s currently £8 for adults and £4 for children. I don’t love paying for walks, but this one is well worth it - more so if you do the whole walk, as the section to Whitelady Falls is very short.
There are two car parks for Lydford Gorge, the one for the circular one mentioned above is at at the National Trust Tearooms, postcode EX20 4BH.
There is also one a little further down the road, for the Devil’s Cauldron, but until it reopens, there’s no point using that car park.
Lydford Gorge is located just under 20 minutes drive from Okehampton, 25 minutes from Tavistock and 50 minutes from Widecombe in the Moor.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.
