Explore the western lakes with Mountain Goat.
Ravenglass is a coastal hamlet located in the Western Lake District with lots of history. Back in the 2nd century it was occupied by the Romans for over 300 years and around 500 soldiers were based here. The village was very much a regional supply point for the North Western Roman Britain due to the road leading from Ravenglass over the Hardknott pass to the Roman Forts at Hardknott and also Ambleside.
Due to Ravenglass being on the coast it was an important naval base for the Romans as you can imagine. The naval base was called Glannaventa, although little remains of this today. The are few Roman remains with the exception of Walls Castle which was a Roman bath house, this is one of the largest remaining roman structures in the country. The bath house lays approximately 1 mile from Muncaster Castle, which is believed to have been built partly with the remains of a Roman Fort that was located near Ravenglass.
Muncaster Castle is located on the outskirts of Ravenglass and is a key part of the regions history. The Pennington family have had Muncaster Castle since 1026 and it remains in their family today. There’s lots to do and explore in the castle and it’s grounds, including a hawk and owl centre which have daily displays during the full season. For more information on the castle head over to their website here. It's a spectacular place to visit which is why we include it in our High Adventure tour day tour from Windermere and Keswick.
Moving on, it wouldn’t be right to talk about Ravenglass without mentioning the fantastic Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
The railway is one of the oldest and longest narrow gauge railways in the country, it is known locally as the La’al Ratty which means little railways in olde Cumbrian dialect. The original railway opened back in April 1913 where the steam trains would transport passengers from Ravenglass to Dalegarth, usually for work. Today you can still enjoy this 40 minute train ride!
Ravenglass is certainly a destination which we would recommend visiting, however it is quite tricky to get to via public transport. We do however enjoy a ride on the narrow gauge railway and visit Muncaster Castle on our High Adventure tour from Ambleside, Windermere, Bowness and Keswick. If you do have a car then Ravenglass is also accessible by driving over Hardknott and Wrynose Mountain Passes, two of the steepest passes in the country. The drive over the passes is absolutely breathtaking and you will experience some of the best views the Lake District has to offer, especially on a clear day.
The Western Lake District is overflowing with natural beauty and we are sure that you will love it just as much as we do! If you would like a bespoke tour then please don't hesitate to get in touch with us here.