Banishead Quarry & Waterfall (Including Parking & GPX File)

Please remember that all the natural swim spots in the Lake District are dangerous, wild places. Visit them at your own risk. Please also remember to respect these places and others using them, and take any rubbish away with you and leave no trace.

Banishead Quarry is by far one of my favourite spots to spend a summers day! It’s a very popular place so does get busy but it’s still very much worth the trip. With a huge waterfall, cliff jumps, a tree swing, caves & is itself a massive, beautiful quarry full of water.

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Where to park for Banishead Quarry waterfall?

At the time of writing this, the best place to park when hiking to Banishead Quarry is the road end below on the A593. There is very limited parking here though so you will need to be quick. There is also more parking at Walna Scar carpark.

How to find Banishead Quarry?

Finding the quarry itself is really straightforward. All you need to do is follow the road in the photograph above. It winds its way through a few little cottages until it becomes a well maintained farm track.

Once you’re on the farm track simply follow it until you see the quarry on your left hand side. There are a number of ways down into the quarry. The main one leads down the into the quarry at the opposite corner to the waterfall. From here you’ll also find the rope swing (picture below).

The bottom of the falls can be accessed by descending the scree to the right as viewed in the photo below.

Laurie Crayston