The Pennington Hotel
Hotel · Ravenglass — En-suite rooms and dining in a coastal village near Muncaster Castle.
ROMAN HERITAGE · WESTERN LAKE DISTRICT
A walk from Ravenglass brings you to the striking remains of a Roman bath house, also known as Walls Castle. Its surviving walls offer a glimpse of the community that once lived around the nearby fort.
Use this guide to plan the walk, understand what you can see and combine your visit with more of the western Lake District.
Check English Heritage’s latest visitor information before travelling. Smoking, vaping, barbecues and naked flames are not permitted.
The walls rise to almost four metres (13 feet), making these some of the tallest surviving Roman remains in northern Britain. Look at the doorways, window openings and substantial masonry from the permitted viewing areas.
The bath house stood outside the fort and formed part of a much larger settlement. Baths were places to wash and socialise, with rooms at different temperatures. Excavations found evidence of underfloor heating, known as a hypocaust.
Little of the fort itself is visible beyond traces of its defences. The bath house is the main standing Roman building to see here.
English Heritage’s history guide explains the layout and links to an audio guide. Its historical descriptions should be read alongside the current exterior-only access notice.
A Roman outpost was established here during Hadrian’s reign and developed into a larger fort, occupied by around 500 soldiers. Its position at the mouth of the Esk connected coastal travel with routes into the Lake District.
The fort has traditionally been called Glannoventa, although English Heritage now suggests Itunocelum as a possible Roman name. The garrison remained until about AD 400.
The surviving baths became known as Walls Castle. Their Roman origins were recognised in the nineteenth century, and they were identified as a bath house in 1919.
Source: English Heritage: history of Ravenglass Roman Bath House.
English Heritage places the bath house about half a mile south-east of Ravenglass station. Follow the signposted approach from the village; the final approach uses a private road. Arrive on foot rather than trying to drive to the ruins.
The National Park’s Walls Drive route guide provides a map and alternative approaches from the station and village car parks. Some sections share the road with vehicles and have no pavement, so use the detailed directions when choosing your route.
For rail travel, plan your journey to Ravenglass station and check current services before setting out. Public transport information can change, so avoid relying on old bus numbers.
The National Park grades its main Walls Drive route “for all”, but the approaches differ in surface and gradient. Check the route description for your wheelchair, scooter or pushchair needs. Allow for uneven ground near the monument and wear suitable footwear.
Use the village and station facilities as your planning points; check their opening arrangements if your visit depends on them.
Official site directions · Walls Drive route and access details
Make the bath house part of a day around Ravenglass, or explore more of the area’s heritage. Our Ambleside Roman Fort guide offers another look at Roman life in the Lake District.
Browse Lake District attractions for more days out and places to stay if you are planning a longer break. The existing hotel and attraction selections below provide further starting points.
Hotel · Ravenglass — En-suite rooms and dining in a coastal village near Muncaster Castle.
Inn / pub with rooms · Coniston — Rooms, dining and a setting close to Coniston Water.
Self-catering · Ravenglass / Muncaster — Private rooms with shared kitchen, dining and lounge spaces at Muncaster Castle.
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ESKDALE • ROMAN HISTORY IN THE FELLS Hardknott Roman Fort Explore the remains of a Roman fort high above Eskdale, where low stone walls sit
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