Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen — How to Reach the Deserted Lakeside Estate on Foot via Ettam Forest

The Deserted Lakeside Estate sits on the far west side of Lake Norgan, and there is no shortcut across the water to it. The lake is filled with the Brine, so the only way in is a land loop that leaves the Norgandian Settlement, drops to the shore, climbs a cliff, and swings through Ettam Forest to the estate. The walk is one continuous route, and stepping into the Brine sends you back to nearby dry land.

Quick answer: Leave the settlement north over the Valgr Ravine bridge, follow the shore north-west to the Hook Tether Post cliff, climb the rope, then head north into Ettam Forest and curve west and south to the estate.

The way round Lake Norgan by day: down from the Norgandian Settlement to the shore, up the rope at the tether post, north through the ruined arch into Ettam Forest, then west past the campfire ring to the ruined walls and ballistas of the Deserted Lakeside Estate.

Why you cannot swim across Lake Norgan

Enter from the shore or drop in off a cliff, and a red whirl pulls the Arisen below before depositing them on nearby dry ground. The bridge submerged at the shore cannot be crossed on foot.

What you need before you leave the settlement

The one hard requirement is a way up the shoreline cliff. A rope must hang at the Hook Tether Post on top of it. If a rope is already there, you can climb straight away, and a rope tied there on an earlier visit can still be hanging on a later day.

When the post has no rope attached, use a Climbing Hook to toss a line onto it. Aymond sells one at the forge run by Hal in the Norgandian Settlement for 5,000 G. Get it before setting off; otherwise, the cliff face will leave you stranded.

The route from the Norgandian Settlement to the estate

Take the settlement’s north gate out of the Norgandian Settlement, then cross the stone bridge with its paved surface. The words “Valgr Ravine” appear while you are on the bridge. Stay centered, since either side has an open drop.

The Arisen walking north across the paved stone bridge out of the Norgandian Settlement with the area name Valgr Ravine on screen — The paved bridge out of the settlement, where “Valgr Ravine” shows.

Descend the ravine trail westward toward the lakeshore. Jump from a rocky ledge along the descent using Space. The estate’s towers can be seen across the water from this point.

The Arisen beside a rock step on the ravine trail with the estate's towers far off in the haze across Lake Norgan — The rock step on the way down, with the estate’s towers far across the lake.

Walk along the shore past the beached boats, heading north-west and then north, to the foot of the cliff that carries the Hook Tether Post on its top. The rope hangs down the rock face a few metres to one side.

The Arisen at the foot of the shoreline cliff with the rope ladder hanging down the rock face to the left — The cliff foot by the lake, with the rope hanging to one side.

At the rope, hold F to activate “Ascend”, then keep W held to climb roughly 7 m. A snowy ledge at the summit holds the carved tether post.

The Arisen standing beside the carved red tether post on the snowy cliff top with ruined stone walls behind — The carved tether post on the snowy cliff top.

Leave the post by traveling north. Going west puts you at a cliff edge that falls directly into the lake and the Brine.

Head north from the post, passing through an opening in the ruined stone wall and then under a ruined stone arch. Beyond it, you reach old paving.

The Arisen walking toward a ruined stone arch in a broken wall on a snowy trail — The ruined stone arch north of the tether post.

Continue uphill on the paved route toward the north-north-west. Pass a timber watchtower perched among rocks, then take the snowy trail beneath the rock wall.

The Arisen running up an old paved path through autumn trees with a wooden watchtower on the rocks ahead — The paved path climbing past the wooden watchtower.

The area name “Ettam Forest” shows, along with the “Enemy Encounter” banner reading “Encountered: Beorcan and others.” Beorcans and wolves roam this snow slope.

The Arisen on a sunlit snow slope with the area name Ettam Forest and the Enemy Encounter banner naming Beorcan and others — “Ettam Forest” and the “Enemy Encounter” banner.

Turn west across the snow slope to a campfire ring, a circle of stones in the snow with a bundled supply pack beside a stump. The lake sits right below it to the south, down a cliff, so do not walk off the south edge.

The Arisen with a lit lantern at night beside a ring of stones in the snow and a bundled supply pack by a stump — The campfire ring in Ettam Forest, seen at night by lantern light.

Leave the ring and travel west through the snowy woods. Then curve south, slightly west, as you descend the slope toward the lake.

The Arisen walking through a snowy wood past a large boulder, heading down toward the lake — The snowy wood west of the campfire ring.

By the shore, a rock wall blocks the direct route, so follow the ruins east beside the water. This is where “Deserted Lakeside Estate” appears as the area name. Ruined stone walls rise from the snow, and a ballista points toward the lake from a circular paved platform.

The Arisen in front of a crumbling snow-covered stone wall among the ruins of the Deserted Lakeside Estate — Ruined walls of the Deserted Lakeside Estate by the shore.

Mistakes that send you back to the shore

Wading or swimming out onto the lake, which the Brine undoes.
Taking the route west from the tether post atop the cliff leads over a drop into the lake.
The campfire ring’s southern side ends at a cliff; stepping off there means going over the edge.
A bridge cannot provide a way across the lake: the one by the shore is sunken beneath the Brine.

Keep to the land loop and the climb at the Hook Tether Post, and the estate is reachable in a single stretch from the settlement gate.