Like most FromSoftware games, Elden Ring has some very hard to reach places. You know the type; you almost seem to come across them by accident after getting terribly lost while exploring somewhere else. Well, the Abyssal Woods is a lot like that, but I can show you how to get there.
How to get to the Abyssal Woods in Elden Ring
Our journey will begin at the Shadow Keep, so if you have not made it there yet, then you need to go through Castle Ensis and out the other side, then head north to the imposing structure ahead.
We will begin our journey at the Main Gate Plaza Site of Grace. There, turn left and then go in the door. You will see two enemies you need to kill, and another one is walking down the stairs to your right. Take them all out, then go up the stairs and there will be a guy waiting to ambush you in a small alcove.
Take him out and continue onward, making sure to kill any enemies that you meet along the way. You will need to keep climbing up the stairs until you come to a fancy dining room.
There is a Black Knight with a bow at the far end and a heavily armored enemy with a club and shield just inside the door on your left. Take them both out and make your way through the far side, all the way to the end and out the door beside the fireplace.
Keep moving forward until you come to a section with some burning boats. There are plenty of small enemies around here that are surprisingly violent, so keep moving forward, down the line of burning boats, but be careful.
You will eventually reach a ladder on the left side. Take that down to the platform near the water below and then walk in behind the waterfall. Here, you will find a secret storeroom that contains one of the many artist’s paintings in the game.
On the wall on the far side of the room, you will also find a secret door. Just smack it with your weapon to have it appear. Follow that short tunnel to come to a coffin and then get inside it to continue your journey. Doing this will bring you to the Castle Watering Hole Site of Grace in the lower part of Scadu Altus.
On the left, you will see a ruined building, while on the right is a gorge. Hop on Torrent and make your way in that direction, then grab the shrine on the left side of the gorge. You will want to keep to the left until you reach some of the sickly fly-guy enemies, then hop over to the other side.
Move down just a little bit on that side, and you will find another Site of Grace below you called Recluse’s River Downstream. Now, it’s time for some headstone jumping.
Look out over the gorge, and you will see plenty of headstones. You will need to platform down to the ground below. Use Torrent to do this, as the double jump is a lifesaver. Just be patient and take your time because when you get to the bottom, you have to do it all again.
Alternative route: If you keep following the cliff down along the right, you will eventually get to the same place, but there are some nasty enemies on this route that can be avoided by taking the headstones.
When you get to the bottom, look down the stream, and you will see another line of headstones on the left side of the gorge. This is where you need to go next, and once again, jump all the way down to the bottom.
When you get to the bottom, travel left along the cliff face you just climbed down and make your way to the burning torches. Here, you will find a door to open, and you can head inside to find a dungeon. Do this quickly, as the foggy area you have found yourself in is swarming with numerous tiny men who wish to kill you.
Head for the elevator in the corridor you are now in and make your way down for the next leg of the journey. That’s right! We still have quite a way to go, folks.
The Darklight Catacombs
The Darklight Catacombs are dangerous but pretty straightforward. The only real direction is forward and down, as you will end up taking three very long elevators over the course of the dungeon. I do plan to do a full guide for this dungeon, as I feel people might struggle with it a little, but it’s honestly just a skill and level check rather than something that is confusing or involving puzzles the way some of them are.
Once you reach the end, you need to be careful when you walk out the door because Jori, the Elder Inquisitor, is waiting for you. This guy spams magic and summons a bunch of other enemies to help him. I found the best tactic was to swarm him and beat him down quickly because he could not take too much damage. He does hit like a truck with his large attacks, and he spams the smaller ones like crazy. He can also teleport short distances, but it’s enough to buy space and try to slap you down with magic.
After that, grab the light of grace and make your way out into the new area, which will be the Abyssal Forest. This is an interesting area because you cannot use Torrent, who is too scared to appear here. You will also need to engage in some stealth and get very used to parrying enemies, as it is the only way to open the freaking lantern-headed enemies that haunt these woods to attack. And that’s it. You are now in the Abyssal Wood, so try to enjoy your time in this hellish forest.
