Yarlside & The Calf

Yarlside & The Calf

To the heart of the Howgills 

12 Miles

Several years ago we had reached The Calf, the highest point in the Howgill Fells at 676 metres, from Sedbergh. Today, though, I wanted to reach it from the northern side of the Howgills taking in Bowderdale, Yarlside and the Andy Goldsworthy sheepfold and cairn above Cautley Spout. The weather was set fair, cold but fine, with a forecast that suggested better weather later in the day.

Having parked at Bowderdale I set off up the bridleway which goes the full length of Bowderdale, and indeed to The Calf. My route was to cross the beck where Hazel Gill joins it and ascend the ridge of Yarlside. It was three miles to my turning point but Bowderdale, without having the wow factor of the Lakes, does have a quiet solitude which is tranquil and calming.

Yarlside from Bowderdale

Yarlside, my first target, was straight ahead and having crossed the beck and taken a compass bearing, headed straight for the top! After a steady pull which afforded good views of Randygill Top and Kensgriff I reached the cairn.

Yarlside summit cairn

Views could be had of Wild Boar Fell, Swarth Fell and Baugh Fell and in the distance the Three Peaks. Also evident was the onward route to The Calf. It was cold at the top (638 metres) so I moved down to a col and descended to a sheltered coffee stop overlooking Cautley Crag and Spout.

Cautley Crag & Spout

I made a steep descent back to Bowderdale Beck, crossing over and climbimg above Cautley Crag, into Red Gill. The views down Cautley Spout were spectacular in the improving weather. A thin track took me to the next objective, the Andy Goldsworthy washfold with built in cairn. This large sheepfold is only accessible on foot but well worth the effort as it is a wonderful example of the genre. There were even sheep grazing by it!

Andy Goldsworthy sheepfold & cairn

My route from the fold was clear, straight up to Bram Rigg Top, which has the main route from Sedbergh to The Calf running across it. On reaching this track I turned in a northerly direction and reached the trig point on The Calf’s summit. There were excellent all round views of the Lakeland fells in the west this time, along with the Lune Valley. This was the lunch spot but it was a brief one as the wind was bitterly cold. 

The Calf trig point

My return route was a ridge walk above Bowderdale in the east and Langdale in the west.

Although the path was very clear, it was wet and slippery in many places, showing the extent of the rainfall in the summer. The views over to Yarlside, Randygill Top and Green Bell were outstanding with the sun fully out now, and my earlier climb of Yarlside obvious to see. 

Yarlside ridge

The roller-coaster route went up and down  Hazelgill Knott and West Fell, which afforded excellent views back to Cobbles and The Calf.

View to Cobbles & The Calf

 I soon reached the wall from where I had set off down Bowderdale and retraced my steps to the car.

The 12 mile walk (2500 feet of ascent) showed the best aspects of the Howgill Fells. In good weather it is easy to make progress and get to know the lie of the land. The views from the summits are excellent.  The access land arrangements mean that the walker can go virtually anywhere without too much difficulty and the peaceful solitude of quiet walking is blissful! A return to another part of this quiet area will be soon!

 

Carling Gill

Carling Gill

A previously aborted walk up Carling Gill, in the west Howgill Fells, some five years ago, meant that a return would be made at some point. The added bonus of climbing Fell Head, a target Yorkshire 600 metre peak, made the trek even more inviting.  A bright, crisp and frosty morning was perfect for the occasion. 

The path up the gill from Carlingill Bridge was obvious at first, though the frost had frozen the tops of the wet patches and numerous puddles making progress treacherous. The beck was crossed just before Weasel Gill entered from the left and the path stayed on this side of Carling Gill for much of the way. There was a constant sound of water but not much else all the way up this quiet and not very well-known part of the Howgills. Some wild fell ponies watched my progress towards the impressive Black Force gouged out of the opposite hillside.

Black Force

From here on the gill narrowed and I had to criss-cross over it to find the best way up. After heavy rain this could be tricky I felt, but today the going was good. Before long I reached the appropriately named Water Slide and then The Spout, where the beck tumbled down a sharp drop of rock before descending the way I had come.

The Spout

It was not obvious where the path went here but having read other accounts I knew it was on the left of The Spout, a short scramble and climb. Duly achieved, with superb views above The Spout, I continued until I reached the open space of Blakethwaite Bottom. It was quite a contrast from the confined space of the gill.

Up to this point I had seen only two other walkers in the distance but now there were fell runners in all directions! They must have been involved in a competition or were training for one. I aimed for the col between Docker Knott and Over Sale traversing the hillside diagonally from Blakethwaite Bottom. At the top a good and obvious path took me all the way to Fell Head, climbing Wind Scarth in the process. The views all round were excellent with The Calf obvious in one direction and The Lakes in another.

Fell Head cairn

After a brief stop at the cairn on Fell Head, I moved on down to a more sheltered spot where I had a welcome coffee and lunch. The wind was cold but here in sun and out of the worst of the wind, it was pleasant with a panorama of the Lune valley to my left and the Lakeland fells to my right. The motorway and train line snaked through the landscape below me but I was alone, even the fell runners were not on this part of the fell!

M6 corridor from Linghaw

My route back was clear to see, straight down an obvious track over Linghaw and Gibbet Hill to the car which I could see glistening in the distance. The descent was steep in places but the views outstanding in the sunshine. I passed more fell ponies and sheep before reaching the minor Fairmile Road and returned to the car.

Carlingill Bridge

Although I had only covered 5.3 miles, I had climbed 2000 feet and finally conquered Carling Gill!

Green Bell & Randygill Top

Green Bell & Randygill Top

6.6 miles

 As the walking day was to start late and the forecast was for very good visibility, we thought we'd 'bag' another couple of Yorkshire 600s in the Howgills. They appear as rounded hills on the skyline, as opposed to the jagged, craggy silhouettes of the Lakeland Fells. They almost seem neglected, as the long distance footpaths of the 'Coast to Coast' and the 'Dalesway' eschews them. Sedburgh, a stoppover point on the 'Dalesway', provides a gateway for the Southern Howgills should long distance walkers wish to be lured away from their main objective. To the west, the M6 carries the walker to the lakes. I wonder if they realise what a jewel they are missing out on.

Path up Pinksey

We parked to the side of a minor road between Newbiggin-on-Lune and Weasdale. We took a bearing from the road at a fingerpost, as although a footpath was signed, there was no evidence on the ground up Pinksey. It was somewhat soggy underfoot. We paced and timed our progress, eventually linking up with a less than convincing track further uphill. Two figures were ahead of us on the skyline.

Howgill ponies

Much to our surprise, we were greeted by two friendly Howgill ponies. Sadly, we had nothing to offer them, but they seemed happy with their lot munching on the hillside grass. Our route took us below the highest point on Stwarth, where we had our first proper view of the first objective.

Towards Green Bell

Heading due south, we could see a clearly defined path through the rough grassland. Typically, the trig point of Green Bell couldn't be seen until we had virtually reached it. Perhaps the olympic spirit had subconsciously got to AB, but uncharacteristically there was a raising of the arms in triumph as the summit was 'bagged.' Our lunchtime spot gave us great views of other Howgill tops. 

Green Bell trig point

We headed off south-east along a clear way, quickly losing height before the gentle climb up to the cairn on Randygill Top.

Randygill Top cairn

A couple of photos and we headed off down to Leathgill Bridge - a grassy col linking Randygill Top with Hooksey. From here we had a good view of Leath Gill as it joined Bowderdale. It was only a short pull up onto the highest point on Hooksey, taking a path which followed the centre of the broad ridge. Descending all the time, we reached a corner in a stone wall. (The edge of access land) It was a little soggy in places as we followed the wall boundary through a metal farm gate until we came to a minor road at Cow Bank.

Path up Hooksey taken from Randygill Top

From enclosed fields, we could hear the buzz of a tractor collecting up rolls of hay. As we headed along the road through the tiny hamlet of Weasdale, our presence was acknowledged through an open farmhouse door as friends stood chatting. 

We had passed only one other walker.
The fells had been ours for the day - so lucky.

Yorkshire 600s

Where to go?

The Howgills

What a fabulous day for walking! 

We checked out the Mountain Weather Information Service website yesterday evening and early this morning. All was looking favourable - no rain, cloud-free summits, negligible wind and good visibility.

Several options were discussed, but as we were unable to start walking until late morning, something close at hand was favoured. Our walk today would enable us to 'bag' a couple of Yorkshire 600s.

Away from the madding crowds of the Lake District and the honeypot villages of the Dales, The Howgills seemed an obvious choice. Now and again it's wonderful to find a walk when the only people about are those that are silhouetted on the horizon. A walk that when you stop, only a far off bleat can be heard. A lunchtime spot that gives 360 degrees of fabulous fellside views... the Lakeland crags, the Northern Pennines, The Dales, as well as The Howgills.

Looking beyond the A685, key features from Wainwright's Coast to Coast could be recognised...the distinctive white church at Orton, Sunbiggin Tarn and Smardale Fell (It's viaduct could also be seen). Nobody knows how many would be walking that route today as they made their way to Kirkby Stephen.

A solitary figure passed us as we 'bagged' our first objective of the walk and drank in the views. 

For a get-away-from-the-world walk, The Howgills could not have been bettered today.