Walks in The Yorkshire Dales - Swaledale - Wensleydale

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• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
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WALK 1
Sedbergh and the River Rawthey

Start                  Sedbergh (SD657921)
Distance            3.9 miles (6.3km)
Height gain       105m (344ft)
Time                  1hr30
OS map              Explorer OL19 – Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley
Parking              Car parks in Sedbergh (pay and display)
Terrain               Field paths and trods
Refreshments    Pubs and cafés in Sedbergh
Toilets                Beside car parks
 

Above Sedbergh, the narrowing valley of the River Rawthey becomes squeezed between the soaring hills of the Howgills and the lower slopes of Rise Hill and Baugh Fell. An undemanding ramble, this begins along the lower slopes past the castle that oversaw the early development of the town, and returns beside the river by the ruin of another lookout, but dating only from the 19th century. For a longer day, the route can be linked with Walk 2 to include an exploration of the lower part of the valley.

From the junction by St Andrew’s Church, walk along Main Street through the centre of town. Meeting Long Lane at the end, go left and immediately left again, before Westwood Books, up a track signed to Castle Haw. Breaking from the trees above the town, the mound of Castle Haw comes into view across to the right. The access is over a stile as the track shortly curves right.

Castle Haw

An early Norman stronghold dating from the end of the 11th century, the castle held a commanding position above the entrance to the Rawthey valley. Exploiting a small outcrop, the steep-sided motte, on which stood a defensible wooden tower, still dominates the site, and would have been further defended by a deep ditch and wooden palisade. The living area lay within the bailey, the lower apron projecting to the west, and contained the lord’s hall as well as quarters for his retainers and dependants. With the consolidation of Norman rule it became redundant, and was never rebuilt in stone as were those further to the north. It was, however, brought back into use during the last war as a lookout for the Royal Observer Corps.

Return to the track and continue to Castle Haw Farm, swinging left in front of the barns and then right across a stream past Howgills Bunk Barn. Through a gate, walk ahead across the fields beyond, contouring above the bottom fence to an isolated barn. Keep going, later crossing a couple of ladder stiles to find the boundary now on your left.

Bounded by the abruptly rising slopes of the Howgills, the views are captivating. Ahead, the great rounded hump of Baugh Fell falls to the foot of Garsdale, while to the right, Frostrow Fells prelude the higher ground of Aye Gill Pike.

Reaching Ghyll Farm, exit to the right of the barns and follow its track away. At a fork, just beyond a cattle-grid, bear left into Stone Hill Farm, looking for a small white gate on the right into the cobbled yard fronting the house. Leave through a field gate at the bottom and walk left at the field edge past the barns. Over a footbridge, continue to the next farm, Hollin Hill.

Bear left past the farmhouse and through the yard to the fields beyond. Carry on across the hillside, over a stile and past the end of a truncated wall to find a stile just above a white house. Walk down to emerge beside it onto Buckbank Lane.

Turn right to Buckbank Farm and enter the yard. Go right between the barns and then left beside the silage store to the field. Follow the perimeter down and continue above the wooded ravine of the River Rawthey to meet the main road at Straight Bridge.

The way continues through a gap stile opposite the A684 at New Bridge. Over the Rawthey, turn through a kissing-gate and carry on downstream, emerging by another bridge at Millthrop. Cross back to find a gated stile, just beyond a drive.

Strike out above the mill, briefly rejoining the river to enter a small wood. Watch for the waymarked path swinging right between sunken walls, at the end of which, walk forward and take the right-most of the forking paths to a gate at the edge of the trees. Go left and carry on beyond the corner of the wood and the ruin of an octagonal tower.

Known as the Pepper Pot and dating from the end of the 19th century, the tower was a gazebo or summerhouse within the gardens of Akay House. The house was demolished just before the Second World War, but the tower, originally rising to two storeys, was left to crumble in its own good time. The folly became the scene of excitement when a cow wandered in, managing to reach the first floor, and an old photograph shows it gazing bemusedly from the window.

The path falls from the field to rejoin the river, running past one of Sedbergh School’s rugby pitches to a stile. To carry on with Walk 2, keep ahead up to the path around Birks House to come out on Birks Lane.

Otherwise, swing away from the river, heading upfield towards a barn. Emerging onto a track, follow it out to Busk Lane. Through a kissing-gate opposite, climb to another gate at the top of the bank and, crossing a path, continue beside the school cricket pitch. At the end go right, coming out onto Finkle Street beside St Andrew’s churchyard.

St Andrew’s Church, Sedbergh

Low and wide, St Andrew’s is typical of many Dales churches and seems completely at one with the surrounding countryside. Its most notable feature is the stained glass filling the eastern window, installed at the end of the 19th century by one of the town’s great benefactors, Mrs Upton-Cottrell-Dormer of Ingmire Hall. In 1906, she presented the town with Queen’s Gardens to commemorate Victoria’s long reign, but the window here was given in memory of her husband and parents. Depicting Jesus calling his first disciples, Simon Peter and Andrew, to be ‘fishers of men’, it was designed by Victor Milner, considered to be one of the finest craftsmen of his day, and made by Watsons of Baker Street in London.