So our break away comes to an end, and that's a shame for the obvious reasons, and for the fact that Kirkby Stephen has a mini walking festival coming up for the Jubilee Bank Holiday. We're not paying for any more days away though, and we pack up and express our gratitude to the owners of Manor Lodge before we head away. Just to make the end of the holiday that bit more depressing, the weather has taken a turn for the cold and foggy as we drive off down Mallerstang to the start point of my last walk of the week away, to Garsdale station where my parents can drop me off and I can assure them that they should have no trouble at all with filling 5 and a half hours with a ride out to Windermere so Mum can can get her obligatory visit to the Lakeland store.
Spring Jollies: Day Seven
Garsdale to Sedbergh. 10.3 miles
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| Garsdale Station |
In normal weather, Garsdale station feels supremely remote, in fog it feels like the last outpost at the End of the World, and I get a feeling for why so many walkers rate it as one of their favourite places. There's time to take it all in before the 10.21am train arrives, and I join up with the FOSCL group, with A&R leading again, and several people met on the first walk observing that I have 'decided to come back', when I have actually been along with some regularity. Set off after giving my folks the expected arrival time, and explain to the regulars that my parents won't be coming along because walking isn't their thing, and they're a little uncertain why it is mine these days, still, always good to see talkative and friendly types like S, I and those whose names I've never bothered to find out. The walk doesn't look like it should be challenging, as it follows the Clough River down the length of Garsdale (the dale, not the station), but the Dales will always have ways of making exercise for you as many of the footpaths climb up both sides of the valley to keep you away from the A684 wherever possible.
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| Meadow walking in Garsdale |
Cleave close to the railway for starters and then descend to the road between High Scale and Low Scale farms, the ascend the northern side to pass through the gardens of Knudmaning farm to meet Old road, and one thing strikes you, whilst Uredale/Mallerstang is almost devoid of habitation, Garsdale is comparatively teeming with it, there are many farms, in various states of activity and the field divisions are pretty small. If M were leading this walk, I'm sure he'd be able to provide some explanation as to why, Instead we get A&R's daughter and her dogs providing entertainment as we go. Back over the main road at Mill Bridge and past the farms in states of decay and revival on the south side, and thoroughly enjoy the meadows which feel unique to this part of the Dales, looking especially good as the fog lifts and sunshine comes through for a while.
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| Knoutberry Haw |
Next encounter with the main road shows up an ancient road sign, illustrating the distance to Hawes and Sedburgh, and I'll observe to anyone who'll listen that there's one of a similar fashion on the Elland road just on the edge of Morley, clearly these things are West Riding standard. We drift north of the main road again, and pass above Garsdale (the village, not the dale) which looks hardly worthy of the name though it does have a church, of sorts, and as we go S probes my growing fund of walking stories and talks of a love of musical theatre, which can only garner a response of "I'd happily never hear another soprano warble her way through 'I Could Have Danced All Night'!". Some poor navigation has us taking a wrong turn through the yard of Low House farm, and one of the farm walkers noisily objects, but once we backmarkers have gotten the attention of the leaders, they've mostly cleared the yard, so we're sent on our way admonished and wondering about the actual location of the path. Thence down to the riverside, as signs tell us to walk in single file across the meadow, and the view provides us the best part of the valley with Aye Gill Pike high to the south and Knoutberry Haw to the North, and after encountering self-herding sheep crossing the river, it's time to hit lunchtime.
The day takes a cool turn and the light fog is replaced by low cloud, so coats are donned again, and we get the feeling of cold weather following us down the riverside beyond New Bridge and then up the north side of the valley to a sad looking orchard and on towards Stephen's Farm and Hole House, a bit of a grim trudge to be honest. On the lane above Bents Wood, we spot what looks like an RTA aftermath up on the main road, and wonder why police appear to be guarding the viewpoint car park, and having descended to riverside, it's back up the hill again, to High Hawes farm, to peer in to open doors and say hello to the builders doing a restoration job. The vantage point up here does give us our first view of our destination, and a fresh perspective on the Howgills, seen many times and still not walked. Descend to Dovecote Gill, a nicely slippery little dell, and going around the farm at the other side, I actually have no idea where the path is supposed to be, and it seems a long detour to go around the farm, and then down to the side of the Clough River for one last stretch, hoping that the nearby herd of cattle won't be charging anywhere near us (what is it with the wildlife around here?)
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| The Howgills |
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| Clough River, near Millbank |
I love the section of river down by Millbank, as the exposed strata of rock stick out of the river bed and look like they are completely failing to guide the river, and at Garsdale bridge we find a mill and dwellings that make us feel like we're almost in Sedbergh, we're not of course, Banks Lane goes away from the town to cross the River Rawthey at Straight Bridge and then along one more riverbank. Chat with S along the way, and decide that she's my favourite walking companion so far, and look out at the profile of the Howgills, and the even steepness of the sides of Winder, Crook and Knott makes my legs feel weak just at the thought of walking up them. Join the road into town at Settlebeck bridge, and find the lay-by is full of Gypsy caravans, proper old fashioned ones, and it seems that they are out for the Appleby Horse fair, which is still a couple of weeks distant, but it at least explains why Travellers seem to be occupying so many verges and lay-bys around this part of the world.
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| Sedburgh |
Into Sedbergh then, 'England's Book Town' it claims, but I've no time to shop anywhere, it's 3.50pm and I've got to break from the party to see if my parents are waiting where I arranged to meet them. They are, bless them, and they have been good to me this week, driving me here and there and being patient enough to wait to pick me up too. Let's take stock, and hit the nearest teashop (the same one the FOSCL group are in, as it happens), then change boots and shirt, and let's go home!
1,000 Miles Cumulative Total: 185.8 miles
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