Ascent/Descent:
584m
Net
Walking Time: ca. 5 hours
Toughness:
6 out
of 10
Take
the 08.24 Leeds train from Carlisle, arrives Kirkby Stephen at 09.19 (an Off-Peak service,
Senior Railcards are valid).
Return
trains: 15.03,
17.04, 18.33 and 20.02 (55 minutes journey time).
This
is relatively short excursion up to a magnificent viewpoint at the top of
Hartley Fell, overlooking the North Pennines and the Upper Eden Valley, also
with views across to the Howgill Fells and the Lake District, despite only
reaching the modest height of 660m above sea level. The top is graced by nine
enigmatic differently shaped cairns up to four metres high, the Nine Standards.
They are at least 500 years old and believed to be markers of the historic
boundary between Westmorland and the North Riding of Yorkshire.
En route you experience an exciting stretch of the Eden River, where the water
noisily tumbles over exposed rock slabs, down rock faces and a tight gorge,
where water and gravel have created holes, cup-shaped incisions and mini-gorges
in the river bed. Further along, you follow a narrow woodland path along the
rushing Ladthwaite Beck, which speeds down a chute at the bottom of a high rock
face and down a waterfall.
The route then joins the Coast to Coast Walk and heads to the top along a good
track. The descent leads through some upland peat bog (on a decent path) before
entering limestone country with shake holes and swallow holes and follows dry
paths around the stunning Dukerdale and around or over Tailbridge Hill.
The
final descent down Nateby Common provides for fine views across a patchwork of
pastures to heathery commons and into the Eden Valley, before passing a tea
stop in Nateby, about 30 minutes before the end.
An
Alternative Descent leads through Kirkby Stephen town, cutting out Dukerdale
and Nateby Common
Walk
Options:
Outbound
and return route are never far away from each other, so the middle bit of
the route can be cut quite easily using straight forward rights of way, for
example either of the two south westerly footpaths from Ladthwaite Farm or the
south easterly bridleway from halfway up the ascent of Hartley Fell, from Faraday
Gill across to Rollinson Gill.
The most direct descent from the Standards is achieved by initially
turning back down the route of the ascent and then picking up either the
alternative descent through Kirkby Stephen (see below) or reversing all of the
main ascent route from the station.
An alternative descent off Hartley Fell part-reverses the ascent route
and follows lanes and paths into Kirkby Stephen for its tea options: 20.1
km/12.5 mi with 611m ascent/descent, 6/10 rating.
This last route can be used for another obvious shortcut from where
outbound and return first meet, at the top of the tarmac lane north of
Ladthwaite Farm.
On the Main Walk, the descent through Nateby Common can be varied by
going over the top of Tailbridge Hill, an excellent viewpoint, rather than
skirting around its flank.
Lunch:
Picnic.
Tea:
The Black Bull at Nateby (open and food served to
14.00 and from 17.00), located 2.3 km from the end of the walk.
Plenty of options in
Kirkby Stephen on the Alternative Descent (adds 2.0 km), see the pdf
for details.
1 comment:
In light of the weather forecast for the area, including the tops, all remaining walkers went on the other walk for the day.
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