Furness Fells, South Lakes District Tour
Saturday 20th June 2020
Drove 80 miles 1.5 hours, 08.00 M6 junction 18 to junction 36 for A590 / A591 South Lakes then 10 miles 9 miles to Kendal, 09.30. 30 minutes. From Miller Bridge on A6 to Lowther Street and same direction heading west on All Hallows Lane that becomes Beast Bank then Greenside and finally Underbarrow Road to Scout Scar UKD 141. 1.9km at 215 metres. down to ‘T’ junction at Thomas Lane, Underbarrow. Continue on, Kendal to Lakeside via Crosthwaite, Tarnside, Bowland Bridge, NE 3.4km to Birch Fell, Strawberry Bank to Lakeside then return up Birch Fell UKD 142. 1.9km 241metres, return to Kendal 18 miles. 3 hours. Drive A591 past Levens then A590 Grangeover-Sands road then head for Lakeside / Newby Bridge to High Newton, park. 1 hour. Descend Tow Top UKD 144. Then return up 2.2km, 158 metres. 1 hour. Drive A590 13 miles to Ulverston. 30 minutes, Park. At roundabout head north on Market Street then Kirkby in Furness road 5km to Osmotherley Moor UKD 143. Down to Kirkby in Furness road 2.4km then return to top and back to Ulverston. 3 hours. An hour’s stroll in Ulverston to buy food and cider then drove B5281 from Ulverston A5092 north to Cawthwaite then A5092 to Grizebeck to the west then north west on A595 to Broughton in Furness and parked in Duddon Bridge, 20.45 15 miles – 45 minutes Total 12.25 hours. Park overnight at Duddon Bridge at foot of Corney Fell
Sunday 21st June 2020
Cycle 08.00 Stoneside Hill (Corney Fell) UKD 140, 399 metres direction SE 6.5km to top, down 8.7km NW.to Kirkby in Furness and return, total 15.2 km each way or 10 miles x 2 = 20 miles so estimate 3 hours cycling, actual was 08.30 to 12.15 – 3.75 hours. On return take a left after Beckfoot to Ulpha (4 miles from Beckfoot – estimate 45 minutes) - for Birker Fell. It was raining so turned back for Duddon Bridge but rain went off so back again and parked up by the quaint St John’s church and the old stone bridge then through Ulpha and began the climb. The weather was now perfect as it was cooler after the rain and stayed dry the rest of the day. Birker Fell UKD 139. South side 5.4km to top 262 metres then 4.4km north side to Eskdale. Visited the closed Ravenglass – Eskdale railway terminus and Boot village nearby, well worth a visit but all closed due to Covid19. Saw the working mill wheel and had a wander around the small village then on to the foot of Hard Knott Pass but will leave that climb for a future time. Total 10km – 6 miles and return, total 16 miles so estimate 3 hours and return to car, 45 minutes. Was planning to continue on to Whitehaven but will leave that until a visit later in the month. Drove from Ulpha back to the main road A595, skirting Broughton in Furness then to Grizebrook, to the left on A5092 to Penny Bridge and to the left at the junction on A590 through Haverthwaite and the closed railway due to the pandemic. From here on the Newtons by-pass to just before Levens and took the A5074 Bowness road to the first turn to the right, Savinhill Road that led long the Lyth Valley to Brigsteer village and parked up for the last climb of the day. 1 hour In place of Whitehaven cycled Brigsteer Brow near Kendal and home from there. A short but steep climb up though the village then under trees to an open clearing with a views across to Grange over Sands area and the Lyth Valley in the foreground. 1 hour From here it took one hour from junction 36 on motorway M6 to junction 18 and home. Total 10.5 hours