Walks

We have been busy preparing some descriptions of walks that can be given to visitors to the Cumbria Wildlife Trust Smardale visitor centre when it opens. In the meantime it would be really helpful if you could read these through and let us know if there are any mistakes - or perhaps you would like to suggest a walk of your own.

These walk guides are intended to be used in conjunction with the appropriate 1:25,000 Ordinance Survey map (OL 19) Some routes will take you into some high and remote areas so the usual hillwalking gear should be carried.

Circular Walk A from the Smardale End

A circular walk from the car park via the viaducts and back over Smardale Fell.

Starting from CWT Car Park at Smardale - nearest postcode CA17 4HG

Approximately 8 km or 5 miles.

Leave the car park past the cabins and along the gravelled track onto the wooden walkway and follow the signs to the reserve heading left (West) to the start of the Smardale section of the reserve on your left off Beck Lane.

There is an easy surface and flat walking to start with along the old railway line.

After about 500metres you pass under Smardale Viaduct that carries the Settle to Carlisle Railway. There are splendid displays of primroses here in the Spring.

Your next checkpoint is the Smardale Gill viaduct a further 1.3km along the track.

Cross over the viaduct and in a further couple of hundred metres you arrive at an impressive old quarry and lime kiln. In the summer months this is a good area to spot the rare Northern Brown Argus butterfly.

After another 200 metres an old stone bridge crosses the track. Pass under the bridge and then climb up the embankment to your left to stand on top of the bridge. You will now briefly follow the route of the Coast to Coast long distance footpath. The route now contours downhill in a SW direction heading for a humpbacked bridge that straddles the Scandal Beck. (On your OS map this is labelled “Smardale Bridge” but the locals know it as County Bridge – and important stop on an old drove road).

Climb steeply (East to start with and then NE) between parallel stone walls for a further 1.6 km on a cart track. At a dip in the terrain you will come across a finger post. Your route is left (North) towards Smardale and after a further Kilometre you join a tarmac road and pass under the Settle Carlisle railway to arrive back at your start point.

Circular Walk B from the Smardale End

From the Car Park via the Smardale Reserve and the viaducts – over Smardale Fell and down to Waitby Greenriggs Reserve walking back along the Link Section.

Starting from CWT Car Park at Smardale - nearest postcode CA17 4HG

Approx 16 k or 10 miles

Leave the car park past the cabins and along the gravelled track onto the wooden walkway and follow the signs to the reserve heading straight on and then left (West)to the start of the Smardale section of the reserve on your left off Beck Lane.

There is an easy surface and flat walking to start with along the old railway line.

After about 500metres you pass under Smardale Viaduct that carries the Settle to Carlisle Railway. There are splendid displays of primroses here in the Spring.

Your next checkpoint is the Smardale Gill viaduct a further 1.3km along the track.

Cross over the viaduct and in a further couple of hundred metres you arrive at an impressive old quarry and lime kiln. In the summer months this is a good area to spot the rare Northern Brown Argus butterfly.

After another 200 metres an old stone bridge crosses the track. Pass under the bridge and then climb up the embankment to your left to stand on top of the bridge. You will now briefly follow the route of the Coast to Coast long distance footpath. The route now contours downhill in a SW direction heading for a humpbacked bridge that straddles the Scandal Beck. (On your OS map this is labelled “Smardale Bridge” but the locals know it as County Bridge – and important stop on an old drove road).

Climb steeply (East to start with and then NE) between parallel stone walls for a further 1.6 km on a cart track. At a dip in the terrain you will come across a finger post. Carry on NE and then East along the route of the Coast to Coast climbing first up and then down to a gate after another 1.3k to a tarmac road. Turn right for a hundred metres and then go left down hill again on tarmac. Do not follow the finger post for the Coast to Coast which we are now leaving. Descend on tarmac for 1k to a road junction at which you turn Right in the direction of Kirkby Stephen.

In another 700m the road goes over an old railway bridge at which there is a stile on the right giving access to the orchid rich Waitby Greenriggs reserve.

This is an out and back section and you will have to retrace your steps eventually but it is well worth walking the 1km to the end of reserve and back again. Having regained the bridge cross the road to the other side and carry on along the old railway line in a Westerly direction (mostly). There are a couple of places where bridges are missing and you will need to descend and re-ascend to keep to the embankment. Just before you get back to the carpark there is a wonderfully atmospheric section through a stone cutting where interesting geology is revealed.

Circular Walk C from the Smardale End

Car Park via Crosby Garret and Bull Flats coming back via the Smardale Viaducts.

Starting from CWT Car Park at Smardale - nearest postcode CA17 4HG

Approx 8k or 5 miles.

Leave the car park past the cabins and along the gravelled track onto the wooden walkway. Continue to head NW on the tarmac road and ignore the signs to the reserve for now. Carry on down Beck Lane and cross the footbridge next to the ford over Scandal Beck. The road now becomes Tarn Lane and rises gradually leading you to the pretty village of Cosby Garret.

Turn left in Crosby Garret cross the Beck and head under the very imposing viaduct towards the open fell. Ignore the footpath to the right as you pass the last house in the settlement and carry on up the rough track.

After a couple of hundred metres the track splits into two. You take the smaller of the two tracks to the left. (The footpath designation not the bridleway) An old limekiln is visible on your left.

At the wall take the first of the two gates you come to (there is a stile immediately to the left of it.

Once in the field head diagonally right towards the obvious gap and stone stile.

You now pass through a succession of fields with many stiles and field as you traverse Bull Flats. This section might be awkward if you have a dog in tow. (In which case you might try the aforementioned Bridleway as an alternative ) The track trends South keeping high above Smardale Gill below you to the left.

There is no track to see on the ground and you should take a moment to try to recognise the next stile as you head off – they are all there but the later ones can be tricky to spot – a compass or a mapping App would help. Look out for the ruins of the old Romano British settlement on the top of a knoll.

Once you have passed above the quarry (you won't see it but you might spot the lime kiln below it) you will see an old railway building next to the old railway line which will be your route back. Keep well above the stone building and look for a stile in the wall ( quite a challenge this stile for the less agile!)whilst you very briefly join the Coast to Coast route.

Turn left after the stile and then right at the building until you come to a bridge over the railway line.

Descend to the stone bridge that crosses the railway line and from the far side of the bridge turn immediately right over the stile and descend onto the trackway. Start your homeward leg by heading NW along the track. Shortly you will be treated to a view of the quarry and limekilns, and just after that you cross the Smardale Gill Viaduct with spectacular views along the valley. In the summertime this section is a good place to spot the rare Northern Brown Argus Butterflies.

The next major feature after 1.2k is when you pass under the Smardale Viaduct that carries the Settle Carlisle Railway above you. This cutting has a tremendous display of primroses in the Spring. The track finishes at Smardale and you will have no difficulty in recognising the route back to the car park.

Circular Walk D – From the Newbiggin End.

Towards Brownber Hall via Badger Hill/ Friars Bottom / Smardale Bridge / Witches Stride / Railway Track and back.

Approx 10.5k or 6.5 miles

Newbiggin (Low Lane)

Leave the A685 at the Western end of Newbiggin on Lune signed to Asby (heading North). Turn immediately to the left and park by the roadside GR NY 693 053 nearest postcode CA17 4NY

Return to the minor road towards Asby for 50 metres and then take a right turn along the private road signed towards Brownber Hall between the imposing stone gate post and proceed along the track in approx. NE direction until you come to the Smardale reserve. Carry on for about 500 m until you come to a footpath sign to the right that leads you along a narrow path between walls to Badger Hill past Friars Bottom farm and on to Smardale Bridge on the old drove road.

Cross Smardale Bridge and head uphill on the track briefly. In about 150m you arrive at a stile and finger post on the left. Proceed along the footpath in the direction of Witches stride passing a number of quarries where sandstone was quarried for the viaduct and if you are paying attention you may spot the “pillow mounds” which are the remains of rabbit warrens probably belonging to the monks based at the Abbey (now a ruin) at Ravenstonedale.

Scandal beck is now to your left and you will be treated to some spectacular views of Smardale Gill viaduct in front of you. As you approach the viaduct the last couple of hundred metres become increasingly narrow on the track and there is a significant drop to the river on the left so take great care especially when it is wet, windy, or icy. A stile gives access to the old railway track at the end of the viaduct.

Turn left and cross the viaduct. Carry on South along the dismantled railway line (passing a limestone quarry and some old lime kilns -There is an interpretation board there that is well worth a look at) and you will eventually arrive back at your start point at . In the summer time it is work keeping a careful eye out for butterflies. The little low flying Northern Brown Argus are particularly rare.

Circular Walk E – From The Newbiggin End

Towards Brownber Hall /Railway Track all the way to Smardale / Cosby Garret / Ladle Lane / Willycocks Stones/Brownber and back.

Approx 14k or 8.6 miles

Newbiggin (Low Lane)

Leave the A685 near Newbiggin signed to Asby (heading North). Turn immediately to the left and park by the roadside GR NY 693 053 nearest postcode CA17 4NY

Return to the minor road towards Asby for 50 metres and then take a right turn along the private road signed towards Brownber Hall between the imposing stone gate posts and proceed along the track in approx. NE direction until you come to the Smardale reserve.

Follow the line of the dismantled railway for over 4k until you get to Smardale. This is easy walking on a flat surface and you will pass a limestone quarry with old lime kilns (see the interpretation board) and pass over the spectacular Smardale Gill viaduct and under the Smardale Railway (Settle Carlisle line) on the way. There are wildflowers a plenty all through the spring and summer and you may be lucky enough to spot red squirrels or some of the rarer butterflies.

At Smardale you might choose to take a small diversion to the right for a few hundred metres to call in at the Smardale Reserve visitor centre which is staffed at busy times over the summer months and has a selection of information boards.

Otherwise at Smardale take the lane left towards Crosby Garrett (Beck Lane) and descend to the footbridge that crosses Scandal Beck by a ford. The lane now changes its name to Tarn Lane and you climb for 1k uphill towards Crosby Garret.

At Crosby Garret cross the Beck turn left and then turn right immediately (do not go under the viaduct) and ascend ignoring a footpath to the left until bearing left over the railway and taking the wonderful old track that is Ladle Lane. This sunken path becomes a bit of a watercourse in the wet and the surface can be uneven but the views make it worthwhile. Ladle lane then veers South and you join another track (taking a left turn) to go pass the wonderfully named Willycock Stones. Carry on over Crosby Garret Fell (South and then South West) until you meet a number of other tracks in the region of Bents Farm by the dry stone wall.

Don't go down to Bents farm but find the bridleway that heads due South towards Intake and then meet the Asby Road near Home Farm. A left turn will now take you downhill and back to the start.