Miles Without Stiles: Heart of the Westmorland...

9:25am Friday 22nd April 2005

Miles without Stiles is a series of walks on easy surfaces, chosen for people with pushchairs, accompanied wheelchair users and walkers who prefer to take it easy. All of the walks incorporate flat, easy sections, and many have optional sections with rocky ground or increased gradient that may be navigated by walkers and those with off-road pushchairs. Wherever possible, the walks begin and/or end where there are facilities for refreshments...

Smardale Gill lies at the heart of Westmorland. With its rolling Pennine hills, sharp limestone outcrops and deep valley gorges the landscape here is so very different from the mountains of the Lake District and the gentle lowlands of south Cumbria. The old county of Westmorland was abolished in 1974 and subsumed within the new county of Cumbria. The administrative boundaries may have disappeared but the unique landscape features still define the distinctive character of this beautiful old county.

There's an abundance of plants on the Smardale Gill trail. Some, like the blue moor grass, are rare in Britain. Blue moor grass also provides a perfect habitat for the equally rare Scotch argus butterfly. Wild thyme, birdsfoot sedge and a host of other herbs grow among the grasses, alongside common spotted orchid, rock rose and fragrant orchids. Roe deer and red squirrel have colonised the birch, willow and hazel woodlands running up the banks of Scandal Beck little wonder that Smardale Gill is a National Nature Reserve.

History too has left its mark. Roman-British settlements can still be seen on the lower slopes of Crosby Garrett Fell. The old Smardale Bridge was originally built for pack horses in the 15th century and disused 19th century limekilns run alongside the disused railway track. But it's the magnificent, towering viaducts traversing Scandal Beck that really capture the imagination. There are two - one is part of the Settle to Carlisle railway, the other was built to transport coke from Durham to the furnaces of Barrow. This second viaduct with its beautifully elevated arches was restored in the 1990s by the Northern Viaduct Trust. It is the highlight of the walk along the Smardale Gill Nature Trail.

Route...

From the car park (1) walk through the gate and up a slope onto the disused railway track this slope is a little steep and wheelchair users may benefit from a helping hand up the first ten metres. Continue along the track for 350 metres to the first viaduct (2) this is the Settle to Carlisle Railway line. Continue for 1.2 km to reach the second viaduct (3). From here continue for another 1.5 km and you will see, en route, disused limekilns, the old pack horse bridge and remnants of the old charcoal burning sites all these feature are posted en route. The path does continue beyond (4) for another 1km or so towards Friar Bottom Farm and Newbiggin but this section is overgrown in places and not really suitable for wheelchairs.

Getting there...

Smardale is about one mile south of Kirkby Stephen watch out for the signpost, almost opposite the junction with the A683. Follow the signs for Smardale, cross the railway and turn left at the T' junction. Cross the disused railway and turn left at the next T' junction and left again into the car park. The reserve can also be reached from the south near Newbiggin Farm although parts of this section are not suitable for wheelchair users.

Stagecoach runs the 564 buses from Kendal to Kirkby Stephen and Grandprix also run the 563 bus from Penrith. There is, of course, the magnificent Settle to Carlisle railway which also stops at Kirkby Stephen. From town it's about a 2km walk to the nature trail.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust...

Smardale Gill is one of 40 nature reserves throughout the county managed by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. For a leaflet about the reserve or other information contact 01539-816300.

Email: mail@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk Website: www.cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk.

Route Information...

Information Overview: The route is of compacted gravel and suitable for wheelchair access it is a little uneven in places and watch out for the occasional pothole.

Gradient: A little steep over first ten metres then level ground along the trail.

Distance: About 6 km round trip but it is easy enough to turn back at any point. Beyond grid reference NY713 063 it is not really accessible for wheelchairs.

Time: Allow 3-4 hours.

Grid ref: NY739 084 Car park (1).

Map ref: Outdoor leisure map 19.

Refreshments and toilets in Kirkby Stephen and Newbiggin.