Barbon walk (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Barbon walk

10:00am Friday 10th June 2011

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THE pleasant village of Barbon lies in the Lune Valley between Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh. The church was built in 1892 to replace an old church believed to date back to the 12th Century. In 1861 the Ingleton and Lowgill branch line came through the village. In 1954 it as closed to passenger trains and then freight in 1964. The bed of the line is crossed almost at the start of this walk.

The Inn is a 17th Century coaching inn.

Park in the car park beside Barbon’s village hall, grid ref 627824. Access this from the A683, east, by Scaleber Lane, just over one and a half miles, north, beyond Casterton. Ignore one right turn and take the second to continue on to the Hall, which stands on the left.

1 Leave the car park, left and walk to the war memorial, where you bear right. Carry on to pass Barbon Inn and St Barthololmew’s Church. Take the signposted footpath almost opposite and walk ahead towards a belt of woodland. Climb the stile into the trees, turn left along the old railway line. After a few steps leave by a gate on the right. Beyond, walk ahead to go through the next gate and then left across a gravelled area to a narrow lane. Wind around right in front of Underfell and continue down the lane. Watch out for the signposted footpath, on the left of the lane, which you take next. Go ahead to edge the woodland on your right. Pass through gates and a stile by-passing Low Bank House to join a track leading away from the farm where you turn left. Wind around the corner beside the wall on your right to go through a stile in the wall corner into a huge pasture.

2 Beyond, head across the middle, keeping due south. It is well used by cows and a little rough under foot in places. Then take a stile well right of Whelprigg and cross the access track to the large house. Press on ahead to take a stile out of the trees. Stroll on through two gated pastures, with a fine view of the fells to your left. Then look for the tall post with a waymark on it and go on soon to pass Bellgate, over the wall on the left, to carry on to a gate onto a lane. Walk left, the gently rising way until you can turn right into a wide track, Fellfoot Road (on the OS map), which climbs steeply up through fine woodland; it can be muddy and slippery after rain.

3 Emerge from the trees and follow the track as it begins to wind right. Look on the right for the first of Andy Goldsworthy’s sheep pens; it has a enormous rock in its middle. It stands behind the wall and is accessed by steps. Enjoy the continuing lane, a mile-long, passing through rolling pastures, by copses and with good views of the fells. As you go look for the steps through the walls that give access to more of the sculpted sheep pens. At the end of the track, join Fell Road and turn left to climb the steep narrow road for half a mile, passing under forest trees for part of the way. Then take a wide walled track, on the left, for another half mile up through pastures, climbing gently towards Barbon Low Fell. Go through the fell gate and walk right for half a mile below Brownthwaite. If you wish to climb to cairn on the Pike, look out for the track leading upwards. The views are superb. Descend by the left hand track to return to the main track and go on.

4 Pass through a gate and follow the track as it gradually descends, crosses a wet area and winds down right to rejoin Fell Road. Turn left and stroll the airy way with great views across to Casterton Fell. At the road end, ignore the turn to Bullpot farm and walk left along a pleasing grassy walled track to reach a gate. Beyond the way is not quite so pleasant. After a short distance the path begins to wind left and right downhill but still high above the gill between Barbon Low Fell and Barbon High Fell. Then the rough path, descends all the way to Barbondale Road. Turn right and follow it to cross Blindbeck Bridge. Beyond cross the ford if low enough otherwise continue to the footbridge across the beck and beyond turn left.

5 You will want to dawdle beside the beck to your left if the weather is kind. Here Barbon Beck is joined by Aygill Beck, both cascading on as one over and around huge boulders. Continue on through two gates and climb gradually through fairly open ground before entering glorious mixed woodland. Ignore a left turn and carry on for half a mile to emerge from the trees. Walk ahead on a grassy trod to join a surfaced track at a signpost. Bear left and stay on the track as it eventually winds left and crosses the bridge over the Barbon Beck, chuckling on its way to join the River Lune.

Stroll on to the valley road and walk right. Pass the church and then the inn. At the war memorial, turn left to return to the car park.

Information

Distance: 8 miles

Time: 4-5 hours

Terrain: Distinct paths and tracks. After rain several of these can be muddy. Some quiet road walking.

Map: OS Explorer OL2

NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.