written by John Edmondson

Ulgraves and Brunt Knott

Enjoy the peaceful open spaces in the wilderness past Gurnal Dubs and several other tarns between Longsleddale and Kentmere. The route visits three modest summits, each of which offering good views in all directions. Wainwright warned, “it behoves a walker subject to sudden maladies to endure a companion on this expedition.” If the companion is a dog the animal will be pleased that all of the stiles except one have dog-gates or wide steps, but it behoves the owner to use a lead in areas where there are sheep.

Park near the lane signed 'Private' on Potter Fell Road, a quarter of a mile west of the junction with Garnett Bridge Road (grid reference SD 516 980).

Information:

Distance: 7 miles, ascent: 1,400 feet

Time: 3.5 hours

Terrain: stony tracks, grassy paths and open fell.

Map: OS Explorer OL7

Route

1 Walk up the road 200 yards to a metal gate on the right with a footpath fingerpost. Go uphill across two fields to a metal gate in the right corner of the field and turn left onto the track, continuing to ascend. Pass through the kissing gate next to a field gate and continue along the track on the east side of Gurnal Dubs. Turn right over a wooden stile with a dog gate and walk along a grassy path through bracken covered fell passing to the left of the overgrown Middle Taggleshaw Tarn. Go through a wicket gate and follow the path by a wall on the left. Ulgraves is directly ahead. Climb to the stone pillar at its summit and be rewarded by a great view along the length of Longsleddale, with Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick visible on the horizon to the left and views of the Howgills to the east and of Kendal to the south.

2 Descend in a northwesterly direction along the line of a wall on the right to a metal field gate through the wall. Keep left alongside the wall to a wooden field gate and up to a wicket gate in a wire fence, continuing along the wall side. At the top of the climb the wide valley between Longsleddale and Kentmere appears. Brunt Knott is directly ahead. Descend to a stone wall stile, cross a boggy area to a waymarker post and turn left along the grassy track (wet in parts) to a fence stile. Dogs can go under a locked gate by the wall on the left.

3 Bear right to go up Brunt Knott then descend in a similar direction to meet the path a quarter of a mile ahead. To omit the climb, continue along the path past a waterlogged fence and wall. When Kentmere valley appears ahead turn left over a stone step stile (to the left of a metal gate) and go up the hill with a wall on the right. Visit the summit of the unnamed hill on the left. At just under 1,300 feet, it’s a worthy summit, only 100 feet lower than Brunt Knott but the top is marked by a puny little cairn of only a couple of dozen stones. It offers good all-round distant views and shows the extent of Potter Fell.

4 Continue heading south easterly down a faint path. Potter Tarn soon appears directly ahead but for the best views climb to the top of the sloping rocky outcrop. Turn left and walk along the line of the wall on the right. Cross a beck just below a small waterfall. A grassy track leads to a field gate and continues past the east side of Gurnal Dubs walked earlier. Return along the stony track: although this is the route that the walk started with, it’s an easy downhill mile, with good views over Kendal and the Howgills. Watch for the waymarker on the right just before a large tree and descend over the fields to the road near where the walk began.

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.