Written by John Edmondson

 

This walk is taken from Walks in South Lakeland Book 3 published by the Kendal Group of the Ramblers. The book contains 18 walks ranging from three to 10 miles and is available from local bookshops.

Park at Burneside Millenium Green (GR SD 505955)

Information

Distance: 6 miles

Time: 3 hours

Terrain:

Map: OS Explorer OL7

Route

1 From the cross roads in the centre of Burneside take the road (New Street) going north east to Skelsmergh, which crosses the River Kent near James Croppers paper mill. Just past the last houses use the path on the left of the road. On the right side of the road is Burneside Hall, a fortified farmhouse with a gatehouse and ruined 14th Century peel (Cumbrian ‘pele’) tower.

2 Emerging from the path at the road junction take the road signposted to Longsleddale. After 800 metres, just beyond the entrance to Barnsdale Farm, take the gate on the left into a field. Bear slightly to the right along an indistinct path along a line of small trees and beyond to a gate into a lane.

3 Turn left and then right, passing Beetham Bank Farm, but do not go through the farmyard. At the farmyard entrance, go left through a gate into a grassy lane which climbs gradually. Leave Shepherd Green Farm on the right and walk up the far drive, and turn right at the road. In about 200 metres pass the entrance to High Underbrow, and then in a further 200 metres find two iron gates on opposite sides of the road. Take the gate on the left to follow the path uphill through two fields and straight ahead to a gate which gives access to a lane running across the fell, between stone walls.

4 Turn left here and follow the lane until a gate is reached onto the heather clad fell. Go through the gate and when the tarn, Gurnal Dubs reservoir, is seen ahead, take a track through the heather on the left, which leads to the tarn. Cross the dam. Do not follow the outfall stream but keep on in the same direction until reaching a stile in a stone wall, which you cross. Potter Tarn can be seen ahead. Descend towards it to the next tarn down towards another small reservoir with a dam and follow this track beside a stream which flows through an attractive tree lined gorge on the left. Continue down, following the line of the stream, past houses, until a tarmacked road is reached. Turn right, then left at the next fork and continue on this road to Bowston.

5 Just before the bridge, which crosses the River Kent, turn left onto a path that follows the river downstream. When the paper mill is seen ahead, bear left away from the river to a stile in a stone wall. The path leads into Burneside and joins the path where the walk started.

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.