Celebrating (or commiserating) 40 years since the formation of the county of Cumbria this walk explores a part of the former boundary between Westmorland and Lancashire, an area that author Arthur Ransome loved and lived in when he wrote Swallows and Amazons.

Start at Cartmel Fell village hall (GR SD 416880).

Information

Distance: 6.5 miles, ascent, 900 feet

Time: 4.5 hours

Terrain: Gently rolling countryside may be muddy in parts.

Map: OS Explorer OL7

Route

Cartmel Fell Village Hall and church is in Hodge Hill allotment. This would have been common land until 1797 when it was ‘allotted’ to Hodge Hill Farm under the Act of Enclosure. The village hall was a school until 1971 and the children used the smooth rock opposite the building as a slide or what Arthur Ransome (in his book Swallowdale) would have called a ‘knickerbockerbreaker.’ There is a colourful tiled mural on the outside wall, created by local children with artist Hans Ulrich, to commemorate the church's 500th birthday. The church was built in 1504 to serve the local farming community, saving them a seven-mile walk to Cartmel Priory. It contains many interesting features including a three-decker pulpit and enclosed family pews.

1 Walk through the church lych gate and go around Cartmel Fell church graveyard to the north. At the farm turn left following the footpath to Pool Garth and turn right past the ornamental pond featuring a frog band sculpture. When you reach the hedge at the bottom of the sloping field turn left to continue heading north. Cross the footbridge over the River Winster to join the road and turn left to Bowland Bridge. The name of the hamlet might refer to the loop in the river or it could describe cattle, as in bovine. You’re now on the only part of this walk that’s in the pre-1974 county of Westmorland.

2 At the village junction turn left and cross the bridge with the carved stones indicating that you are crossing the former border from Westmoreland to Lancashire. When the bridge was rebuilt in 1991, a huge pile of oyster shells was unearthed beside the river, but why there were there is a mystery. The bridge’s hump provides a picturesque traffic calming device. It also helps keep large vehicles away from the village: a long coach once got caught on the apex and see-sawed there for four hours until it could be towed off. Immediately after the bridge turn right onto the footpath and follow it through the woods then across a field. After a stile keep below the woods on your left and go past Hollins, spotting the large stone cheese press outside the house. Records show that for more than 170 years from 1836 only one person was born at Hollins and that its inhabitants had long lives.

3 The footpath continues along the valley floor, often muddy in places, to meet the road near Great Hartbarrow farm. The date on the building is 1684, but parts of the house are older and the first mention of Hertbergh is in 1332. In medieval times it had its own water powered ‘fulling” mill where woollen cloth was washed and beaten in water to thicken and felt it.

4 Go left along the road up a steep hill and at the junction turn right. The views across the Winster valley delighted Arthur Ransome when he lived nearby at Low Ludderburn. In a letter sent to his mother in 1924 he wrote, “you can see Arnside and a strip of sea under the Knott. Away to the left you can see Ingleborough, and from the fell just behind the house you can see Ambleside and all the lake hills.” In those days, the road was unmade; there was no refuse collection and a Russian typewriter and Russian teapot, presumably from the author’s earlier travels as a Russian correspondent, was found in the old rubbish tip. The aviator Amy Johnson once stayed at Low Ludderburn with her aunt who bought the house from the Ransomes. After passing Oaks farm on your left, where the road swings back round to the right, go straight ahead along the footpath by the wall. After 150 yards the path bends right, crosses a stream and at the edge of a wood turns left, crosses a stone stile and ascends to orchards around a house. Follow the waymarked route past the south of the house.

5 Once past the buildings, bear left onto the path across fields to the woodland in Moor How Park. From Blake Holme plantation enjoy the views of Windermere lake to your right. Before 1974 the land on both sides of the lake was in Lancashire although the lake itself was Westmorland’s. The path descends through attractive woodlands to meet another path where you turn left and go uphill again. Follow the path crossing streams and along a boardwalk until you meet a path on your left going through an area of conifers. This emerges from the wood and goes down a meadow called Whinney Knott, with good views over the Winster valley to Whitbarrow.

6 Make for the gate at the bottom right of the field and go 100 yards down the road past Lightwood to a track on the right. Follow the track for about a mile to join the road after a twisty descent. Turn right and after 300 yards left onto the footpath just before the road signed Cartmel Fell Church. Go down through the woods to the village hall near the church 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.