Kentmere
The fells on the east side of Kentmere make a satisfying winter walk which includes a descent to the Nan Bield Pass.
Kentmere sometimes feels like a lost valley. The cars which have just skirted round Kendal tend to hurtle past Staveley (look out for the speed cameras!) and instantly skip some of the best scenery in the southern Lakes. But perhaps that’s not such a bad thing, because parking in the tiny village at the top of the valley is notoriously difficult. On one occasion I inadvertently limited access by the side of a house and returned to find the local resident had gone to great lengths to block me in.
I had to grovel and apologise, but at least you won’t be bored if you’re ever stuck in Kentmere. A classic horseshoe of fine fells swings right round the head of the dale and, while there’s no lake, a reservoir built in the middle of the 19th century forms a dark saucer at the foot of the steep slopes below Lingmell End.
Once you’re up on the tops you can stride out all day. If the full circuit was a frothy pint of beer, this jaunt along the broad eastern ridge would be a swift but tasty half. It’s best served with a sprinkling of snow.
1
NY456041 From the village hall and church in Kentmere village take the lane leading east to cross the river and immediately fork left at the junction. Continue uphill, round a right-hand bend, for 400m, then turn left at the next junction. Follow this steep lane for 1km.
2
NY465050 Turn right on the broad farm track and pass through a gate with a small plantation on the left. Continue past the barns at Stile End and go through a gate as the track reaches Open Access land. The stony track rises gradually uphill for 800m to a wall with gate.
3
NY475049 Don’t go through the gate but turn left on a rough path which runs north, over boggy ground, to a wall. The path becomes well-established as it climbs over two or three small slabs and, with the wall frequently twisting on the right, crosses some bumpy ground to reach a little gully leading to the top of Shipman Knotts. The true summit is marked by a rocky knoll and a small cairn on the east side of the wall.
Continue north (a ladder stile gives access to Goat Scar, from where there are excellent views into Longsleddale) and walk ahead for 1.75km, with fence and then wall on right, to the top of Kentmere Pike. Cross a step stile in the wall to the trig point.
4
NY465077 The obvious path, sometimes boggy, continues north-west and then north, with wall or old fence on the right, for 1.8km to the summit of Harter Fell. The cairn on the broad grassy plateau is topped off with a pile of old iron fence posts – Wainwright thought this had a spectral weirdness if first seen in mist. The High Street fells and the crags at Riggindale can be seen to the north, with Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke
to the west of Kentmere. A fence runs north-east from the top and if you follow this for 300m you’ll enjoy a classic view down to Haweswater.
5
NY459093 Leave the top by walking left towards a couple of cairns which mark the start of the zigzag descent to the Nan Bield Pass, once an important packhorse route. Small crags and rocky terraces follow the ridge down to a prominent stone shelter, but in winter be aware of the cornices which can develop at the top, on the right, above Black John Hole.
6
NY452095 Turn left at the shelter and take the stony path which initially wriggles steeply downhill, with Lingmell Gill on the right. It soon levels out, contours past Smallthwaite Knott and crosses a broad ridge to descend to a footbridge over Ullstone Gill. The path keeps south with the intake wall on the right, crosses another footbridge and passes through a couple of gates to leave the access land 400m north of the farm at Overend. A grass track continues to the farm.
7
NY464057 Fork right through a gate beyond the buildings and follow the right of way over fields. Cross a small stone bridge and continue south for 300m, with wall on the right, to meet a track known as Low Lane. Continue for 400m and take the step stile on the right, after which a path passes a large split boulder and crosses a footbridge over the River Kent. A squeeze stile in the next wall leads onto a walled track – turn left to pass the house at Rook Howe and keep ahead on the track for 500m to return to the start.