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29. A two day trip to Sedbergh, The Howgill Fells and Dentdale: Part 4 - A Walk on the limestone ridges of the Stennerskeugh and Fell End Clouds
After driving from Dent to Sedbergh, we then drove up the A683 Sedbergh-Kirkby Stephen road, passing the Cross Keys Temperance Inn (above, dated 1732) at Cautley, which is just a scattering of houses and farms. From the back of Cross Keys (right picture) there are good views of Cautley Crag (left) and Yarlside (right) and this is a good starting point for various walks but we were heading north for a limestone pavement walk which provides alternative and equally splendid views of the Howgill Fells.
The pictures below illustrate the four mile max. Walk 19 "Stennerskeugh & Fell End Clouds" from Paul Hannon's "Walking Country - Howgill Fells"
The start is just off the A683 OS ref NY 734007 near an abandoned quarry, with fine views of the Howgills from the start, and it only gets better. You walk by Street Farm , on to The Street and turn up sharply to the right before Stennerskeugh Village.
Eventually you climb up onto open moorland on the grass and limestone ridges of the Stennerskeugh Clouds and a fine view of the Howgill Fells and time for a geological note. The Howgills are made from compact very old sandstones of the Silurian age. The rock is of an even hardness and weathering and erosion produce hills of rounded features and covered in green vegetation with virtually no 'sharp' geological features. By contrast, the easily weathered limestone is less uniform and hard in structure erodes into ridges, pavements and potholes with band of vegetation between the higher outcrops of rocks.
View of the Howgill Fells from the limestone rocks of the Stennerskeugh Clouds as the sun came out again.
Moving on to the Fell End Clouds for more limestone rocks, ridges and pavements.
The semi-wild horses graze on the belts of grass between the limestone pavements. The horses given food in the winter, in the way of hay donations from kind local farmers.
Final higher view of the Howgills before descending to a path that joins the minor road to return to the abandoned quarry. OS ~724994
Two well preserved limekilns are near the end the return road running north-east at ~ OS 733997 ...
... and a sheepdog hitching a lift on a 'quad' ..
... and so bye bye limestone, industrial lime kiln and abandoned quarry (start and finish of walk), and back onto the A683 heading towards Kirkby Stephen as we set set off for home ...
* Page updated July 20th 2008 * EMAIL Phil Brown * digital images snapshots photographs pictures views scenes views pics photos snaps webshots of walks and places © Phil Brown docspics 2008 |
