Sedbergh

Thursday, 11th November

8.1Km (5.6 Miles) - 2hrs

Map - OL19 (Howgill Fells and Upper Eden Valley)

Sadly, I was unable to attend my Great-Aunt Rose funeral but did manage to get time off work to visit the cemetary in Sedbergh where she now lies next to her husband Allan who died some twenty five years ago. It also gave me the opportunity to get a short walk in - although on the journey up (some sixty miles) the idea of walking in torrential rain did begin to put doubt in my mind. Thankfully, the weather cleared as I got up to Sedbergh, although it did come a good downpour as I put flowers on the grave - serves me right for missing the funeral!


Sedbergh is a small town but is completely dominated by the public school there which is almost like a suburb.  The walk came from the walkingworld website. I started from the car park opposite the school (GR SD 657919) and headed out of town and over the River Rawthey, before heading for the collection of houses known as Millthrop.  Here I saw the "green" nature of the folks around here as they had re-cycled their old wellingtons into planters (see above!). 

Shortly after passing through Millthrop the route branches off onto a green lane and climbs rapidly around the flank of Fostrow Fell before dropping back down into the valley and crossing the River Dee at Brackensgill (GR SD666893).

The next couple of kilometres are along the road before branching off and climbing to a vantage point that affords wonderful views across the town and Winder the hill which dominates it.

The final stretch took me back across the Rawthey and in and amongst the school before returning to the car park.

Despite the threat of rain I was lucky to complete the walk without getting wet and both rivers were in full spate following the recent heavy rain, which made the views spectacular, even if the bridge crossings looked a bit daunting !!  It was (I have to admit) pretty wet underfoot but even so was an average walk in terms of it's difficulty.  Well worth the long drive, and I really ought to get up into that part of the world more often!


Picture available from the link.