12th July 2025 - Middleton Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.7 miles
Total ascent: 2224 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Barbon-High Road-A683-Low Waterside-A683-Fellside-Long Bank-Combe Top-Barkin Top-Calf Top-Castle Knott-Eskholme Pike-Eskholme-Barbon
For my walk this weekend I decided to head for the western edge of the Yorkshire Dales and do a route that I last did just 14 months ago, and walk the whole length of Middleton Fell. As I've done on the previous occasions that I've done this route I did the road walking part of it first to get to the northern end of Middleton Fell, so that I could walk south along its length in the afternoon and enjoy the great views. Although, given how warm it was going to be I decided to give visiting Holme Knott as miss this time. Just as it was yesterday it was a hot and sunny summer day with wall-to-wall blue skies and sunshine, with a gentle breeze on the moors to temper the heat. Great visibility meant there were fantastic views from Middleton Fell as I walked across it during the afternoon, as I knew there would be.
After parking in Barbon I set off by taking the lane of "High Road" north below the slopes of Middleton Fell and when I reached the A683 I crossed this onto the bridleway opposite to reach Low Waterside by the River Lune. From here I followed another bridleway north through fields and woodland to the A683 opposite Jordan Lane. Fortunately I only had a brief walk south along this road to reach the access road up to the farm of Fellside. Once I'd made my way through the farmyard I was finally onto the open fell. I stopped for lunch in the shade of tree here. There's a rough track to follow, and this took me all the way up onto Long Bank. Before following the ridge up to Combe Top I made a detour across a stile in the wall to visit the cairn on top of Combe Scar to take in the view. Once back over the wall a clear enough path then makes its way uphill over Combe Top and Barkin Top to finally reach the trig point on Calf Top. After a stop to take in the view I made my way south down the fell to Castle Knott, then down to Eskholme Pike and off access land to reach Eskholme. From here I followed the public footpath south across Barbon Beck and back into Barbon.
Total ascent: 2224 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Barbon-High Road-A683-Low Waterside-A683-Fellside-Long Bank-Combe Top-Barkin Top-Calf Top-Castle Knott-Eskholme Pike-Eskholme-Barbon
For my walk this weekend I decided to head for the western edge of the Yorkshire Dales and do a route that I last did just 14 months ago, and walk the whole length of Middleton Fell. As I've done on the previous occasions that I've done this route I did the road walking part of it first to get to the northern end of Middleton Fell, so that I could walk south along its length in the afternoon and enjoy the great views. Although, given how warm it was going to be I decided to give visiting Holme Knott as miss this time. Just as it was yesterday it was a hot and sunny summer day with wall-to-wall blue skies and sunshine, with a gentle breeze on the moors to temper the heat. Great visibility meant there were fantastic views from Middleton Fell as I walked across it during the afternoon, as I knew there would be.
After parking in Barbon I set off by taking the lane of "High Road" north below the slopes of Middleton Fell and when I reached the A683 I crossed this onto the bridleway opposite to reach Low Waterside by the River Lune. From here I followed another bridleway north through fields and woodland to the A683 opposite Jordan Lane. Fortunately I only had a brief walk south along this road to reach the access road up to the farm of Fellside. Once I'd made my way through the farmyard I was finally onto the open fell. I stopped for lunch in the shade of tree here. There's a rough track to follow, and this took me all the way up onto Long Bank. Before following the ridge up to Combe Top I made a detour across a stile in the wall to visit the cairn on top of Combe Scar to take in the view. Once back over the wall a clear enough path then makes its way uphill over Combe Top and Barkin Top to finally reach the trig point on Calf Top. After a stop to take in the view I made my way south down the fell to Castle Knott, then down to Eskholme Pike and off access land to reach Eskholme. From here I followed the public footpath south across Barbon Beck and back into Barbon.
Route map
© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.
Setting off from Barbon I walk north along High Road towards the A683
Views across Lunesdale to my left, and of the western slopes of Middleton Fell to my right.....
Passing The Old Smithy
It's a narrow lane and fortunately I don't meet any traffic where I couldn't get out of the way
Having reached the end of High Road and crossed the A683 I'm on the bridleway to Low Waterside..
Through Low Waterside
A brief chance to see the River Lune
I have a view of the Howgills in front of me as I follow the bridleway from Low Waterside to the A683
At Fellside and finally..
..I'm heading onto the open fell
There's a clear path to follow up onto the fell
I don't have to gain much height for the Lake District fells to appear in the distance
I'm giving visiting Holme Knott a miss today, so I'm following the path up onto Long Bank
The Howgills come into view over the wall to my left
Looking north along the ridge to Brown Knott and Holme Knott
Heading up onto Long Bank
The Lake District fells in the distance from Long Bank
A look over the wall gives me a view up Dentdale
A stile lets me cross to the other side of the wall so that I can visit a cairn that sits at the top of Combe Scar. It's worth the detour for this view. Looking north across Dentdale and Frostrow Fells to the Howgills.
Aye Gill Pike, Dentdale and the village of Dent, and Great Knoutberry Hill in the distance..
Looking back to the Howgills as I make my way up to Barkin Top..
Baugh Fell, Aye Gill Pike, and Dentdale from Barkin Top
and Calf Top, the summit of Middleton Fell, is in sight at last
The steep eastern slopes of Middleton Fell drop into Barbondale
At the trig point on Calf Top, and taking in the fantastic all-round view. Starting with The Howgills to the north.
Wild Boar Fell, Baugh Fell and Aye Gill Pike to the northeast
Looking down into Dentdale, and to Aye Gill Pike and Great Knoutberry Hill
and across a hidden Barbondale to Crag Hill and Gragareth, with the top of Ingleborough visible between them
Morecambe Bay in the distance to the southwest
To the west a long line of Lakeland fells beyond the broad western shoulder of the fell
Leaving Calf Top I follow the path south down to Castle Knott..
Looking out to Morecambe Bay from Castle Knott
Barbon High Fell and Barbon Low Fell on the other side of Barbondale
The Lake District fells in the distance beyond the western shoulder of the fell
Heading down from Castle Knott
A cairn at the lower top of Castle Knott gives me a view out to Morecambe Bay
Looking back to Calf Top on the left and the higher top of Castle Knott on the right
Barbon Low Fell on the left with the Forest of Bowland in the distance, and Lunesdale and Kirkby Lonsdale on the right
A view across to the Lake District
Making my descent to Eskholme Pike..
On Eskholme Pike, and the fantastic view across the valley of the River Lune to the distant Lake District fells
The village of Barbon below
Below Devil's Crag. The hawthorn that was clinging to it has finally fallen off.
Making my way through Barbon Park towards Barbon
Crossing the bridge over Barbon Beck back to Barbon and St. Bartholomew's church