21st September 2024 - Barbon Low Fell
Walk Details
Distance walked: 12.4 miles
Total ascent: 2009 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Lane opposite Devil's Bridge, next to A683, Kirkby Lonsdale-Laitha Lane-Chapelhouse Lane-Gateheads Brow-Wandales Lane-Fell Road-Fellfoot Road-Bents Lane-Banneriggs Brow-Barbon-Barbondale-Blindbeck Bridge-Hoggs Hill-Barbon Low Fell-Brownthwaite Pike-Fell Road-Bindloss Farm-Wandales Lane-Well Lane-Chapelhouse Lane-Lane opposite Devil's Bridge, next to A683, Kirkby Lonsdale
For my walk this weekend I've travelled to the west of the Yorkshire Dales, and the area around Kirkby Lonsdale and Barbon to do a route that would take in Barbon Low Fell. This is where the best of the weather is supposed to be, as the wind is blowing from the east. I've been to the top of Barbon Low Fell before, but that was in November 2012, so long ago that I don't really remember it, and I didn't exactly have the best of weather for it. The route that I've worked out for today is a longer version of that one, starting from near Devil's Bridge outside Kirkby Lonsdale, instead of from Barbon. It gave me the chance to explore some of the countryside between them. There were plenty of blue skies and sunshine as I set off from outside Kirkby Lonsdale, and that was more or less the way it stayed for the rest of the day. A mixture of fair weather clouds and sunny spells, although with a strong and gusty wind, and a haze that restricted the view a bit. Still better than that first visit though.
After parking my car by the side of the lane just off the A683 opposite Devil's Bridge outside Kirkby Lonsdale, I took a track uphill from the left hand bend on the lane up to Chapelhouse Lane outside Woodclose Caravan Park. From here I took the bridleway north along the track of Laitha Lane to High Casterton. I then walked north along the lane through High Casterton to a crossroads where I turned right and walked along Gateheads Brow to another crossroads on Wandales Lane. I crossed Wandales Lane, took Fell Road opposite, and walked up this until I reached the track and bridleway of Fellfoot Road on the left, which I followed north to Bents Lane. After walking north along Bents Lane I reached Bannerigg Brow, which I walked down and into the village of Barbon. When I reached St. Bartholomew's Church I took the footpath along the lane beside it and followed it across Barbon Beck and up towards Barbon Manor to a left hand bend, from where I took the bridleway east up Barbondale. When the bridleway reached the road up Barbondale I found a spot sheltered from the wind to stop for lunch, and after this break I walked south up the road to reach a bridleway on the left. I took this bridleway and followed it south up the hillside to a gate in a wall. I didn't go through the gate, instead I followed the wall up and across the northern slopes of Barbon Low Fell until I reached a junction with another wall. I was able to cross this wall and get myself on the eastern side of the one that runs southeast across the fell, and following this took me up to the trig point on the top of Barbon Low Fell. Once I'd taken in the view I went down to a gate in the wall below the trig point, went through it, and followed a clear path across to Brownthwaite Pike and then down to a footpath along a track below. I walked down this track to Fell Road, and then down Fell Road to a bridleway on the left (opposite Fellfoot Road), which I followed south and west to Bindloss Farm and Wandales Lane. Crossing Wandales Lane I took the footpath opposite down through a field and along a track to Well Lane, which I walked south along to Chapelhouse Lane in High Casterton. A walk south along Chapelhouse Lane took me back to Woodclose Caravan Park, and the track down to the lane where I'd parked my car.
Total ascent: 2009 ft
OS map used: OL2 - Yorkshire Dales, Southern & Western areas
Time taken: 6 hrs
Route description: Lane opposite Devil's Bridge, next to A683, Kirkby Lonsdale-Laitha Lane-Chapelhouse Lane-Gateheads Brow-Wandales Lane-Fell Road-Fellfoot Road-Bents Lane-Banneriggs Brow-Barbon-Barbondale-Blindbeck Bridge-Hoggs Hill-Barbon Low Fell-Brownthwaite Pike-Fell Road-Bindloss Farm-Wandales Lane-Well Lane-Chapelhouse Lane-Lane opposite Devil's Bridge, next to A683, Kirkby Lonsdale
For my walk this weekend I've travelled to the west of the Yorkshire Dales, and the area around Kirkby Lonsdale and Barbon to do a route that would take in Barbon Low Fell. This is where the best of the weather is supposed to be, as the wind is blowing from the east. I've been to the top of Barbon Low Fell before, but that was in November 2012, so long ago that I don't really remember it, and I didn't exactly have the best of weather for it. The route that I've worked out for today is a longer version of that one, starting from near Devil's Bridge outside Kirkby Lonsdale, instead of from Barbon. It gave me the chance to explore some of the countryside between them. There were plenty of blue skies and sunshine as I set off from outside Kirkby Lonsdale, and that was more or less the way it stayed for the rest of the day. A mixture of fair weather clouds and sunny spells, although with a strong and gusty wind, and a haze that restricted the view a bit. Still better than that first visit though.
After parking my car by the side of the lane just off the A683 opposite Devil's Bridge outside Kirkby Lonsdale, I took a track uphill from the left hand bend on the lane up to Chapelhouse Lane outside Woodclose Caravan Park. From here I took the bridleway north along the track of Laitha Lane to High Casterton. I then walked north along the lane through High Casterton to a crossroads where I turned right and walked along Gateheads Brow to another crossroads on Wandales Lane. I crossed Wandales Lane, took Fell Road opposite, and walked up this until I reached the track and bridleway of Fellfoot Road on the left, which I followed north to Bents Lane. After walking north along Bents Lane I reached Bannerigg Brow, which I walked down and into the village of Barbon. When I reached St. Bartholomew's Church I took the footpath along the lane beside it and followed it across Barbon Beck and up towards Barbon Manor to a left hand bend, from where I took the bridleway east up Barbondale. When the bridleway reached the road up Barbondale I found a spot sheltered from the wind to stop for lunch, and after this break I walked south up the road to reach a bridleway on the left. I took this bridleway and followed it south up the hillside to a gate in a wall. I didn't go through the gate, instead I followed the wall up and across the northern slopes of Barbon Low Fell until I reached a junction with another wall. I was able to cross this wall and get myself on the eastern side of the one that runs southeast across the fell, and following this took me up to the trig point on the top of Barbon Low Fell. Once I'd taken in the view I went down to a gate in the wall below the trig point, went through it, and followed a clear path across to Brownthwaite Pike and then down to a footpath along a track below. I walked down this track to Fell Road, and then down Fell Road to a bridleway on the left (opposite Fellfoot Road), which I followed south and west to Bindloss Farm and Wandales Lane. Crossing Wandales Lane I took the footpath opposite down through a field and along a track to Well Lane, which I walked south along to Chapelhouse Lane in High Casterton. A walk south along Chapelhouse Lane took me back to Woodclose Caravan Park, and the track down to the lane where I'd parked my car.
Route map
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From where I parked my car next to the A683 I take a track up to Chapelhouse Lane
It's a sunny September morning as I look across to Kirkby Lonsdale from the track of Laitha Lane..
Walking north along Chapelhouse Lane
After walking east along Gateheads Brow from Chapelhouse Lane, I've crossed Wandales Lane to walk up Fell Road
I've left Fell Road to walk north along the track of Fellfoot Road, with views across fields to Kirkby Lonsdale to my left...
I passed several of these alongside Fellfoot Road. A boulder in an enclosure with a step in the wall to gain access. They are examples of Andy Goldsworthy's art in the countryside.
From the end of Fellfoot Road I walk north along the road towards Barbon..
Views across the valley of the River Lune to my left
Barbon Manor in the trees ahead
Into the village of Barbon
From beside St. Bartholomew's Church I take the footpath north along the lane across Barbon Beck
Then take the bridleway up the lane towards Barbon Manor
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The bridleway leaves the lane, and I follow it east up Barbondale...
The bridleway heads down to the banks of Barkin Beck...
Across the footbridge over Barkin Beck
Barkin Beck and Barbondale as I walk south along the road and across Blindbeck Bridge..
Just ahead I'll leave the road for the bridleway on the left
I follow the bridleway uphill through the dying bracken
Looking up Barbondale to my left..
..and back down Barbondale to the woodland around Barbon Manor
The steep eastern slopes of Castle Knott and Calf Top rise above Barbondale
As far up the bridleway as I'm going
There's a climb ahead as I follow the wall up onto Barbon Low Fell
Looking back to Little Aygill and the rising slopes of Crag Hill
and across to Castle Knott, Calf Top, Barbondale, and Barbon High Fell
There's a few ups and downs to come to reach the high point of Barbon Low Fell, which is the hill on the left
Looking over the wall to my left to the valley of Leck Beck, Leck Fell, and Gragareth
Heading down to cross Nanslope Moss
To reach the trig point I've crossed the wall on the left, along with the little beck draining Nanslope Moss
Looking back as I head uphill. I crossed the walls at the corner below.
The colourful northern slopes of Barbon Low Fell
The trig point is in sight
At the trig point on Barbon Low Fell
Crag Hill and Green Hill to the northeast and east on the other side of the valley of Leck Beck
Looking west across the valley of the River Lune to Hutton Roof Crags, Holmepark Fell, and Scout Hill in the distance
and north to Calf Top on Middleton Fell
I leave the top of Barbon Low Fell through a gate in the wall just below the trig point
There's a clear path to follow across the fell to the large cairn on Brownthwaite Pike..
Gragareth to the east from Brownthwaite Pike
and looking back to the trig point
From Brownthwaite Pike I make my way down to the footpath along the track below
Following the footpath down the track to Fell Road...
Walking down Fell Road
I leave Fell Road for a bridleway to the south, with views across fields towards Kirkby Lonsdale to my right...
The bridleway takes a right turn and heads towards Bindloss Farm
From Bindloss Farm I follow the bridleway down to Wandales Lane
After reaching Wandales Lane I cross over it and take the footpath opposite down through a field
Looking back up to the southern slopes of Barbon Low Fell
A walk south along Well Lane..
..then Chapelhouse Lane takes me back to where I'd parked my car