2nd May 2025 - Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat

Walk Details

Distance walked: 13.3 miles

Total ascent: 2432 ft

OS map used: OL19 - Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley

Time taken: 7 hrs

Route description: Hardraw-Pennine Way-Great Shunner Fell-Little Shunner Fell-Grimy Gutter Hags-Buttertubs Pass-Lovely Seat-Buttertubs Pass-Cliff Gate Road-Pike Hill-High Clint-Shutt Gate-Shutt Lane-Sedbusk-Simonstone-Hardraw

It's my Friday off work and with a day of great spring weather forecast I decided to head to Hardraw in Wensleydale, and do a route that would take in Great Shunner Fell and Lovely Seat, a couple of fells that I've not visited very often, in the case of Lovely Seat just twice, in 2010, and in 2022 when I did this exact same walk. That also included the limestone scars of High Clint, from which there are great views of Wensleydale to enjoy. The day did not disappoint. There were blue skies, lots of warm sunshine, light winds from start to finish, and excellent visibility for taking in the long distance moorland views. There's been very little rain for the past couple of months, and with the increasing strength of the sun and the longer days it's becoming quite noticeable.

After parking my car in Hardraw I set off by taking the Pennine Way and following it north all the way to the top of Great Shunner Fell, where I stopped for lunch. Once I'd finished my break and taken in the view I left the summit by following the fence east, southeast and then east to Little Shunner Fell, then southeast to Grimy Gutter Hags and down to the road at the Buttertubs Pass. I then crossed the road and followed the fence up Lovely Seat to its summit, where I stopped for a break. After this and once I'd taken in the view I retraced my steps down to the road at the Buttertubs Pass, and walked down it towards Wensleydale until I reached a sign for a bridleway on the left. I took this and followed it southeast onto Pike Hill, joining a track that took me onto the moorland north of High Clint. At a convenient spot I left the track behind and made my way to the top of High Clint, then east along the top of the escarpment, then down to the edge of access land at Shutt Gate to pick up the bridleway again. From Shutt Gate I followed the bridleway down to the top of the track of Shutt Lane, which took me down to Sedbusk. I left Sedbusk by taking a footpath on the right at Sedbusk Farm and following it west across fields to the road through Simonstone, where I turned left and briefly walked south along the road to a public footpath on the right which took me up the driveway of Simonstone Hall. I left this for a footpath on the left which took me down a hillside and back to Hardraw.

Route map

Leaving Hardraw on the Pennine Way..

Looking back across Wensleydale to Wether Fell and Ten End

As I gain height the view opens up to Cotter End and Hearne Top

Looking across Wensleydale to Ten End, Snaizeholme Fell and Widdale Fell

and back down the Pennine Way to Wensleydale, Hawes and Wether Fell

Following the Pennine Way up to Hearne Top

Lovely Seat and Abbotside Common to the east

Straight on for the bridleway to Cotterdale. I'm going right and staying on the Pennine Way.

Looking across Wensleydale to Widdale Fell, Mossdale Moor, and Baugh Fell behind Cotter End

The first sighting of the top of Great Shunner Fell

Widdale Fell, Cotter End, and Baugh Fell to the southwest

Lunds Fell on the other side of Cotterdale

Looking south to Dodd Fell Hill on the left, and to Widdale Fell and Cotter End on the right

A sign of the dry weather of the past couple of months

The cairn at Crag End Beacon ahead

The view across Wensleydale from the cairn on Crag End Beacon

and across Cotterdale to Thwaite Bridge Common, with Ingleborough, Great Knoutberry Hill, Whernside, Great Coum, and Baugh Fell in the distance

Climbing to Hearne Head, and the summit isn't far to go

Looking south and southwest across Wensleydale to Dodd Fell Hill, Ingleborough and Great Knoutberry Hill, Whernside, and Great Coum from Hearne Head

The summit shelter is in sight at last

Reaching the summit shelter and it's the perfect place to stop for lunch

If you're looking for the trig point, the shelter has been built onto it

The excellent visibility means that I've got a great all-round view from up here today. Starting with looking west to Wild Boar Fell and moors around Mallerstang.

To the north is Nine Standards Rigg, Birkdale Tarn, and Stonesdale Moor, with the North Pennines in the distance

The fells around Wensleydale to the southeast, and I can make out the top of Buckden Pike in the distance

Looking south and southwest across Wensleydale to Dodd Fell Hill, Ingleborough and Great Knoutberry Hill, Whernside, and Great Coum

Wild Boar Fell and High Seat to the west and northwest. I can make out a few of the Lake District fells through the gap between them.

High Seat, Birkdale Common, and Nine Standards Rigg, with Cross Fell in the distance through the gap taken by the Swaledale to Kirkby Stephen road

Leaving the summit the Pennine Way goes through the gate and down to Swaledale. However, I'm not as I follow the fence east towards Little Shunner Fell..

Big skies and expansive moorland around upper Swaledale to my left

A short diversion to the top of the slopes of Thwaite Common gives me a great view of Swaledale. Much better than from the top of Great Shunner Fell.

Following the fence down towards Little Shunner Fell

Looking back to the top of Great Shunner Fell

I reach a junction of fences and a wall. This one heads down into Fossdale. I definitely don't want to follow it by mistake.

This fence crosses Little Shunner Fell. No concerns about boggy ground here, it's firm underfoot.

Great Shunner Fell from Little Shunner Fell

A cairn at the top of the slopes of Grainy Gill Moss gives me a great view looking east down Swaledale

From Little Shunner Fell I follow the fence across Grimy Gutter Hags and down to the road across the Buttertubs pass...

At the top of the Buttertubs pass and looking along the road towards Thwaite

Starting the climb of Lovely Seat

On the summit of Lovely Seat. This cairn has been fashioned into a seat, which is on its other side.

There's great visibility for taking in the extensive view. To the east, the moorland around Swaledale.

Upper Swaledale, Stonesdale Moor, and Rogan's Seat to the north

Wensleydale beyond the moorland of Abbotside Common

Looking south across Wensleydale to Stake Allotments, Wether Fell, and Dodd Fell Hill. I can make out the tops of Great Whernside, Buckden Pike, Fountains Fell, Plover Hill, and Penyghent way in the distance.

Dodd Fell Hill, Ingleborough, Whernside, Great Knoutberry Hill, Great Coum and Baugh Fell to the south and southwest

Great Shunner Fell behind the summit cairn

A cairn a short distance north of the summit gives me a great view down into Swaledale around Keld, Thwaite, and Kisdon Hill

Leaving the summit I make my way back down to the Buttertubs pass..

I have a walk down the road to reach the bridleway onto High Clint

Looking back up the road towards the Buttertubs pass

Off the road and onto the bridleway. Looking across Fossdale and Wensleydale to Snaizeholme Fell, Widdale, Widdale Fell, and the southern ridge of Great Shunner Fell.