30th November 2025 - The Howgills
Walk Details
Distance walked: 11.7 miles
Total ascent: 3325 ft
OS map used: OL19 - Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Loftus Hill car park, Sedbergh-Sedbergh School-A684-Howgill Lane-Four Lane Ends-Castley-Long Rigg-Fell Head-Breaks Head-Windscarth Wyke-Bush Howe-The Calf-Calders-Arant Haw-Winder-Lockbank Farm-Howgill Lane-A684-Sedbergh School-Loftus Hill car park, Sedbergh
A rare opportunity for a walk in snow was taken today. The weather turned cold enough yesterday evening for showers to turn to snow on the hills, but they didn't fall everywhere, and then with rain arriving this evening it would all be washed away. Lucky it's the weekend. I was pretty sure that the Howgills had seen some snow, so I decided to head north to Sedbergh. The route that I chose was a variation of one that I've done many times. Walk north along Howgill Lane from Sedbergh, then take one of the footpaths or bridleways that leave it to head up onto the fells to reach The Calf, then head south to Calders, Arant Haw, and Winder for a return to Sedbergh. I decided to make use of the way up onto Fell Head that I first used in October last year, the ridge of Long Rigg. It meant that I could stay on the high fells for as long as possible. The forecast was for a fine autumn day with increasing amounts of cloud during the afternoon, and a gentle breeze. I set off from Sedbergh with blue skies and sunshine, and it stayed that way until the early afternoon when a change in wind direction started to bring cloud in from the southwest. The rest of the afternoon was quite cloudy, but it didn't spoil the great views across the snow-covered fells that I enjoyed.
From the Loftus Hill car park in Sedbergh I crossed the road and took the public footpath that goes through the grounds of Sedbergh School and to the A684, where I crossed the road, turned left and walked past the entrance to the SPAR supermarket, then took a public footpath on the right uphill to reach Howgill Lane. I walked west and north along Howgill Lane until I reached a bridleway on the right up the track to Birkhaw. I took this and followed it through Birkhaw, then east up through fields, around the side of Seat Knott, and down to and across the ford on Bram Rigg Beck. I then crossed the ridge of Bram Rigg, and Calf Beck, to reach Long Rigg Beck at the foot of White Fell. I made my way along a quadbike track by Long Rigg Beck to the foot of the ridge of Long Rigg, and then up the ridge of Long Rigg to the summit of Fell Head, where I stopped for lunch. After this break and once I'd taken in the view I made my way east to Breaks Head, descended to Windscarth Wyke, ascended Bush Howe and then followed the moorland ridge to the trig point on The Calf. After taking in the view, I took the bridleway south to Calders, then down to and across Rowantree Grains before leaving it to head to the top of Arant Haw. I then descended from Arant Haw, made my way to the top of Winder, and took a steep way down to Lockbank Farm to reach Howgill Lane, which I crossed to take a footpath south to the A684. After crossing the road I retraced my steps back to the Loftus Hill car park.
Total ascent: 3325 ft
OS map used: OL19 - Howgill Fells & Upper Eden Valley
Time taken: 7 hrs
Route description: Loftus Hill car park, Sedbergh-Sedbergh School-A684-Howgill Lane-Four Lane Ends-Castley-Long Rigg-Fell Head-Breaks Head-Windscarth Wyke-Bush Howe-The Calf-Calders-Arant Haw-Winder-Lockbank Farm-Howgill Lane-A684-Sedbergh School-Loftus Hill car park, Sedbergh
A rare opportunity for a walk in snow was taken today. The weather turned cold enough yesterday evening for showers to turn to snow on the hills, but they didn't fall everywhere, and then with rain arriving this evening it would all be washed away. Lucky it's the weekend. I was pretty sure that the Howgills had seen some snow, so I decided to head north to Sedbergh. The route that I chose was a variation of one that I've done many times. Walk north along Howgill Lane from Sedbergh, then take one of the footpaths or bridleways that leave it to head up onto the fells to reach The Calf, then head south to Calders, Arant Haw, and Winder for a return to Sedbergh. I decided to make use of the way up onto Fell Head that I first used in October last year, the ridge of Long Rigg. It meant that I could stay on the high fells for as long as possible. The forecast was for a fine autumn day with increasing amounts of cloud during the afternoon, and a gentle breeze. I set off from Sedbergh with blue skies and sunshine, and it stayed that way until the early afternoon when a change in wind direction started to bring cloud in from the southwest. The rest of the afternoon was quite cloudy, but it didn't spoil the great views across the snow-covered fells that I enjoyed.
From the Loftus Hill car park in Sedbergh I crossed the road and took the public footpath that goes through the grounds of Sedbergh School and to the A684, where I crossed the road, turned left and walked past the entrance to the SPAR supermarket, then took a public footpath on the right uphill to reach Howgill Lane. I walked west and north along Howgill Lane until I reached a bridleway on the right up the track to Birkhaw. I took this and followed it through Birkhaw, then east up through fields, around the side of Seat Knott, and down to and across the ford on Bram Rigg Beck. I then crossed the ridge of Bram Rigg, and Calf Beck, to reach Long Rigg Beck at the foot of White Fell. I made my way along a quadbike track by Long Rigg Beck to the foot of the ridge of Long Rigg, and then up the ridge of Long Rigg to the summit of Fell Head, where I stopped for lunch. After this break and once I'd taken in the view I made my way east to Breaks Head, descended to Windscarth Wyke, ascended Bush Howe and then followed the moorland ridge to the trig point on The Calf. After taking in the view, I took the bridleway south to Calders, then down to and across Rowantree Grains before leaving it to head to the top of Arant Haw. I then descended from Arant Haw, made my way to the top of Winder, and took a steep way down to Lockbank Farm to reach Howgill Lane, which I crossed to take a footpath south to the A684. After crossing the road I retraced my steps back to the Loftus Hill car park.
Route map
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Making my way through the grounds of Sedbergh School
Looking across the valley of the River Lune..
..and to Fell Head, and the western slopes of Arant Haw from Howgill Lane
Walking north along Howgill Lane..
To my right, Fell Head, and the slopes that rise to White Fell Head, The Calf, and Bram Rigg Top
I leave Howgill Lane and take the bridleway through Birkhaw
and then up through fields towards the western slopes of Arant Haw
Looking back and across the valley of the River Lune
Seat Knott ahead. The bridleway crosses the hillside below it.
Fell Head from the bridleway below Seat Knott
Heading down to cross the fords on Swarth Greaves Beck and Bram Rigg Beck below the ridge of Bram Rigg
Crossing Bram Rigg Beck
Looking back up the valley of Bram Rigg Beck to Bram Rigg Top and Calders
Heading down to cross Calf Beck below the ridge up to White Fell Head. I'll then follow Long Rigg Beck on its other side.
On the other side of the ridge up to White Fell Head, and I take a quadbike track north by Long Rigg Beck
Making my way up Long Rigg. It feels as much of a slog as the last time I did it.
Looking back down to Long Rigg Beck
and across Brown Moor and the valley of the River Lune towards Morecambe Bay
Nearing the top of Fell Head and the snow cover is becoming deeper and more constant
Looking across to White Fell Head and Arant Haw from the top of Long Rigg..
At the cairn on Fell Head. Time to stop and take in the wonderful view, and have my lunch.
The snow topped North Pennines in the distance
Randygill Top, Yarlside, and other northern Howgill fells
Looking past The Calf, Calders and Arant Haw into the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, to Penyghent, Whernside, Ingleborough, and Great Coum
A long line of Lake District fells to the west
Blease Fell, Uldale Head, and Hand Lake below
Leaving Fell Head I follow the ridge east towards Windscarth Wyke
To my left, Blake Ridge on the other side of the deep valley of Little Ulgill Beck, Grayrigg Forest and the Shap Fells on the other side of the Lune gorge, and Blease Fell and Uldale Head on the right
and to my right, looking across the valley of Long Rigg Beck to Bush Howe, The Calf, and White Fell Head
Looking back to the summit of Fell Head
Following the ridge east towards Windscarth Wyke and Bush Howe
On Bush Howe and heading to The Calf
Looking back across the slopes of White Fell Head to Fell Head
and back along the ridge to Bush Howe
Approaching The Calf
Great views when I look back, to the Lake District fells in the distance to the west, beyond the nearby White Fell Head and Fell Head..
At the trig point on The Calf. There's been a noticeable increase in cloud during the past hour as the wind has gone from northwesterly to southwesterly.
Sunshine on the valley of the River Lune below, and Morecambe Bay in the distance to the southwest
The Lake District fells in shadow in the distance to the west, beyond the nearby White Fell Head and Fell Head
The North Pennines in the distance on the other side of the Eden Valley
Looking east to Wild Boar Fell
Leaving The Calf I take the bridleway to Calders...
The snowy slopes of Great Dummacks to my left
Looking back to Bram Rigg Top and The Calf
and across the ridges of Bram Rigg and White Fell to Fell Head
At the summit cairn on Calders
Looking north to Bram Rigg Top and The Calf
Great Dummacks, Wild Boar Fell and Swarth Fell
Looking across the Rawthey Valley to Baugh Fell, Aye Gill Pike, Whernside, Ingleborough, and Great Coum
and southwest to Middleton Fell, and the neighbouring Arant Haw
Howgills ridges and the Lake District in the distance to the west
Taking the bridleway down from Calders and I couldn't help but stop to take another photo of the view across the ridges of Bram Rigg and White Fell to Fell Head..
Following the bridleway across Rowantree Grains to Arant Haw..
Looking across the Rawthey Valley to Baugh Fell, Garsdale, and Aye Gill Pike
and back to Calders
Approaching the top of Arant Haw
Looking back to Calders from Arant Haw
Winder and the Lune Valley below. The patch of water is Killington Reservoir.
The Lake District fells to the west are getting hard to make out in the failing light
Looking across the Rawthey valley to Aye Gill Pike and Frostrow Fells, with the fell of Crook below on the right
Heading for Winder
At the toposcope and trig point on Winder
A steep descent back to Sedbergh