Start point - On old road at Mill
Side (SD 451 840)
Summits Achieved
Name
Height (ft)
Height (m)
Grid Ref
Lord's Seat on Whitbarrow
706
215
SD 4418 8705
The Walk
Three weeks earlier Dad had been
waiting just a few minutes at Levens, for Uncle Eric to arrive.
It was a nice morning so he got his camera out and snapped this
shot.
"Whats that", we
asked.
"Whitbarrow", replied Dad.
"I have not climbed that",
complained Allen, "and you promised to do Grizzly and my
outstanding Outlying Fells, so that we can all complete them
together."
So I was very happy when today Dad
said he was taking me and the rest of STAG to climb this fell.
Whitbarrow is not very high but
large in area and dominates the A590, Barrow Road. We started
from Mill Side, where the end of the fell rears up high above.
Allen said, "however will we
get up there".
Much to Allens relief, Shaun
replied " there are zigzagging paths in the woods that will
easily get us up"
So off we went along the road and
hardly had we gone any distance, when we saw this huge bear
standing guard at the entrance to a house.
He just stands there day after day,
and we reflected how lucky we were to be able to go on all these
adventures.
Soon a signpost came into view and
here Dad took the track as directed. This led through Low Fell
End Farm, and then on into the woods. The path climbed steadily
to reach a wide forest road, where we turned right. Soon a house
came into view and here Dad spotted the indistinct path climbing
steeply left. After a while this levelled off and reached another
track. Going right this soon led to a seat where there was a fine
view over the estuary. Here we turned sharp right to follow a
track that eventually was to lead us to the wide top of the scar.
However this was not before Dad had to perform a limbo act to get
past a fallen tree.
Eventually, all of a sudden we
exited the woods and the wide expanse of Whitbarrow was spread
before us. We were now in the part called Farrers Allotment,
the cairn ahead being our first objective.
Allen said, "Dad, is that the
top?"
"No Lad, there is still a long
way to go yet", Dad replied.
Despite that he did take our
picture at the cairn. This area is limestone as you can see from
the rocks.
A line of further cairns beside the
wide path marked out the route ahead, as the path undulated up
and down. Dad kept to the path and did not go near the edge. We
were very glad too, as there are dangerous and sheer crags.
As we walked along we spotted a
large building below. "Whats that?" asked Grizzly.
Dad replied, "it is
Witherslack Hall, a private school. We will get a much closer
view of it later in the walk."
Soon we reached an impressive wall
with a stile allowing access through it.
This marks the boundary of what is
called the Hervey Nature Reserve. The Lake District
Naturalists Trust was formed in 1962 largely as a result of
the efforts of Canon G A K Hervey. After his death in 1967 an
inspired proposal to acquire Flodder Allotment as a memorial to
him was brought to fruition. This area includes Lords Seat,
which is the highest part of Whitbarrow. The area was declared a
nature reserve in 1969. A visible recognition of the Canons
services to the Trust being accorded by a tablet built into the
fine new cairn at Lords Seat.
The tablet reads -
This Reserve
Commemorates
CANON G A K HERVEY
1893-1967
Founder of the
Lake District
Naturalists Trust
"Thanks", said Allen.
"That is another catch up done".
We had not seen another soul up to
then, but suddenly there were people approaching from all
directions, so Dad got our picture just in time. He kindly took
another picture for a couple on their camera. We sat nearby on
some limestone rocks eating our sandwiches, while looking at the
wonderful view over the Winster Valley and towards our beloved
Lakeland Fells.
All too soon it was time to set off
again so we hopped into Dads rucksack, and headed down, to
come beside and follow a wall to reach a stile, over which we
were on open fell again. Soon we turned left, and followed the
path as it re-crossed the wall and then descended steeply past an
old mining level and spoil heaps.
The path brought us to a gate,
beyond which the narrow path zigzagged steeply down the fell. It
eventually levelled out, continuing as a wider track through the
woodland to a narrow quiet road. Turning left we were now to
follow this for about a mile and a quarter. Fairly soon we
spotted this signpost, that made us laugh as it seemed to us to
be contradictory.
We were rather smug, but Dad soon
pointed out the error of our ways when he showed us the map. We
then humbly admitted that the sign was quite correct, as there
are in fact three parts to Low Wood, namely Low, Middle and High.
Well thats us put in our place!
Continuing along the road we
approached some buildings and then to our left spotted
Witherslack Hall that we mentioned earlier. It really is an
impressive place.
Soon the road did a double bend,
and just before this, set in the wall, was this post box. At
first glance it looked to have been installed during the reign of
Queen Elizabeth, but on closer inspection we saw that in fact it
dated from the reign of Edward VII.
As we walked along to our left
Whitbarrow towered up and we could see again those precipitous
crags.
We took a bridleway on the left,
this pleasant path eventually leading into Beck Side. Here the
road was followed to Mill Side with its charming duck pond.
Just a short walk now returned us
to the car. Although we had not been very high we had still
enjoyed wonderful views and learnt quite a lot about the area.
Thanks Dad!
As we drove off we called out
"home is left not right", but soon realised that of
course Dad was off in search of refreshment at Jane and
Sams, Hat Trick Café.
It is a wonderfully cosy place with
all sorts of interesting things to look at, from the wonderful
clocks to the many pictures and the amazing array of hats. It is
called the Hat Trick Café because it is the third such business
that Jane and Sam have run.
Here is Jane
And here we are with our friends
Citroen and Dougal.
Dad enjoyed their magnificent club
sandwich (a three-decker). We do not know how he managed to
finish it. We were a little surprised when he then went on to
have gorgeous apple crumble and cream, although Sam was not. It
goes without saying that he had a few cups of tea. Needless to
say he did not need much more food that day. Dad and Uncle Brian
come here regularly, so it comes highly recommended. A link to
their own website can be found on the Tea Stops page.