A RAMBLE OVER
BLUECASTER from THE CROSS KEYS, CAUTLEY
Summary
Date - 7th July 2010
Distance - 4.5 miles Ascent - 770ft
Map - OL19
Start point - The Cross Keys,
Cautley (SD 698969)
Summits Achieved
Name
Height (ft)
Height (m)
Grid Ref
Bluecaster
1132
345
SD 7117 9689
Preface
Sitting in front of
Dad's laptop, Allen was looking rather glum and down in the paw,
when Grizzly trotted in.
"What's up pal?",
he asked.
"We are supposed
to be walking with Uncle Eric on Wednesday, but the weather is
not looking very promising, and I was so hoping that we would be
in the Lakes, perhaps doing one or two of my remaining
Wainwrights", Allen replied.
"There is still
plenty of time this year for you to complete them, after all you
have only four to do. Also, remember that Dad and Uncle Brian are
going to see Aunt Tish and Uncle Eddie tomorrow, which will be a
long day, so he might want to do a shorter walk", said
Grizzly.
As he was speaking
Tetley ambled in. "I heard what you said Grizzly. We still
have the Howgills challenge to complete this year, but before we
do the last three on the western side, there is the small matter
of that extra summit Dad has found in Wainwright's book."
"Oh yes, I had
forgotten about that. What a good idea", said Allen, who now
had a smile on his face.
Shaun with Little Eric
riding on his back as usual, now trotted in. "Dad is on the
phone to Uncle Eric about Wednesday. so we won't have long to
wait to find out where we are going."
Shortly after Dad came
in and said, "despite the weather being a little doubtful
Uncle Eric and I have decided the walk is on for Wednesday, and
we are going to climb Bluecaster, that extra top in Wainwright's
Howgill book.
"You were right
Tetley", cried Allen. "Roll on Wednesday."
The Walk
Wednesday dawned, and the weather
was dry in Morecambe as we jumped into the car for the drive to
Uncle Eric's. As we headed north there were a few showers and the
cloud was quite low, so it was as well that we had decided not to
go onto the higher fells today. Uncle Eric had planned the route,
starting from the Cross Keys Temperance Inn at Cautley. The walk
itself was quite short by our standards, and so the plan was for
Uncle Eric and Dad to have lunch here afterwards. We noted that
there was a shop too selling snacks and drinks, where we could
get our lunches. It was raining when we arrived, but the shower
passed over, and as the day wore on it brightened up and became
dry.
The earliest records of The Cross
Keys, show a Thomas Bland as the occupant in 1619, although as it
looks today is the result of extensions in the mid 17th, and
early 18th and 19th centuries. Prior to becoming an Inn, in the
early 1700s, it was a small farmhouse, known as High Haygarth.
The most influencing chapter of The Cross Keys was when it sold
alcohol, which stopped short following an incident when the
Landlord was tragically drowned after attempting to assist a
customer home from the Inn. It was subsequently sold to Mrs.
Edith Bunney, who removed the liquor licence in 1902, and since
then it has been a Temperance Inn. She then willed the property
to The National Trust in memory of her sister Miss Mary Blanche
Hewetson. Much more about the facilities on offer at the Inn and
its history can be found at, www.cautleyspout.co.uk
From the rear is the magnificent
view along the valley to Cautley Spout, a waterfall that drops in
several sections about 700ft in total, the highest single leap
being about 90ft. To the left is the dark Cautley Crag backed by
the peak Great Dummacks, while on the right rises Yarlside with
Ben End set below. We were not venturing here today, but Shaun,
Tetley and Dad had descended the path by the fall in August 2003,
when he took this picture.
Excellent food is served at The
Cross Keys, including ham and eggs, as noted on the sign as you
approach from Sedbergh.
"I bet that is what Dad ends
up having for lunch", remarked Tetley.
"You're probably right, as it
is one of his favourite meals", agreed Grizzly.
A further few yards south along the
road brought us to a gate on the left signed 'FP to Fell'.
An intermittent path led up through
a gate by a building called High House, then on to a further gate
that led to open fell and up to a track that runs from the narrow
road at Bluecaster Side to Rawthey Bridge. This was once the
Cautley road, until 1819 when it was realigned to run as it does
today at a lower level.
Turning right, we walked to the
building of Bluecaster Side, protected on its northern side by
these beautiful trees.
Going left a narrow trod led over
the open fell. This soon petered out, and we continued in an
easterly direction over the rough grassy terrain, before turning
north to the cairned summit of Bluecaster.
As we scrambled out of the rucksack
to sit on the cairn, Tetley, cried, "get the camera out Dad."
With the clouds having lifted, we
were able to appreciate the extensive views. To the south the
massive bulk of Baugh Fell dominates, while west and north is the
main Howgill massif - Great Dummacks, Cautley Spout, Yarlside,
Kensgriff, Green Bell, Wandale Hill and in this picture below,
Harter Fell.
We now had to make for Rawthey
Bridge. This involved descending roughly north, to join the track
walked earlier, but at its northern extremity. A gate allowed
access to the road, just south of the bridge. The headwaters of
the River Rawthey are at Rawthey Gill Foot, where Rawthey Gill,
whose own source is a confluence of small streams at Gill Head
close to the summit of East Baugh Fell, meets Haskhaw Gill. It
then runs along the valley, being joined by the Clough River from
Garsdale, and the River Dee close to Sedbergh, running round the
east and south of the town. Soon then it joins the River Lune at
Stangerthwaite.
"Which way now?", said
Allen.
"Looks like we cross the
bridge and then just a few yards on take the footpath on the left",
replied Shaun consulting the map.
A substantial stone step stile gave
access to the path that descended to shortly cross Sally Beck by
the footbridge.
The path meandered across pasture
and through the edge of the woodland of Murthwaite Park, above
the rushing River Rawthey, at times so close to the edge of the
steep river bank that care was necessary to avoid falling into
the river.
Now, on the latter stages, we had
reason to be thankful for the dry weather, as two fords had to be
crossed, which would have presented some difficulties if the
becks had been in spate. Of course we are the lucky ones, being
safely tucked in Dad's rucksack, but nevertheless we did not want
Dad and Uncle Eric to get wet feet. The first was at Wandale Beck,
that both us with Dad, and Uncle Eric had been to before.
This picture is looking back after
Dad had crossed. It is deeper than it looks and would certainly
have come over the tops of their boots. Dad used protruding
stones and others just below the surface to reach the gates, then
utilised their bars to get to the left gate (right side as you
look at the picture), before climbing over.
The path, now the bridleway from
Murthwaite, continued over fields, to a gate and the access track,
that we followed to the buildings of Narthwaite. A number of
paths meet here, and Uncle Eric said we should go left, but Dad
thought it was straight ahead. Dad's route was followed, but
after a little way it was obvious that he was wrong and Uncle
Eric right. So, we had to walk back, Dad apologising unreservedly!
The correct path led through part of the farm yard, down to a
gate and along a track to another gate, and the ford on Backside
Beck. Low due to the dry weather, Dad picked his way carefully
across, Uncle Eric following in his footsteps.
The track now led us along under
the very lowest slopes of Ben End. Many sheep were grazing, some
being our lovely Herdwicks. When this shorn ewe and lamb posed,
Dad could not as usual resist getting the camera out. He has
asked us very nicely, so we have agreed that the picture can be
included in the story.
Soon we branched off left, down to
the footbridge over the River Rawthey.
Climbing steeply, we were, in a few
yards at the road and the car. Thanks Dad.
Lunchtime now. After we had been to
the shop at The Cross Keys, we settled in the car to have a
picnic. Meanwhile Dad and Uncle Eric went to have a full meal.
"I wonder what Dad will have
to drink", mused Little Eric.
Sarsaparilla, of course",
replied Allen. "He just loves it".
He was so right too. Uncle Eric had
ginger beer. Then to eat they had the gammon ham (16oz), two eggs,
pineapple, chips, peas and salad. It was a huge plateful, but
clean plates were returned to the kitchen, a fact that the
waitress commented on. Then tea to follow. A lovely meal! Not
surprisingly neither needed any more food today. A visit here is
highly recommended.