RESTON SCAR & HUGILL FELL from STAVELEY

 


Summary

Date - 1st August 2018 Distance - 2.5 miles
Ascent -
790ft
Map - OL7
Start point - Parking at Barley Bridge (SD 4696 9879)

 

Summits Achieved

Name Height (ft) Height (m) Grid Ref
Reston Scar 834 255 SD 4601 9879
Hugill Fell 853 260 SD 4622 9941

 

Preface

"Phew", exclaimed Tetley. "It has been so so hot. Too much for me really."

"True pal", replied Allen. "Just glad that it has now cooled down a lot.

"Let's hope that is the end of it too, so that we can perhaps go for a walk", went on Southey. "I can fully understand why Dad has not taken us out."

"That and the fact that his ankle has been playing up, and Uncle Dennis told him to rest", replied Allen.

Just then Shaun, Little Eric & Grizzly arrived with the cake and tea.

"Ooh great!", cheered Allen, dashing off with Southey to get the plates and mugs.

Allen then lent a paw to help Shaun to fill the mugs and pass them round. "Thanks pal", said Shaun.

Meanwhile Grizzly announced, "Little Eric has made chocolate caramel shortbread, and I have done cherry and ginger scones. There is butter and raspberry jam too."

So we all helped ourselves.

"Mmm the caramel shortbread is absolutely scrumptious ", said Tetley.

"As are the scones too", breathed Allen.

"Your welcome pals", replied Little Eric. "I love baking. I find it so therapeutic."

"Me too", agreed Grizzly.

"I have been talking to Dad", said Shaun. "He wants to take us walking next Wednesday."

"Great" cheered Southey.

"The plan is to do just a short walk with some moderate climbing to test out his ankle", Shaun went on.

"Some Outlyers, perhaps", suggested Little Eric.

"Good idea", agreed Tetley.

"Some I have not done, please", implored Southey.

"Well let's go to Staveley and do Reston Scar and Hugill Fell", suggested Allen. "They are now a round walk, since the CRoW Act."

From the doorway, a voice said, "that will do fine."

Little Eric jumped and looking round said, "I did not see you there, Dad."

"Sorry to make you jump lad."

Then we all called out, "yippee here's to Wednesday."

Shaun then added, "some tea and cake?"

"Yes please", replied Dad.

"No surprise there", laughed Tetley.

 

 

The Walk

For once we did not have to get up early and there was no need to pack a picnic, being such a short walk. As Dad slammed the hatch of the car shut we trotted out and settled on the front seat.

Turning off the A591 towards Staveley, Southey asked, "where do we park.

"By the river just beyond Barley Bridge on the road to Kentmere", replied Shaun.

While Dad got ready, we looked out across the River Kent that was flowing languidly by

"What a lovely pastoral scene" mused Grizzly. "All we need is for Dad to be playing Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony on the radio."

Our reverie was broken by Dad saying, "right lads I'm ready."

So we quickly settled in the rucksack, Shaun saying, "we have to walk towards Staveley and very soon turn off to the right."

This was clearly signed to our initial destination...

..along a clear wide track.

The route appeared to be through the gate, but this actually gives access to the house. Instead it was through a gate on the left to continue along the walled way, through two more gates. Then climbing the stone step stile the path was narrow between hedges, to emerge via gate by a house at a wide track.

"We go right", instructed Shaun.

The gradient steepened, the track zig zagging up the fell.

Staveley was laid out below, Allen saying "that will make a nice picture Dad."

The climb continued to a gate. Beyond Shaun called out, "it's left through that gateless gap."

Here a wide grassy track led us unerringly towards Reston Scar summit.

"Kemp Tarn lies just off the path to the right", commented Little Eric. "Let's go and have a look."

"OK", replied Dad, heading off over the rough ground.

It was not far and here is what we saw.

"Well", said Tetley. "I suppose this is hardly surprising, after all the hot dry weather."

On the path again, just a minute later Southey called out, "look at that sheep with her lamb. Surely a picture for the story."

"Humph", grunted Allen. "You are winding me up again. Well that's the only sheep picture for this story!"

The summit of Reston Scar was now in sight...

...and on reaching the cairn. Southey said excitedly, "come on pals, picture time.

"Will you please take the view towards the Lakeland Fells?", asked Grizzly.

"Sure lad.

The A591 can be seen winding its way first through the village of Ings and them on towards Windermere. The misty mountains in the distance are the Coniston fells.

Before setting off Allen explained to Southey. "When AW first wrote is Outlying Fells book, the only way to get to Hugill Fell was to descend back to Staveley, then further along the road to Kentmere and go off left up the fell by a bungalow. Since the CRoW Act more of the land has been opened up and so we can now make it a circular walk."

"Right" replied Southey. "Thanks for the explantation."

"So", said Shaun, "It's down to that gate and then follow the path through the young woodland."

After a while it meandered left to a kissing gate then on to ascend steeply.

At the brow Dad turned left to for the short climb to the bare summit at 273m.

"Yippee", cried Southey, "that's the two Outliers ticked off."

"Well.. no", replied Allen. "This is the highest point and would have been the summit in Wainwrights day, if only this had not been private land."

"Oh heck", said Southey disappointedly.

"Never mind pal, on our descent route we will get to the Wainwright summit.

"OK", he replied brightly, but I think we should have our picture taken here as well.

"This is a good vantage point", commented Grizzly. "That's the Williamson Monument on High Knott."

"Indeed", agreed Tetley. "That last time we tried to climb to it we got stopped by the farmer, because the land is private. Still we have all been there before. Apart for you Southey."

"Well as I am not intending to do all the Outlying Fells it does not matter."

Looking more right, Little Eric said, "and that's a fine view of Kentmere."

"Yes", replied Allen. "It's a long time since we did that round."

"July 2006", replied Tetley.

"What a memory you have, pal", said Grizzly.

Setting off, we rejoined the main path that led to a kissing gate at a wall corner. Beyond followed the clear path that led to the ridge of rock surmounted by a cairn that is the Wainwright Outlier summit of Hugill Fell.

"Now you have bagged both the summits", Tetley said to Southey.

"Time for our picture too", he said.

"You know" said Grizzly. "I recall the cairn was more like a tower, when we last came here."

"I have to agree pal", added Allen.

So when we got back we looked up the picture taken on 5th April 2009 that confirms this.

Continuing the descent the path led quite steeply down to a gate by the bungalow and along the access to the road, where we turned right to follow it to the car.

"How's your ankle?", asked Little Eric.

"Mostly OK, so I am obviously on the mend. Thanks for asking."

"Nice little excursion, Dad", said Tetley. "Thank you as always for taking us."

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