Our source for these walks has been Alfred
Wainwrights book "Walks on the Howgill Fells and adjoining
fells". As the
walks have been done, other tops not specifically included by
Wainwright have been crossed or others were noted from the maps
and detours made to take them in. As well as the actual Howgill
Massive (44 tops), the listing includes certain fells in the
Mallerstang/Garsdale/Rawthey triangle and some fells to the west
of the M6 mainly above the Borrowdale Valley. Most of these were
included by Wainwright in his book, although we have added some
further tops. In all a total of 66. This can be said to be a
comprehensive listing, but not necessarily definitive.
The listing
below shows all the fells and the dates climbed by our club, and
by which club members. Dad started his challenge to climb all these
fells in the pre-Stag days, so we must say a big thank you to him
for revisiting some 18
summits during 2010, so that we all completed this goal on the
same day. Our intention to climb all 66 fells was realised on 3rd
November 2010, when we reached the summit of Linghaw.
Little Eric,
who only joined us in March 2008 still had some 12 summits to
achieve to complete the challenge, and this was realised on 9th June 2013, when he reached the summit of Langdale Knott.
Currently the
individual climbed status of each member is :-
Shaun - 66
Tetley - 66
Allen - 66
Grizzly - 66
Eric - 66
Last updates -9th June 2013 - Langdale Knott from Raisgill Hall
So the momentous day arrived for Little Eric, as by reaching the summit of Langdale Knott, he would complete the Howgill challenge, so catching up with the rest of us. This week has been summer at last with warm temperatures and blue skies, but today as we approached Tebay on the M6, there was a little rain shower, but that was all the rain we saw today. It had been bright sun and warm at home, but when we arrived ar Raisgill Bridge to park the temp was 10 degrees. Still it did soon warm up with the sunny periods, Dad was able to walk in t-shirt and shorts for the first time since I cannot remember when! The actual walk starts in the hamlet of Longdale, but the school referred to by Wainwright is long gone, so it is not really possible to park there now, so we use the pull in by Raisgill Hall instead. From here walked along the road, to cross the main road and walk into Gaisgill, then taking the single track road to the hamlet of Longdale. Here, as Wainwright instructs, we walked along the lane to Town Head, where presented with the two gates we took the one on the left, on to Cowbound Lane that soon swung right and climbed. A rough grassy track boggy in places and I bet horrible to walk along after lots of rain, like last year. It is walled for part of the way then open to the right and then walled again. At its end passed through the gate, on to open fell. Here went right by the wall dropping down to a valley and walking along the stoney track. After about half a mile or so, we went left on a vague path to join, after a while, a clear tractor track that climbed steadily to the summit of Langdale Knott with its tiny cairn. "Yippee!" shouted Little Eric, waving his stick in the air. "I've done it!" "Congratulations pal", we responded, shaking his paw. He then had his picture taken on his own with the book open at the appropriate page and then with us all. There are fine views of the central Howgill Fells from here-dramatic, and we spent some time naming them, with the help of the map. Then Dad walked on leaving us sitting at the cairn and guarding the rucksack etc to get a picture of the deep and lonely Langdale Valley that cuts through the centre of the massif. That done, we sat at the top for a while having an early lunch and looking at the view. So peaceful, only the tweeting of the birds breaking the silence. The only other walkers we saw today were four climbing the adjacent ridge of West Fell. So, reluctantly we headed down the clear tractor track to finally reach Archer Hill Farm. Away on either side there were the sad ruins of buildings that were once houses. Here we joined road again and walked down to Cotegill Farm and on along the road. The intention had been to follow AW's walk back to Longdale, but Shaun noticed an alternate route on new ground for us all that would bring us to the car instead. So we went right off the road, then crossed the main road and walked the grassy bridleway to Kelleth, involving crossing an old but substantial footbridge over the River Lune. At the road (the original before the one built on the old railway track) we went left. Lovely with the verges abounding with flowers and fields yellow with buttercups. Passed Rayne Farm and then on to Rayne Bridge, where just before we took the footpath right through an iron gate. Climbed the pasture by the fence and so to a gate in the wall. Then on keeping in the same direction all the way, using the stone step stiles over the walls, passing above Marl Crag and so finally to Raisgill Hall. Had to deal with some inqusitive young cattle, but Dad got over the stile before they got to us. Then is was just through the farm to the car. So now in need of food, Dad went to Elaine's. Well he kidded himself that it was on the way home - well sort of in a wide circle! Nice for Dad to see everyone. The cafe had been extremely busy again, but there were spare tables when Dad got there about 15.00. Megan took the order. He had lovely meat and potato pie with mash and vegs served in a separate dish, personally by Elaine, and with Sheila bringing the red cabbage. What service and attention he received. Then apple crumble and custard and tea of course. He had taken our pal Snowdrift, who is Sheila's favourite. She was very pleased and naturally he got fussed. A grand day out, and a special day for Little Eric who is a proud bear!
1st June 2013 - Wild Boar Fell & Swarth Fell from Cotegill Bridge
Dad said that he had to get up on the hills again after all the valley walking, if nothing else to prove he can still do it, which was in my opinion never in doubt. We suggested, for our pal Little Eric's sake, moving on his Howgill challenge, to which Dad readily agreed. These fells are not actually in the Howgill massif, but are part of those included in the challenge, as they are in the Wainwright book of 'Walks in the Howgills and adjoining fells'. So with a good forecast - no rain and sunny periods but a cool wind, we set off, taking about an hour so to the start at Cotegill Bridge in Mallerstang, a truly lovely drive. Strolled along the road to Aisgill Farm, then took the track left that climbed under the viaduct and on to a gate to open fell. Here it was right on a faint path close to the wall, until this turned down to the valley. All along Wild Boar Fell dominated the view to the left, while to the right there were dramatic views across the valley to High Seat etc, and we recalled the day we walked that ridge as well as Wild Boar Fell, with Uncle Bob. Bearing slightly left we now followed the line Angerholme Pots. These are potholes and sink holes, some large and deep, hence why they have been fenced off. Inside one was a lamb - we could only guess that it had jummped over the fence to end up inside. At the end of the pots we then continued on by some limestone pavement to join the bridleway from Mallerstang to Stennerskeugh, climbing it to the ridge. Then left along the ridge, climbing steadily across the grassy terrain, the final section being steepest that brought us to the cairn on the Nab. Here went right to the summit seen a bit distantly to the west. This is a shelter and trig column, on which we had our photo taken. Then sat on convenient shelf in the shelter wall for a bite to eat. Here we saw the only other walker to talk to today, and who we were to see later at Swarth Fell Pike, as he was doing the same route. Now headed south-west to climb a gate in the fence, and then follow the long path round and down to the col with a little tarn, before climbing to Swarth Fell with its large cairn making the summit. From here and before there were extensive views to the ridge on other side of valley, the valley itself, Howgill Fells and Lakeland. Wonderful! Then we followed the clear path to Swarth Fell Pike, whose top is wide and flat making the summit hard to determine. There is a trig ring but this is buried somewhere amongst the grass. The OS map shows the spot height on the left of the fence in direction we had approached, so we sat for our photo on a rock with a few stones adjacent to the larger cairn on other side of fence. It was here that Dad chatted to the gentleman, who like us loves this area and the Howgills for their solitude. Took path left descending steeply at first (hard on Dad's knees), then drifted left to cross and descend by Far Cote Gill, to the quarry. Fenced off so had to descend and cross Near Cote Gill to make the short walk to stile onto the road. A good day and now Little Eric has just Langdale Knott to complete the Howgill challenge! Dad promises he will do this soon for him. Dad needed sustenance, and despite the distance he went to Elaine's at Feizor. Well where else is there, as Dad said. She was pleased to see him and he got to chat to her and Sheila, when the cafe had quietened a bit. He told us that he had the delicious cheese and onion pie with chips and beans, then apple and rapsberry pie with custard and a refreshing pot of tea. Lovely! Then a very happy band we headed home to tell our pals all about our adventure.