Transport
All sections of the Lune Valley are readily accessible from the M6 motorway, and Lancaster, Oxenholme (on the eastern fringe of Kendal) and Penrith stations are all on the West Coast line.
Local bus services visit some villages, but rural timetables are not always geared to the needs of walkers, and it is as well to check details in advance (www.traveline.org.uk).
If you travel by car, be aware that the lanes of the area are generally narrow, winding and occasionally steep and were never intended for today’s traffic. Extra care is needed as slow-moving farm vehicles, animals, pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists may lie around any corner. Wherever possible use official car parks, but if none is available, park considerately and ensure that you do not obstruct field or farm access or cause damage to the verge.
Farmers have their ways and means of herding sheep – you never know what might be round the next bend in the road (Walk 19)
Accommodation and facilities
Hotels, bed and breakfast and self-catering cottages are widely available at the main centres of Lancaster, Kirkby Lonsdale and Sedbergh, as well as in many of the villages. There is also a good selection of camping and caravan sites. (For websites giving accommodation details, see Appendix C.) The many local pubs, restaurants and cafés offer appetising menus, often based around locally produced foods and specialities. There are banks and post offices at the main centres, but several hamlets have regrettably lost all their services, including the local shop and pub. As elsewhere in the country, mobile phone coverage is biased towards centres of population, and in the hill areas reception can be patchy.
The tiny hamlet of Aughton (Walk 32)
Navigation and maps
The mapping extracts (1:50,000) accompanying each walk in this guide indicate the outline of the route and are not intended as a substitute for taking the map itself with you. The context of the wider area given by the larger scale (1:25,000) OS Explorer maps will not only add to the enjoyment of identifying neighbouring hills and other features, but is vital should you wander off course or need to find an alternative way back. Reference to the route description and appropriate map will avoid most navigational difficulties, but on upland routes competence in the use of a compass is necessary, particularly if there is a risk of poor visibility.
A view across the foot of Lunesdale from a splendid stone stile (Walk 5)
A GPS receiver (and spare batteries) can be a useful additional aid, but you should know how to use it and be conscious of its shortcomings. Be aware of your own limitations and do not start out if anticipated conditions are likely to be beyond your experience. If the weather unexpectedly deteriorates, always be prepared to turn back.
The area is covered by Ordnance Survey maps at both 1:25,000 and 1:50,000 scales, but the larger scale shows a greater detail that is often invaluable.
The Ordnance Survey Explorer maps for the walks in this guide are listed below.
OL19 (Howgill Fells and Upper Eden Valley)
OL7 (The English Lakes, South Eastern area)
OL2 (Yorkshire Dales, Southern and Western areas)
OL41 (Forest of Bowland and Ribblesdale)
296 (Lancaster, Morecambe and Fleetwood)
Planning your walk
Safety
None of the routes described in this book is technically demanding, but be aware that after very heavy rain rivers and streams can flood, rendering paths beside them temporarily impassable. A handful of walks venture onto upland moors, where paths may be vague or non-existent and conditions can be very different from those experienced in the valley. The weather can rapidly deteriorate at any time of year and inexperienced walkers should be aware that it is easy to become disorientated in mist.
Walking with a companion can add to the enjoyment of the day and provide an element of safety. If you venture out alone, it is a good idea to notify someone of your intended route and return time, rather than leave a note on the dashboard of your car as an open invitation to a thief.
Following the simple and common-sense advice below will help ensure that you get the best out of the day.
Timings
Plan your walk in advance, bearing in mind your own and your companions’ capabilities and the anticipated weather conditions for the day. The times given in the box at the start of each walk are based on distance (2½ miles per hour) and height gain (1 minute per 10m of ascent), but make no allowance for rest or photographic stops along the way. They are provided merely as a guide, and in practice your own time may significantly differ, depending upon your level of fitness, ability to cope with the terrain and other factors such as weather.
Heading towards Arant Haw in the Howgills under glowering skies (Walk 15)
Gradient, poor conditions underfoot and lousy weather can add considerably to both time and effort. If you are new to walking, begin with some of the shorter or less demanding walks to gain a measure of your performance.
Footpaths and tracks
The network of public footpaths and tracks in the area is extensive, and signposts and waymarks are generally well positioned to confirm the route. On the upper moors, and indeed across many of the valley meadows, the actual line of the path is not always distinct, but the way is often discernible along a ‘trod’. Defined as a ‘mark made by treading’, a trod, by its nature, becomes increasingly obvious the more it is walked, and indeed may develop over time as a path. But on the upper slopes it is a less tangible thing – a slight flattening of the grass punctuated by an occasional boot print. A trod may differ from a sheep track only in that it has purposeful direction, and an element of concentration is often required to stay on the right course.
Clothing and footwear
Wear appropriate clothing and footwear and carry a comfortable rucksack. The variability of British weather can pack all four seasons into a single day – sun, rain, wind and snow, with the temperature bobbing up and down like a yo-yo. All this makes deciding what to wear potentially difficult, but the best advice is to be prepared for everything, and with today’s technical fabrics this is not as hard as it may seem.
Lightweight jackets and trousers can be both windproof and waterproof, without being too cumbersome should the weather improve. Efficient underlayers of manmade fabric wick away the damp to keep you warm and dry, and throwing in an extra fleece takes up little extra room. Good quality socks will help keep feet comfortable and warm, and don’t forget gloves and a hat. In summer, a sun hat and lotion offer protection against UV, and shorts aren’t always a good idea, particularly where there are nettles and brambles.
Whether you choose leather or fabric boots is a matter of personal preference, but ensure that they are waterproof rather than merely water-resistant. Boots should, of course, be comfortable