Meet time 10:00 am
Start time 10:15 am
(Estimated finish time 15:00)
Grading: Leisurely
Distance: 7 miles / 11.3 km
Ascent: Approx. 200m
Start point: red phone box in the village of Orton (just opposite the George Hotel) grid reference NY622082
Postcode: CA10 3RJ (this is the postcode of the George Hotel)
Car parking: plenty of on street parking all around Orton and a small car park next to the chocolate factory (free of charge)
It is the responsibility of each walker to make sure they understand where to park. If you are not sure where the car parking/meeting point is, you must contact the walk leader at the latest the day before the walk. You should not rely on mobile phones or postcodes. There is often no mobile reception near walk meeting points and postcodes are for the nearest place nearby but should only serve as a guideline. Please allow plenty of time to find a parking space so that walks can start promptly.
Description:
This walk is a chance to discover part of the Westmorland Dales, starting from the village of Orton, we will first make our way up to Orton Scar, passing by a small monument (the cross marks the location of a beacon lit in 1887 to mark the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria), we will wander over Orton Scar and Great Asby Scar National Nature Reserve before making our way up to the summit of Knott. It is an easy walk with 360 degree views towards the Howgills in the south, Lake District fells in the west, Lyvennet Valley to the north and distant Pennines in the east. The sheep fields we will walk through around Orton village can be very muddy, but once we reach Orton Scar and higher ground, it will be nice and dry underfoot.
Please contact Nathalie on number removed by 10pm on Saturday 15 January if you are coming on this walk (text or phone only, I am not on Facebook). This walk is suitable for dogs but please make sure you keep your dog under control.
Please check the weather and bring appropriate clothing (waterproofs and spare warm clothing), footwear and enough food and water. The leader reserves the right to turn away any walker not suitably equipped. The leader may cancel the walk or modify the route dependent on conditions.
We strongly advise walkers to carry hand sanitiser. Please carry a mask in your bag in case it is needed. Car sharing is now possible – please contact the walk leader to arrange.
New members: please note the walk leader may ask for more information about your walking experience. This is to ensure you have the fitness required to complete the walk that is planned safely.
More walk description details:
Starting at the red telephone box (NY622082), with your back to the George Hotel, cross the road and take the footpath behind the bus shelter. This footpath goes along the playground and over 2 small footbridges.
Just after the second small footbridge, cross the road and take the footpath directly opposite you, signposted ‘Street Lane’.
Once you reach Street Lane (at NY629083), turn left and follow the lane up all the way to Scar Side (careful not to confuse this with Scarside!)
When you reach the house called Scar Side, follow the road (past a couple other houses) which bears right and take the footpath (at NY633091) on your left just after that group of houses, it is signposted ‘Access to Monument’. There will now be about 120m of ascent to reach the cross.
Keep following the path up the side of the fell, until you reach a crossroads with a signpost showing 4 different directions (this is at NY641097).
At this crossroads, take the footpath going north, when the path forks, bear left and it will take you to a metal gate in a stone wall.
Go through the metal gate and turn left, walk west for 500m along the footpath, keeping the wall on your left and you will reach the monument. We should reach this point around 11:30/11:45.
With your back to the monument and Orton village, take the grassy footpath ahead of you. Going north across Orton Scar. Stay on this large grassy path until it ends when it reaches a stone/tarmac track (at NY638107).
Turn right (heading east) onto that stone/tarmac track and follow it until you reach a stone wall (at NY 643104), then turn left, following the wall (which is now on your right) for about 500m. There will then be a gate in that wall on your right, which takes you into Great Asby Scar National Nature Reserve (dogs are allowed in at this time of year).
Go through the gate into the Reserve and just follow the main path through, heading south then south-west. You will reach another gate, go through it and follow the large grassy footpath which takes you back to a familiar spot, the crossroads with a signpost with 4 different directions (at NY638107).
Go through the gate signposted ‘Knott Lane’, turn left immediately after going through the gate and follow the wall (which is always on your left). We now have 60m of ascent to get to the summit of Knott. Because of the limestone pavement, it is much easier to walk alongside the wall, till your reach the trigpoint marking the summit of Knott (hopefully around 1pm).
With your back to the trigpoint and the wall you followed up to this summit, take the faint grassy footpath ahead of you, it does tend to disappear, just keep heading south-west, you will go past a couple of short trees (there are very few of them on this summit!) and keep going south-west, you will reach 3 cairns. From the cairns, keep heading downhill and south-west then you will shortly reach the footpath to Knott Lane that runs alongside the wall.
Go through the large gate, onto Knott Lane, but not for long. At NY 640093, leave Knott Lane, turn right, follow the footpath sign to ‘Scarside’.
Once you reach the lane, turn right, past the farm buildings of Scarside, just after the farm, there is a footpath on your left signposted ‘Street Lane’ (at NY637086).
Once you reach Street Lane, turn left and follow the lane downhill for just 125m, then take the footpath on your right (at NY62983), back to Orton village. This is the same footpath we originally took at the start of this walk.