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Borrowdale, Bretherdale and Roundthwaite Common. Wed 05 Oct 2005 |
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The weather report for Cumbria was clear skies all morning. The reality was overcast and very dull, but at least it wasn't raining. I parked in the lay-by at Huck's Bridge on the A6 with a view of the long climb of Shap ahead. Prior to the M6 this was the main route into and out of Scotland. I'd looked up the Breasthigh Road on a previous walk and wondered what it was like. So now I was about to find out. I followed the north bank of Borrow Beck for a while, passing some serious bank erosion, before starting up the 'road' It's hardly a road now, just a track with signs that it once had a lot more importance than it does now. The gradient was steady and the climb was easy and pleasant. |
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Although I could see a fair way the cloudy overcast conditions meant the distant views were quite hazy. At the summit I could see a faint trail winding off to the SE and heading for Whinash. But I wanted to see what the valley of Bretherdale looked like so I started my descent of the far side of the pass. Part way down I came across a large JCB excavator parked by the trail. Its tracks were all grassed over and it had obviously been there for a long time. I wonder who can afford to have such a large and expensive piece of machinery just standing there doing noting? |
| The valley ahead did not look picturesque or inviting. As I reached the surfaced road I saw the buildings of Bretherdale Head to my left. They looked dilapidated, unoccupied and in a state of decay. Walking down the road to Midwath Stead I came upon some occupied buildings. One looked reasonable but the rest were fairly unattractive. Before Bretherdale Hall I turned right to follow a forestry track through pine forests. Many blown down trees obstructed the first part of the track. They had been uprooted and not cut down. Presumably they met their fait during the gales earlier in the year. Once clear of the trees I headed steeply up the fell side towards Whinash summit. It was an enjoyable climb, which eased as I got higher. The views opened up nicely but the dull light didn't show them at their best. The summit at 471m was totally featureless, not even a cairn. This would be a miserable place in bad weather. | |
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My next objective was Winterscleugh and after a while I picked up a sort of path where a quad bike had left it's mark. These farmers' quad bike tracks mostly seem to follow the route that I would take as a walker. I find them quite helpful, as they are easy to see and help me avoid bad ground. |
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Winterscleugh had a small cairn and nearby an abandoned television aerial! A cable lead from it and then down the fell side, presumably to Low Borrowdale in the valley bottom. At Belt Howe I picked up the main track back down in to Borrowdale. It was well engineered on the descent and must have had a lot of importance in the past. 4 wild ponies meandered around as I left the pass summit. |
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Lower Borrowdale Farm is still there and working away. Further up the valley is High Borrowdale, a ruin for many years and recently stabilised by volunteer workers. A lot of tree planting has been done in the area and also rebuilding of dry-stone walls. |
 The stabilised ruin of Higher Borrowdale Farm |
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