Stennerskeugh, Wild Boar Fell, Sand Tarn, Cumbria
[ 15 km] Wed 23 May 2012

SD 7284 9928
Drove to Gillbeck Bridge at Fell End to the NE of Sedbergh. It was a nice sunny morning when I arrived and I parked outside the old Quaker Burial ground which is a walled enclosure behind the wall. Access is through a pedestrian gate and at one time there was a sign to say what it was but it has now gone. I walked along the road to the NE in the pleasant morning sun. I joined the main A683 as far as the right turn off to Stennerskeugh.

The minor road leads to a dead end but on the way were a set of large entrance gates, apparently leading nowhere. I walked to the left and over the wall could see a stone castellated building. Peering over it looked like just a façade and was probably a folly. It is next to the building called Hwith. This sounds like a strange name but it turns out it is derived from initial letters of the Christian names of John Hewetson and his brothers in sequence of their births - Henry, William, John, Thomas and Humphrey. ('J' is often written as 'I' in carved initials in the 17th and 18th century.
Thanks to Kath's Korner website for the name initials information.

The mansion of Hwith was demolished in 1927 and the remaining buildings are hidden behind high walls.

I followed the ‘Pennine Bridleway’ sign up a narrow stony lane which the map calls Clouds Lane. The sign also said ‘Mallestang 5.’ The walled stretch of lane emerged to open land at a gate and then the track gradient levelled off and wandered by old working and spoil heaps then across Scandal Beck and up to High Dolphinsty.

A substantial path descended to Mallerstang but I took the rising path to the south which headed up to the summit of Wild Boar Fell. There were nice views both sides as I walked by Scriddles and Blackbed Scar. I continued to the shelter wall at Yoadacomb Scar then headed SW along the fence line.

The weather was now quite warm and clouds of annoying flies rose from the grass as I passed. I left the fence at the western end of the fell where there were a succession of tall stone cairns. I followed them NE then across some old quarry workings to the Trig Point. Then I descended Sandtarn Riggs down to the tarn. This is one of those hidden gems. The tarn sits in a slight depression and can only be seen from a small area of the west side of Wild Boar Fell. However, on the bank just above the tarn it is possible to see all around with magnificent views if the weather is clear.

I started my descent to the west by Forcepot Syke and via some old quarry workings to a large area of limestone escarpment called Fell End Clouds.

To the SW of these I crossed some grassland, through a gate to an old barn then down Doven Gill and back to the road and car.