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lat/lon: 54.367039, -02.464252
OS grid ref: SD 69840 96952
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The drive to the Cross Keys via Sedbergh was dull and overcast
and when I arrived the rain started. I set off in the rain by
crossing the footbridge over the River Rawthey. |
River Rawthey |
Ford. |
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The main path continues to Cautley Spout but I soon made a
sharp turn to the right to follow the lesser and very wet path
towards Backside Beck. My route crosses the beck and there is no
bridge so I was concerned how high the level would be. I needn't
have worried as it was wide and relatively shallow but still
needed care as the rocks were slippery. |
Narthwaite |
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Through a gate and up a rough stony track I reached the farmyard
at Narthwaite. There were no vehicles or anyone around. I went
through the gate to the left to head up towards Mountain View
farm which I last visited on 29 Apr 2009. A sign said no public
access so I headed up the fellside a bit before following the
contour for a while before descending back to the track. I’d
heard a vehicle arrive at the farmyard earlier and was concerned
I may be spotted, I wasn’t seen. Further up the track I came to
Mountain View. |
Mountain View today |
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I was expecting a greater degree of deterioration inside as half
of the roof had collapsed since my last visit. My main interest
was that the film ‘B.Monkey’ was partly filmed here before the
film was released in 1998. Its described as a crime drama but I
don't think it was very good. I was able to walk inside and
photograph some of the photos I took of the filming locations. |
Film view in the kitchen. |
The kitchen 29th Apr 2009. |
The kitchen 26th July 2022. |
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The rain had now stopped so I continued up the track then turned
right and up through a gate to head directly up the west side of
Wandale Hill. The cloud began to lift and by the time I reached
the small summit cairn the cloud had mostly lifted and I had
reasonable views. There was hardly any wind. I turned NW to
start my descent and try to find a track shown on the map. |
Film scene in the living room. |
The living room 29th Apr 2009. |
The licing room 26th July 2022. |
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As the weather contin |
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Mountain View in the film c1998. |
The same view today. |
Looking south from Wandale Hill. |
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I followed the line shown on my gps screen but there was no sign
of anything on the ground. The further I descended the wetter it
got which was an interesting comparison with the same time last
week when I was walking on the Shap fells on the hottest day of
the year. I was relieved to reach the farm track on the approach
to Adamthwaite. As I approached the farm I could hear activity
and just before the farmyard the farmer was shouting to his dog
as a stray sheep ran around. |
Wandale summit cairn & rucksack. |
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A couple of children helped with the gate. He approached on his
quad bike and I had a short chat mentioning that I’d spoken to
the farmer over 10 year ago with a deerstalker hat. It was his
brother and now farmed near Penrith. He was the brother and
their father was still around. I mentioned the B.Money Film and
my visit to the ruined house earlier this morning. |
Monolith |
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Track to Wandale ruins. |
Wandale Farm ruin. |
I left them and continued along the track clinging to the steep
east side of Wandale Hill. Around half way along I reached the
ruins of Wandale Farm which must have been empty for over 100
years.
The 1851 census records show: |
| 7A Wandale - 36 acres
[1851 census] |
| John Askrigg |
45 |
Head |
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| Catharine |
44 |
Wife |
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| Margaret |
15 |
Dtr |
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| Mary |
11 |
Dtr |
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| Elizabeth |
9 |
Dtr |
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| Benjamin |
7 |
Son |
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| John |
5 |
Son |
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| Michael |
2 |
Son |
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| James |
1 |
Son |
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Thomas Jackson
Askrigg |
17 |
Son |
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Narthwaite shearing. |
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The next part of the track was a deep gully which was impassable
so I kept to the steep field adjacent. Eventually a gate
appeared and the going became much easier. Down a steep slope I
returned to the farmyard at Narthwaite which was now a centre of
great activity. Many sheep were penned off as contractors were
shearing them. I stopped for a while to speak to the farmer and
chatted about Mountain View. He said it was last lived in over
50 year ago. An old man who lived in the white house at the farm
used to live there as a child. I left them to the shearing and
descended the farm track down to the road. Nearby was a layby
where some women and children were planning a walk to Cautley
Spout. The woman said the parking area at the Cross Keys was
full and I told them this was the next nearest parking area. I
continued back down the road to my car where it was very busy
around the Inn.
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