Walks ending at Staveley 12th November 2023
Staveley got its name from woodworking. Even today, the area is surrounded by woodland. Now, the Mill Yard (photo below) makes it a popular place to visit with its crafts, two cafes and home to Hawkshead Brewery. Also, it is a good place for us to end a walk. There are so many walks around Staveley that we have chosen walks for you to enjoy in 3 very different areas: Longsleddale, Kentmere and the River Kent.
The A Walk will be led by Glynis, a circular from Staveley. Approximately 11 miles and 1600ft.
We will go to Barley Bridge and walk up the road to take the footpath past Scroggs Farm and along to Low Elfhowe. We then come back onto the lane which soon becomes a track and goes up to Staveley Head Fell and then comes down to the beautiful Longsleddale valley. The path will take us along the River Sprint to Bridge End where we turn up and over the moor, to return to Staveley via Brunt Knott Farm and field paths to Barley Bridge. This is a very picturesque walk which will be especially lovely at this time of the year. It is an area which is quite remote and Longsleddale was the inspiration John Cunliffe used for the fictitious Greendale, the setting for Postman Pat.
The B walk will be led by Roger. Approximately 8.9 miles with an accumulative ascent of about 1000ft.
We start at the Watermill pub at Ings, and after crossing the main road we climb steadily up a quiet lane to the hamlet of Grassgarth then along a walled track reaching our highest point of 950ft just below Kentmere park. The path then descends to reach the picturesque Kentmere Hall, some of which dates back to the 14th Century. From here our walk takes us back passing Kentmere Tarn and follows the route of the river Kent to reach Browfoot where we follow Browfoot Lane to Scroggs bridge. We now go along past Scroggs Farm down to Barley Bridge, and a riverside walk in to Staveley.
The C walk will be led by David. Approximately 6 miles and 600ft.
Hilda is unable to lead her walk to Potter Tarn, so David will lead. Thanks to Hilda for her recce.
We start at Staveley railway crossing, and follow the footpath that takes us down to the River Kent. We will follow the river downstream to Cowan Head, admiring the weir and renovated Mill (now exclusive housing). Returning to the bridge, we begin our climb to Potter Tarn via Hagg Foot and Hundhowe. It is a 520 ft climb on easy paths, which we will take very slowly. Hilda remarks about Potter Tarn: “It was built to dam the tarn to supply the water to Croppers Paper Mill that was then situated at Cowan Head. The dam eventually failed and the mill is now situated at Burneside.”
The descent begins with one the most beautiful paths in the area, down to Frost Hole. We will follow the beck for a short distance and then across fields back down to Hagg Foot. At the bridge, we will enter the riverside woods and follow the Kent wherever we can, eventually arriving back at Staveley.