A Riverside Ramble from Sedbergh.

Start. Sedbergh.

Route. Sedbergh - A684 (Hawes Road) - New Bridge - River Rawthey - Millthrop Bridge - Dent Road - Birks - A683 (Kirkby Lonsdale Road) - Brigflatts - Birks - Birks House - Pepperpot - Akay Wood - Dent Road - Winder House - Vicarage Lane - Sedbergh.

Notes. The mind was willing but the body objected, the exertions of yesterday had took there toll, my knees aren't what they used to be, walking uphill through so much soft ground had upset the blighters. At five in the morning they refused to bend, by eight they were in motion, by ten I was loading the car for a short level ramble out of Sedbergh.

From Sedbergh I made my way along the Hawes Road exiting it at New Bridge, the east bank of the River Rawthey then ushered me passed a weir and salmon leap, the weir creates a pool which used to feed the head race that powered the machinery at Millthrop Mill, after the weir the path continued to Millthrop Bridge where I stepped onto the tarmac of the Dent Road. I continued along the Dent Road until a finger-post invited me to Birks, I rambled through fields way-marked paths keeping me on track, soon I reached a fine footbridge spanning the River Rawthey, I crossed then continued following the river down stream.

Birks was once an industrial place, there’s a mill here complete with weir and overgrown head race. The path followed the head race back into green fields, I strolled passed the confluence of the Rivers Rawthey and Dee, crossed a disused railway line then continued through fields until stepping onto the busy Kirkby Lonsdale Road, I turned right. The short stretch of road walking that followed deposited me at a narrow lane, a road sign invited me to Brigflatts. There’s a lovely old Quaker meeting house down the lane, a must visit, there is also a path cutting through more fields, that was my route back but first a visit to the Friends Meeting House. I had intended to sit in the garden, have a brew, it’s a lovely tranquil place but there was a few people milling around, as I’m not a religious person I felt a bit of a fraud, back to the footpath then.

Field rambling carried me back to Birks, I cut down a path next to Birks House then descended to the banks of the River Rawthey. With the river for company once more I continued along it's banks soon climbing passed a white building locally known as the Pepperpot, this is about all that remains of the vast Akay Estate, another story for another day. The woodland next to the Pepperpot was also part of the estate, there’s some snippets of interest to be found if you care to look, the remains of a kitchen garden, mosaic floor tiles once the conservatory floor, a sunken path leading to the river and some fine old gate stoops, possibly the original entrance to the estate.

After wandering through the woods I emerged into sheep pastures, to my right housing built on the site of Millthrop Mill, I emerged onto the Dent Road at the bottom of Loftus Hill. Towards Sedbergh I walked, opposite the entrance to a cricket field a narrow stile allowed access to rough pastures, the path climbed to Winder House, I climbed with it before descending onto Vicarage Lane and the quiet streets of Sedbergh.

view route map.

home.

Passed en route the weir, water from which was used to power the machinery of Millthrop Mill.

Baugh Fell seen from the banks of the River Rawthey.

The high skyline, Crook, Sickers Fell and Knott.

Millthrop Bridge over the River Rawthey.

The River Rawthey up stream from Millthrop Bridge.

I've just left the Dent Road, filling the gap between Winder and Crook the shadowed slopes of Arant Haw.

The River Rawthey at Birks.

An alluvion scene at the confluence of the Rivers Rawthey and Dee.

Looking back along the banks of the River Rawthey.

Rising above the Rawthey valley, Winder.

Ingmire Hall a 16th century house built around a pele tower, it's been remodeled a couple of times, extended, partially burnt down and re-built, throughout it's history Fell Head as constantly surveyed the scene.

It is 325 years since George Fox first visited Brigflatts, throughout those years it has and still is home to the Friends Meeting House.

Hawthorne heavy with berries, folk law tells us this is a sure sign of a hard Winter.

Last seen from across the valley, Birks House.

The Pepperpot, the original purpose of this building is unclear, but it is known to have formed part of the vast Akay Estate purchased by Charles Edward Taylor in 1898. Local scholars believe the building was built as an isolation house for Mr Taylor's daughter whom developed Tuberculosis at the age of 18.

Found in the woods behind the Pepperpot, this mosaic tiled floor is all that remains of the conservatory floor once linked to the main house.

Looking down Vicarage Lane, I'm walking in the other direction into the quiet streets of Sedbergh.

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