Aye Gill Pike across the Frostrow Fells.

Start. Sedbergh.

Route. Sedbergh - Vicarage Lane - Winder Drive - Dent Road - Millthrop Bridge - Millthrop - Archers Hill - Riggs - Burton Hill - Long Rigg - Frostrow Fells - Hunder Moor Hurrock - Acraband - Aye Gill Pike - Acraband - Dales High Way - Holebeck Gill - Frostrow Lane - Lane Ends - A684 - The Row - Straight Bridge - River Rawthey - New Bridge - Settlebeck School - Vicarage Lane - Sedbergh.

Notes. Aye Gill Pike a giant whale back of a hill rising between the valleys of Dentdale and Garsdale, at a mere 1824ft it’s not the highest hill you’ll ever climb but it’s possibly the quietest. I saw not a single person as I climbed through wild unspoiled moorland, wet in places with sedge, rushes and swathes of cotton grass dancing in the mountain breeze. My approach was over the Frostrow Fells, a massive wedge of moorland, a low boggy ridge separating Dentdale and Rawthey Dale, the views from this wild desolate place are sublime, and if the mists down never fear for a dry stone wall runs from where I access the hill to the summit of Aye Gill Pike, how good is that.

My day started in Sedbergh wandering over the stoney surface of Vicarage Lane, when the lane swung left I passed through a gate allowing access to a path passing Winder House, when the path split the right hand fork guided me to the Dent Road, passed a cricket field I wandered before descending to Millthrop Bridge. I then climbed the lane accessing Millthrop, passed tiny mill workers cottages I strolled to join a stoney track climbing the hill. On reaching an old quarry I left the track, this marked the start of a long traverse of the Frostrow Fells.

With a green trod under foot and a dry stone wall for company I continued, these hill may be boggy but there was only one section to avoid, Hunder Moor Moss. So at the top of Long Rigg I descended to the narrow point of the moss to access a path rising over Hunder Moor Hurrock, this way my feet stayed dry and I was soon back in the company of the dry stone wall. On I walked passed a couple of paths rising out of Dentdale, on the Dales High Way, this I ignored for now. At this point my assault on Aye Gill Pike begun, it looks steep but wasn’t too bad, it’s just a long slog, so I took my time. The climb seemed to take ages, each time I looked up the top seemed further away, when the gradient finally eased it was still a bloody long walk to the summit, I flopped down against the trig point, put on another layer it was bloody cold up here and had a well earned brew.

Time to descend, I re-traced my steps as far as the Dales High Way, this wide green trod then guided me off the hill. Easy descending as far as Side Farm where the path turned into an ankle breaker, a stoney lane through trees, only a few yards but far enough to do yourself some damage, it ejected me onto tarmac unscathed. Now in Frostrow Lane my descent continued passed a number of farms, High Hollins, Low Hollins and Bank Cottage Farm, after passing Lanes End I turned right, the lane terminated at the busy A684 Hawes Road.

To be honest the few yards of road walking that followed not one car passed me, at the first bend a path cut between dry stone walls and hedge rows, this was once part of the lane I just walked down, it guided me to the mill cottages at The Row. I passed The Row and Fairfield Mill then continued to the A683 at Straight Bridge. After crossing said bridge I joined riverside paths that guided me through wild flower meadows as far as New Bridge, here I joined a path that passed Settlebeck School to access Vicarage Lane my guide back to the parked car.

view route map.

home.

Next to Winder House looking to the Frostrow Fells.

Kissed by early morning cloud the massive bulk of Baugh Fell.

Over Archers Hill the Brown Knott slopes of Middleton Fell.

The twin arches of Millthrop Bridge.

On the slopes of Riggs looking to the Howgill Fells.

Heading over Burton Hill enjoying views to Winder.

In sunlight and shade Combe Top backed by a cloud capped Crag Hill.

A glimpse of Combe Top from the traverse of Long Rigg.

Spectacular views from the Frostrow Fells, in shadow Winder with Crook to the right backed by Arant How.

Dancing in the mountain breeze, Cotton Grass.

On Long Moor about to start the ascent of Aye Gill Pike, soaking up views to Baugh Fell over Garsdale.

Stunning conditions on the Frostrow Fells, dominating the view Winder.

Lone tree with splendid views over Dentdale.

High on Aye Gill Pike, savouring the unspoiled beauty of the Frostrow Fells.

Still ascending looking back to the expanse of the Howgill Fells.

The summit Aye Gill Pike.

Descending into the views I've had at my back, and magnificent they are.

Over the fields and blossoming hedge rows of Rawthey Dale, little Knott backed by Brant Fell.

Nearing The Row and Fairfield Mill.

Turning the pages of industrial history, Fairfield Mill , originally built in 1837 as a textile mill, production continued (apart from a short respite after a devastating fire) for over 200 years, it closed in 1992 to later reopen as a craft centre and gallery.

Across the horizon above wild flower meadows Sickers Fell and Knott.

Testament to the amount of dry weather we've had lately, dry stream bed that usually is not so dry.

Striding out along the banks of the River Rawthey.

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