Millthrop, Rash Bridge and Abbot Holme.

Start. Sedbergh.

Route. Sedbergh - Vicarage Lane - Winder House - Millthrop Bridge - Millthrop - Riggs - Gap Wood - Gap - Gate Manor - Gap Lane - Brackensgill Bridge - Brackensgill Lane - Rash Bridge - Dent Foot Chapel - Rash Mill - Mound (earthwork) - Abbot Holme Bridge - Sedbergh Golf Course - Birksmill Footbridge - Birks - Birks House - Sedbergh School - Sedbergh.

Notes. Here we are yet again in Sedbergh, and again we’re leaving the town via Vicarage Lane, I digress. This was a pleasant ramble visiting two rivers, alluring views over three dales with a wonderful mountain backdrop, easy walking all day what better way to while away a few hours on a Sunday morning.

As we have so many times lately we exited Sedbergh via Vicarage Lane, when the lane swung left we passed through a metal kissing gate immediately ascending a low hill to Winder House. With a tall limestone wall to our left we wandered passed the house, when the path started descending we took the right fork, this narrow trod deposited us on the main road to Dent.

With tarmac under foot we rambled to Millthrop Bridge, crossed the elegant twin arched bridge before taking a path on the left, this guided us along the river bank, but only a few yards before a walled narrow way ushered us to Millthrop. Passed rows of tiny cottages we wandered originally built to house the workforce of Millthrop Mill. At the end of the narrow street a finger-post invited us to walk the Frostrow Fells, after passing through a gate a stoney track guided us up over the shoulder of Riggs before joining a green trod.

Through fields we rambled, along narrow ways passed woods carpeted with blue bells, once at Gap we descended the stoney farm lane to access the valley road. Directly across the road another finger-post pointed the way, Brackensgill, via deep ford or footbridge. Sensibly we forded using the bridge, the track ended at a quiet narrow lane, we turned right. With tarmac to guide us we rambled north passed Gale Garth and Rash Bridge, we passed a tiny Methodists Chapel and what was once Rash Mill, a water powered corn mill, a little further on the lane swung left and started climbing, at this point a finger-post invited us to Abbot Holme, a narrow stile allowed access to scrub land and a green trod guided us in the company of a dry stone wall.

This stone wall turned out to have been once something of importance, it had low turrets now crumbling, when I looked on the map it was marked as a Mound, whatever it once was it gifted us stunning views over the Rawthey and Lune valleys. The path descended from here through scrub and sheep pastures to the banks of the River Dee at Abbot Holme Bridge, there's been a crossing here since Roman times. We crossed then continued to a stile on the left, this path carefully ushered us across fields then the manicured fairways of Sedbergh Golf Club, a delightful stretch of woodland walking deposited us on the banks of the River Rawthey.

We continued following the river to a footbridge, we crossed to access Birks a lovely little hamlet. Next to the driveway to Birks House a narrow gate allowed access to rough pastures, a finger-post promised passage to Millthrop Bridge. This path we followed but kept to high ground, the path swung around Birks House before entering the grounds of exclusive Sedbergh School. Passed a modern sports hall we walked, across Busk Lane, the path climbed a low rise to access a cricket field, now tarmac it passed behind the pavilion swinging round the field allowing us back into the streets of Sedbergh.

view route map.

home.

Winder above Sedbergh as seen from the rise to Winder House.

River Rawthey from Millthrop Bridge.

Climbing out of Millthrop looking back to Crook, Sickers Fell and Knott.

Winder across Rawthey Dale.

Storm damage in Gap Wood.

Gap Wood with a splash of blue.

Combe seen across Dentdale with the flat top of Crag Hill grey on the horizon.

Sheep ascend Gap Lane.

The River Dee from Brackensgill Bridge.

High above the river, just crossed Brackensgill Bridge.

Fringed with wild garlic Brackensgill Lane.

Looking towards the Frostrow Fell with the Howgill Fell just visible.

Winder rises in the distance.

Viewing Rash Bridge from what remains of the weir that helped divert water to power the mill stones of Rash Mill.

Mill stones at Rash Mill.

From the Mound (earthworks) mentiond in the text above stunning views to the Howgill Fells, from left to right, Winder, Arant Haw, Crook, Sickers Fell and Knott.

Descending to Abbot Holme viewing the Howgill Fells.

The single arch of Abbot Holme Bridge.

Descending to the banks of the River Rawthey.

Birks Mill Footbridge across the River Rawthey.

The River Rawthey at Birks.

Strolling through the delightfull little hamlet of Birks.

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