Settlebeck Gill Skyline.

Start. Sedbergh.

Route. Sedbergh - Main Street - Joss Lane - Hill - Settlebeck Gill - Soolbank - Crook - Swere Gill Well - Hobdale Scar - Arant Haw - Green Mea - Winder - Lockbank Farm - Sedbergh (Howgill Lane) - Main Street.

Notes. The Howgill Fells are a small group of hills a short drive from my home town of Kendal, this distinct range of rounded grassy hills lie in a triangle between Sedbergh, Tebay and Ravenstonedale, old Wainwright affectionately called then “a herd of sleeping elephants”. For the connoisseur of fell walking they are known as the “forgotten hills”, but be sure once you’ve found them and set foot on the hallowed turf you’ll be hooked, dancing like a fish on a line desperate for your next fix.

I was ready for my next fix, so headed out of Sedbergh via Joss Lane, once clear of the housing the path shadowed Settleback Gill, I followed this to the final intake wall, passed through a kissing gate then descended into the beck bottom. Crook was my first intended top and the climb started here in the beck bottom, lets not sugar coat the ascent, it was a leg burner, a real lung buster, my body objected to every step. Why do I do this? I asked myself, because the hills are here, waiting to be climbed, they make you feel small but alive, they are your friends treat them with respect. Respect was running out, tomorrow I’ll be suffering but right now with the cold mountain wind in my face and the odd snow flurry in the air I felt alive.

As I ran out of thoughts to take my mind off the suffering the summit cairn tilted into view and my pace quickened, I flopped down on the cold stones out of the wind and slowly recovered. After what seemed ages the cold started to bite, I picked myself up and headed north over a tract of boggy ground, this was also strength sapping, flipping heck when I reached the main path I needed another rest. Ignoring the pain I continued climbing until above Hobdale Scar, here I turned left to join the long level ridge leading to the summit of Arant Haw.

The wind cutting across this wide grassy ridge was extreme bordering on dangerous, I kept on track by leaning against unseen hands pushing me off course, this was ok until the wind eased leaving me teetering on the edge of a fall. Once on the summit the path descended to the coll at Green Mea, I descended with it dropping out of the wind for a while. From the coll it was a short easy walk to Winder the southern most top of these wonderful rolling hills. On the summit standing up became difficult, twice those bloody invisible hands grabbed my bag spinning me round trying to dump me on my backside, time to descend.

A lovely green trod descends Winder’s west ridge, I descended with it, the path swung left crossed a number of gills before joining the intake wall. With the wall for company I wandered to Lockbank Farm, passed through the farm yard to access Howgill Lane for the short walk back into Sedbergh.

view route map.

home.

The Middleton Fells as seen from near the final intake wall.

Looking to the six wind turbines of the Old Hutton Wind Farm.

Above Settlebeck Gill looking to a rain washed Garsdale.

Deep cut Settlebeck Gill.

From Soolbank views over Sedbergh to the Holme Knott slopes of Middleton Fell.

Winder as seen over Settlebeck Gill.

Ascending Crook with this stunning view behind me, over the Lune and Kent valleys Morecambe Bay and the Kent Estuary.

Soaking up the views from the summit of Crook, Aye Gill Pike with Whernside rising out of shot to the right.

Under leaden skies the flat top of Wild Boar Fell with Swarth Fell to the right.

Taking in the view from Crook, Whernside and Crag Hill seen over the much lower Frostrow Fells.

Showers sweep down Dentdale.

Under a dark cloud Grayrigg Pike and Whinfell, behind painted by sunlight the Shap Fells.

Rising between the slopes of Whernside and Crag Hill mighty Ingleborough.

The ragged heights of the Coniston massif seen from the summit of Arant Haw.

Stretching to the west Crosdale.

Dappled light on the west ridge of Arant Haw, in the distance the blue/grey hills of the Lake District.

The twin tops of Crook seen from Green Mea, dark behind the massive bulk of Baugh Fell.

On the gentle slopes of Winder, looking over Green Mea, rising into a dark sky Arant Haw.

In wonderful light the summit of Winder.

A grandstand view from Winder's west ridge descent, over the Lune valley sunlight on Lambrigg, across the skyline the Coniston Fells.

About to join the intake wall for the final few hundred yards of descent, looking to the Frostrow Fells over Sedbergh with Whernside and Crag Hill across the horizon.

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