Winder and Arant Haw from Sedbergh.
Start. Sedbergh (Back Lane).
Route. Sedbergh - Main Street - Howgill Lane - Lockbank Farm - Winder - Green Mea - Arant Haw - Hobdale Scar - Settlebeck Gill - Joss Lane - Sedbergh.
Notes. Call me boring if you like, I'm back in the Howgill Fells today, avoiding the Lake District crowds. On this short walk above Sedbergh I graced the slopes of Winder and Arant Haw, on a rather windy morning, hazy views greeted me in every direction, but I was out when I could been at home, paint brush in hand. Before we start a small confession, this is actually the third time I've visited the Howgills in the same amount of days, the first a mammoth walk in stunning conditions, I stumbled into Sedbergh dehydrated and completely knackered after more than eight hours in the hills, 200+ photographs went onto the computer only to vanish, the gremlins even flinched them off the camera memory card, they looked good for the few seconds I had them on the screen, gone forever I think, the only place I haven't looked is on the kitchen floor....hang on.... no they're not there.
To the affairs of the day, after abandoning the car in a back street in Sedbergh I made my way along Howgill Lane, the lane that leads to Lockbank Farm was my gateway onto the fell. Through gorse then over sheep cropped turf I made my ascent, north before swinging east to reach the summit of Winder, a trig point and handy view indicator welcomed me. Onwards I walked, a wonderful green trod under foot, I crossed the coll above Green Mea before making the steep ascent of Arant Haw.
After resting a while under the ridge line out of the wind I continued, the ridge guided me passed an old Rain Gauge (pile of fire wood) and on to the main path traversing the Howgill Fells, I turned to face Sedbergh then started my descent. After passing Swere Gill I left the main trod to descend above the banks of Settlebeck Gill, a typical Howgill stream. The gill guided me back to the intake wall, I passed through a metal kissing gate before continuing sandwiched between gorse and a boundery fence, I passed Hill Farm to reach a farm gate allowing access to Joss Lane, a short walk over tarmac followed back into Sedbergh.
Seen from Howgill Lane, Winder rises into a denim blue sky.
Views over Sedbergh from the lower slopes of Winder, rising into a hazy morning sky, Baugh Fell with Aye Gill Pike to the right.
Looking to the Middleton Fells from above Lockbank Farm.
Gain a little height and stunning vistas over the Lune Valley tilt into view.
Hazy views to the south east, on the far horizon, just visible Whernside, in the centre the flat top of the Barbon High Fells and to the right running out of shot the Middleton Fells.
The summit Winder.....
.....and again looking west.
Seen over Green Mea the aggressively steep slopes of Arant Haw.
Across Rawthey Dale the Fostrow Fell and the long climb to Aye Gill Pike.
Rising above Settlebeck Gill, the twin tops of Crook.
Views taken down Crosdale from the summit of Arant Haw, across the Lune Valley Firbank Fell.
As seen from the summit Arant Haw, Calders and Bram Rigg.
Viewing Fell Head Scar from the Arant Haw summit ridge.
Hazy views to the Shap Fells.
Blue/Grey reaching across the horizon, Wild Boar Fell and Swarth Fell.
Calders seen over Rowantree Grains, look a little closer there's a lone walker heading for the summit.
Baugh Fell seen over the ridge leading to Sickers and Knott.
Walkers traverse Green Mea with Winder rising behind.
Settlebeck Gill, a typical Howgill stream.
My route back to Sedbergh.