A Bowland circuit from Littledale.

On the first day after our third rate con man journo leader tells us we can have one walk per day, we obeyed him, and went locally as well. Starting from Udale Bridge in Littledale, walk up the steep road and turn left down a track after the cattle grid at the top. Past Skelbow barn turn right up a permissive path and enter the PROW land over a stile. Up the steep ridge ahead to find a boggy path then a clear one leading diagonally left up the Fell. Further up, the “path” thirty years ago used to be in the obvious man-made channel, but as it became rough due to large rocks falling into it, this is now overgrown and the path is easier on the sides. At the well made Duke of Westminster’s (Monsieur Le Gros Veneur) east-west track, by a large gritstone rock, turn left. After 250m, look right and see three stone edifices in an old quarry, which are worth a small deviation to view. These are well made “pillars” or “chambers” with oval entrances, made one a year around the Millenium and designed by Andy Goldsworthy. In a further 500m on the track it turns south and uphill. Take the next turning left, due east. As you do, note a “Christmas tree” to the south, by the Grit Fell path. We once came upon this in full Christmas decoration one early January, and later found out a local fell-running group ran up here every Christmas, sang a carol or two and left. That year the clearing up had been tardy. At Brownley hill where another Norway Spruce has sprung up, bear right, east, and at the newish shooting hut turn left, north to the end. A track then a thin but definite path by the Whitespout Gutter leads past some shooting butts, later to the right of the stream. At the edge, as the path crosses the beck and contours, you can find a descent route to suite, the best one being probably to the right of the spout, enabling a viewing. A rough valley leads past Cocklett Scar, beyond which is the easiest ascent of the north bank past Close Hill Plantation. At the top, pass through(or over) a gate, and follow the fence going north-east, initially up then down to a wicket gate on the opposite bank of Ragill beck, at the corner of the PROW land. Turn north down rough pasture on a permissive access route, to a track near the Ragill beck, which leads across Closegill beck, then up, across, and down to a stream crossing, then a choice of two ways, an upper path and a lower track take you past Littledale Hall to a minor road on a zig-zag. We met some inmates of the Hall, which is a drugs and alcohol rehabilitation unit, walking back “home”. One asked “is this the way to Asda?”. Turn down the road, take a sharp left down the private road to the Hall (don’t worry, they’re nice people), soon cross the bridge and take the muddy track back to the start. Our route, with some detours, was 10 miles, more than we thought!

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Download file: cocklett scar.gpx