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Torver circular

By Hugh Stewart April 25, 2021 Leave a Comment

A six and a bit mile walk for a day too windy for the summits, or, in my case, a bad knee. It combines a pleasant ascent through pastures, quarries and moor, with the Old Man and Dow Crag ahead, with a return along the easy Coniston Water lakeside path.

A car park just north of the church, with minimal charge, is a good starting point. Walk a short way up the road and take the road left. Follow this with its bridleway signs, then the bridleway up to the large slate slag heaps of a quarry, where take the right fork to pass between the heaps. A view of the magnificent Dow Crag is in view all the way, with the obvious grey/white diagonal band in the centre, the quartzite slab of the classic Giant’s Crawl climb. Past the heaps the quarry appears, with a waterfall at the far end, but no obvious exit for the water. Take the branch right of the stream above this to the Walna scar track and turn right, down it. Look eastwards towards where Coniston should be and check out your Bridleway passing over Banishead, as that is your destination, with many ways of getting there. The right of way from The Walna Scar track on the OS maps is probably not correct on the ground, like so many in the Lake District. Many paths lead to it, possibly the best is right off the track just before a rock defile. Once over Banishead keep on the Bridleway always downwards, over the old railway line and to the main road at the Ship Inn. How convenient. A short right on the busy road and then a path left leads to the Lake side path/cycleway. Follow this keeping to the Lakeside when a track appears to dodge “inland” past the grand looking Coniston Hall, and ignore the sign “Torver (walking and cycling)”. Carry on here and through the Birmingham University boating area, also past the “no public access” sign in the next wood, which is actually a good short cut to the path to Torver which leaves a bit further on. Pleasant woods lead up to cross a road to reach the old railway track, where turn left and when lockdown is lifted you can pass throught the Church House pub car park to the main road.

The Bridleway from Torver; Dow Crag and the Old Man ahead.
The Slate Slag heaps.
The quarry.
Descending to Bowmanstead.
Coniston Hall
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: torver.gpx

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

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Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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