Sedbergh - UMHC Hiking Guide

From UMHC Hiking Guide

Looking south-east from the Howgill Fells

1 The Walks
2 Eating and Drinking
3 Travel
4 Trip Reports

The Walks

The Howgill Fells rise up behind this large village on the Cumbrian / Yorkshire border. They are a prominent landmark when driving north along the M6 yet in their interior, there is little sign of the intrusive motorway or any other developments. They rise up in grand fashion when seen from the motorway before undulating on a high plateau, yet the scenery isn't flat. It is, rather, composed of rounded grassy summits and ridges towards its southern end.

Panoramic from the summit of Little Dummacks. From North west to south.

One of the two highest summits at 676m is called The Calf and is about 7km north from Sedbergh. The route from Sedbergh follows a long, grassy, yet distinct ridge that gently but steadily rises from the rounded 400m high tops behind Sedbergh. The characteristics of this upland are halfway between the Lake District fells and those of the Yorkshire Dales. To the east of the summit lies Cautley Crag, as crags go not too spectacular, but inusual in this part of the world. Close by is Cautley Spout waterfall which (counting multi part waterfalls) is one of the highest in the united kingdom.

Cautley Spout

Looking down onto the road near Haygarth

Baugh Fell and Garsdale from Settlebeck Gill

View to the southwest

Another 676m high mountain is called Baugh Fell and lies 8km to the east of Sedbergh. This has different characteristics. It is generally a flat vast moorland summit and thus provides good practice for navigation. It is also boggy for those who like that kind of thing!

Baugh Fell seen from the main Howgill range

Some more Howgill summits as seen on the way up to The Calf

To the south-east of Sedbergh lies the quiet and gentle valley of Dentdale which has numerous pubs to make the going easy. It is apparently a nice area for paddling in the river.

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