Garsdale Stn to Kirkby Stephen Stn via 2 Hewitts

[MunroMad]

Good day in the Dales. Started from Garsdale station at about 1016 in the morning and made my way up Swarth Fell. Walked across some bog and found some curious sheep in Grisedale. Climbed up past East House and just bolted straight up. There were fine view towards Whernside and Ingleborough.

We got a view of the subsidary top and the top of the main fell of Swarth Fell across gently sloping frozen bog. Fine views over towards Baugh Fell and the valley in the South and West, High Seat and Great Shunner Fell in the East and the Ridge up to both peaks in front. The snow line was about 500m and was nicely compacted with a fine layer of fine snow on top, perfect to ski on! Summited Swarth Fell at 1200. Walked on to Wild Boar Fell, with some fine views of the Howgill Fells in the west, and High Seat in the East. From the shoulder of both fells, you follow the wall/ fence up to the top and keep following the fence around to the cairns. The whole plateau is roughly 708 +/- 1m. However, the cairns on top are very noticeable from the valley floor (not as much as 9 Standard Rigg though) and rather cool frozen. I also made a trip to the Trig point to see the views towards the West. The lakes were barely visible, made harder by a moving front of snow, that had closed in inconsiderably by this point. I made my way down from the top at 1330, arriving at the station via Wharton Hall at about 1600. The walk down is rather flat after little fell and boggy. No definitive map, the Map is needed here, as long as you hit the track though , you're fine. From there the trek to Wharton is through field rather than bog and makes a rather nice change underfoot! The Station at this point was a welcoming sight.

A very good walk, not stressful, and a good test of my crampons before heading up to Scotland next month.

[mountain coward]

Well you certainly seem to know the Dales better than I do - and I live there! Have to admit to not walking much in the Dales though, outside of my own moors (which are spectacular) and the Ingleborough/Wherside/Penyghent trio... I like to go on the train to get my walks in though - much less hassle than all the slow traffic and finding parking!

Some lovely pics though - like the unusual pic looking back over Boar Fell.

I think those kind of fells, and especially the Howgills, would be superb for skiiing if only the snow was reliable but most winters we don't get much. We have the last 3 years though so perhaps it's the start of a new trend. Watch out for a ski slope appearing near me any day!

[MunroMad]

Yeah, I love the Dales just because of the fact that they are near to my base in York. Scotland is just slightly out of reach, and as I can't drive yet, the trains are handy. That's not to say that even if I had a license I'd be willing to drive hom with sore feet even if I had a good license!! However, being commited to train times means less flexibility as my next report will outline!! Never missed a train yet, but I came very close on Tuesday!

Wild Boar Fell is well worth a trip, it's higher than Pen Y Ghent and more spectacular I think. I was thinking about buying some skies, maybe looking into what the binding would be like with a B2 boot, if something like that is possible. Would have made it down a lot quicker if something lik that was possible! I'd love to have a go on the Howgill Fells, they look like an awesome little group of fells.

[mountain coward]

I've never skiied myself... I go up to Scotland monthly at the moment as I'm Munroing - some trips I go with my friend Richard but other times I go up on my own so you'd be welcome to join me... I wouldn't want to come across to York though but could pick you up at a station somewhere on the way up, e.g. Carlisle or suchlike. I work shifts though and go up during the week, often on a Sunday and nearly always coming back on the Thursday before I start nightshift again...

[MunroMad]

I might take you up on that, I usually have a full work week, I'll see if I can get some free time off from the boss.

[Hexhamrambler]

Some lovely photos there. One of my favourite hills, probably for nostalgic reasons, as many years ago I ran the Youth Hostel called Garsdale Head ( actually at the head of Wensleydale, and would be visible on the hillside opposite the frozen summit cairns ). The hostel is long since closed, sadly like a lot of the old remote simple hostels. I spent a good few spare days on Wild Boar in all sorts of weather. It looks very fine from further down the Mallerstang valley on the way to Kirby Stephen, and is an easy walk from the bridge over the railway at the top of the valley.

[ChrisW]

That's a fine hike through some beautiful country MM, I had a colleague/friend who lived in Kirby Stephen and repeatedly invited me up there, I never made and now find myself wishing that I had Love the photos which capture the changing seasons perfectly

[37201xoIM]

Aye, really nice walk this - did a variation on it today: decided to go down into the valley after High Dolphinsty as the wind was a bit bonkers on the tops... So finished off with a quite pleasant stroll down the Eden back to the station at Kirkby Stephen (decent weatherproof waiting room, I'm relieved to say!).

Thanks for the report and GPX file, which for the record I've plagiarised and played about with to reflect what I did. (Hope this works as I've not posted one before!) For the record, I make it about 24km and it took me about 6 hours "gross" of the odd brief stop.