Bannisdale Circuit - Shap.

[trailmasher]

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To start this walk we drove along the A6 heading south from Shap, passing the now closed but being refurbished Plough Inn, and turned first right down a long narrow tarmac road which leaves the A6 just past the old inn. We drove past Plough Farm - the only sign of habitation before reaching Dryhowe Bridge - following the tarmac road to its termination where it now turns into a farm track. At this point there is room for a couple of cars to park on the right hand side of the road.

A young woman came by on a quad bike and stopped for a chat so we took advantage and asked if it was alright to park on the small piece of ground by the wall. 'Not a problem' she replied as if it was a regular occurrence although there were no signs of much car parking around.

To the right is the rocky face of Lamb Pasture which we drop off on our return journey, and also Dryhowe Bridge which spans Bannisdale Beck.

Dryhowe Bridge with Lamb Pasture behind.

On the left is Whiteside on whose flank we started our walk by passing through the gate opposite the car.

Capplefall and The Forest from Whiteside.

A fairly simple, pathless, and steady climb of some 170metres is encountered before reaching the summit cairn of Whiteside Pike, the first of the eight tops we hoped to reach on this walk around Bannisdale.

Whiteside Pike to the right.

Once past the sparse tree line it is necessary to stride over a fence before continuing over the rough grass and sometimes rocky ground to reach a nameless top at around 360metres where a number of sheep were lolling about on a small rocky knoll.

We have been walking in a south easterly direction to this point and continue to do so until reaching the intake wall where a section has been taken over by a wire fence which had to be climbed over. The ground is fairly wet around here, but as we start to ascend to Whiteside Pike it gets drier and remains in this vein for most of the walk.

Whiteside Pike.

The view over Whitwell and Selside farm land.

The cairn on the summit of Whiteside Pike is around a metre tall with a Millennium Stone built into the base which has an inscription carved into it, the words of which are: - 'The parishes of Fawcett Forest, Whitwell & Selside met here 28.8.2000'.

Whiteside Pike Millennium cairn.

Millennium stone built into the cairn.

From here we then set off in a south westerly direction following a path to the wall as the ground is quite wet if wanting to take a direct line from Whiteside Pike to Todd Fell.

Dryhowe Pasture with Todd Fell to the left.

As the wall turned to head downhill in a southerly direction and just to the left of the fence on the opposite side of the wall we passed through the wall using a stone step stile. The path/quad bike track more or less then followed the line of the fence which took us directly - more or less - straight to the summit cairn of Todd Fell.

Todd Fell.

And what a miserable little cairn it is for so large a fell as this, two stones and a fragment of rock.

Todd Fell summit cairn.

If a short stroll is taken to the edge of the fell good views of Longsleddale's green pastures and tree covered flanks are to be seen.

Capplebarrow and Longsleddale valley.

After enjoying the views for a while we turned north down the easy slopes to reach another wall topped with a low wire fence over which we climbed without much difficulty. The distance from Todd Fell is about 1.7kilometres with a drop of only 20 metres before a steady climb of some 135 metres to the summit of Capplebarrow. But looking at it from Todd Fell it looks much further and higher, and one could despair if not remembering the perspective of distance, heights, and steepness that can be portrayed when viewing from afar.

Once over the wall and fence we then simply once again followed the fence and quad bike tracks to the one stone that marks the highest point of Capplebarrow.

Looking back to Whiteside Pike from Capplebarrow.

Walking along this ridge certainly gives good views into the valleys of Longsleddale and Bannisdale where the green fields are in stark contrast to the brown grass of the higher fells.

We left Capplebarrow and still following the fence and - thank you shepherds - the quad bike tracks we crossed over the top of a larger cairned and much higher, but unnamed hill than the one we had just left. It stands at 555 metres and sits behind Swinklebank Crag.

Unnamed hill behind Swinklebank Crag.

Prior to reaching the top we passed across an area that had a few small tarns scattered about it, and cairns precariously perched on pointed rocks. A reason for this I wonder, or just someone passing the time of day?

Comical cairn in area of small tarns.

It is now just a short stroll across the gently rising fell to our fourth and final top on this side of the valley, Ancrow Brow. We are now also almost at the halfway point of the walk.

From here the hills of the Kentmere Round can be seen across the valley of Longsleddale whilst just out of view on the right lie the hills of Sleddale Fell, which includes Tarn Crag and Grey Crag.

The top of Ancrow Brow makes a name for itself here as it sports a larger than usual cairn sat on a swathe of green grass.

Harter Fell-Kentmere Pike etc from Ancrow Brow.

Up to this point we have been walking in a south westerly direction following the fence from just below Whiteside Pike. We now continue following the fence - but in a northerly direction - which also runs alongside a tumbledown wall and takes us past numerous 1.5metre deep pits, which I believe were holes dug to relieve the ground of its stone which was used to build the aforementioned wall. They have now got the remains of the old iron fence in them for company.

Excavation for stone for wall building.

We followed the fence over the head of Bannisdale Beck for around a kilometre…

Passing over the head of Bannisdale Beck.

where at another unnamed top we left it and struck off east following the path which would lead us across to Long Crag on Bannisdale Fell.

The way to Bannisdale Fell.

This proved to be more difficult than we could imagine. Although the path was fair and good initially it did disappear into wet ground before reaching Long Crag and only making a short occasional appearance where the ground was drier.

There is a wall across the base of Long Crag and at the point where we reached it, and in front of this wall there is an impenetrable mass of bog, water, and peat hags. I looked at it in despair as it now meant walking the wall and finding a place to be able to pass over it. After a short discussion with E we decided that left would be a good way to go as the ground seemed to get drier in that direction.

The ground is rough and covered in heather of the long variety making for a wary and challenging way to go. E, who is of the shorter variety with legs to match, is now grumbling - with me putting on the 'can't hear' act - about how we should have gone the other way. All of a sudden a stile appeared set in the corner of where the wall running from the northeast met the one in front of us. I gave E that smug look for which I will no doubt suffer for later in the next twelve months or so. Talk about elephants and memories!

Now, and on reflection, if we had continued following the fence that runs from Ancrow Brow to where it turns east a few metres further on instead of following the path from the unnamed top, then followed the wall it would have led us directly to the step stile over the wall that lies in front of Long Crag.

Once over the stile it was a simple matter to walk up the incline to reach the top of the fell. That's number five sorted out.

White Howe from Bannisdale.

Leaving here it's now about 1.5 kilometres and a further 75 metres of climb before we reach the top of White Howe. We followed the wall until we met another cross wall which was easy to pass over as it's fallen down in many places. After a short while we veered off to the south to walk up the ridge to finally reach the large pale coloured trig point. It's quite windy here so E had to shelter behind the trig point to avoid getting cold as I took some record shots of the area.

Shetering from the wind at White Howe trig point.

Still heading southeast we left the top of White Howe to drop down to a small col before the short climb up the rocky side of The Forest. Once again the summit cairn comprises of nothing but three small stones but in compensation the views are great.

Looking back to White Howe from The Forest top.

Next on is Lamb Pasture the last hill on this walk.

Lamb Pasture from The Forest.

We set off down the fell side in a north easterly direction meandering around the small lumps of rock that decorate this side and finding it quite wet and slippery. Upon reaching the bottom we headed south for a gate in the wall which runs across the bottom of the north face of Lamb Pasture. The ground is fairly dry until we get near to the gate where once again we had to pick our way around the boggy areas.

Once through the gate we again followed a fence - and quad bike tracks - that ran at right angles to the wall and across the north east flank and just on the point where it starts to go downhill again we threw the legs over the fence and walked over the short brown grass and gained the summit in a matter of minutes.

Looking into Bannisdale from lamb Pasture top.

The Forest from Lamb Pasture top.

Again there is nothing but grass and a few stones for a cairn on this top, so I took a few photos and then we decided that it was time to find a way down through the front face. Moving to our right - west - we followed quite a steep grassy rake down to the left, then right under the crag and down a steep, short, scree section. After this the angle eased off and we made our way through rocks and dead bracken to finally come to a level area from where we picked up a farm track which led us back to Dryhowe Bridge and the car.

Another good walk around some of the Shap Fells. With good weather, views, paths, quad bike tracks, and mostly easy ground, it was a pleasure to do a high level walk around Bannisdale. As can be seen in the photo's the sky is clear and blue to start with, but around noon the clouds started gathering and we could smell rain in the air. Luckily the rain held off but there was a fairly brisk and cool breeze blowing which meant finding shelter somewhere on these open fells when wanting to stop for a break.

[tybalt1951]

Am planning to do this walk and found the report quite useful thank you, particularly your advice on the route from Ancrow brow to Long crag as I was planning to follow the route you took!.

I am, however, puzzled by some of your comments about the directions you were following - initially you say you had been walking south east from the car, a quick check shows this would have taken you away from your destination, presumably you meant south west?
When you reach Ancrow Brow you say "Up to this point we have been walking in a south westerly direction following the fence from just below Whiteside Pike" when clearly you mean North westerly.

From White Howe you say "We set off down the fell side in a north easterly direction" again I think you mean South easterly.

Hope you dont feel this is ungrateful but anyone following these instructions would be very confused! It did make me look carefully and double check the route, I am very grateful for the pictures and the parking guidance in your report.

Thank you!

[ChrisW]

Great read as always TM, (I must have missed it first time around) you did well to avoid the rain all day, spring can be such a pain in the butt for showers following you everywhere you go You kept up a good pace to over the distance too, shame the wind was a bit of a bother in places but better that then rain I think, in fact right now this must look like an absolutely wonderful day

[trailmasher]

I am, however, puzzled by some of your comments about the directions you were following

Thanks for your comments tybalt1951 and you are absolutely correct I don't know why I did this and must have been having a senior moment when writing this report I'm pleased that the report will be helpful to you and hope that you enjoy the walk as much as we did Welcome to WH

[trailmasher]

Great read as always TM, (I must have missed it first time around) you did well to avoid the rain all day, spring can be such a pain in the butt for showers following you everywhere you go You kept up a good pace to over the distance too, shame the wind was a bit of a bother in places but better that then rain I think, in fact right now this must look like an absolutely wonderful day

Thanks again Chris and always good to hear from you These fells are only about 20 kilometres away from home, easy to access and mostly I think forgotten by the crowds as we have never seen another walker on all of the walks we have done around the Shap fells Big, wide open, and good contrast in scenic views Thanks again for your comments

[ChrisW]

20 kilometres away from home, easy to access and mostly I think forgotten by the crowds

This is the perfect scenario mate