The Land of the Lune - Drakkar Press

78 Chapter 4: Upper Rawtheydale
Baugh Fell from lower Garsdale
Walk 10: Grisedale and East Baugh Fell
where the wood opposite ends there is
an abrupt change from a rocky gorge
within sloping limestone to a shallow,
broad valley with rocks 100m years
older. Above the trail on Tom Croft
Hill there is a fine view of the “naked
heights” (copyright Wordsworth) of
the Howgills. I don’t know who Tom
Croft was but if he lived in Tom Croft
Cave on the Sedgwick Trail he was
exceedingly small.
The Clough runs between the
gentler slopes of Dowbiggin and
Frostrow and, just before it enters the
Rawthey, passes Farfield Mill, an arts
and heritage centre in which a range
of artists (such as weavers, furniture
makers and textile workers) work in
open studios. Built in 1836, it had
functioned as a woollen mill until
it closed in 1992, after which it was
bought and restored by the Sedbergh
and District Buildings Preservation
Trust.
Map: OL19 (please read the general note about the walks in the Introduction).
Starting point: Near Garsdale Station (787917).
Cross the A684 and take the clearly signposted path to Blake Mire. Continue to Moor Rigg and then follow the road to East
House and the track past Fea Fow to Flust. At Flust take the higher of the two paths, continuing on the contour west. The path
gradually becomes less distinct, as it passes lines of shakeholes.
Note the deep gully of Rawthey Gill ahead: your aim is to reach between the two gullies east of it, Haskhaw Gill and
Grisedale Gill. At that point, it becomes clear that the former flows west and the latter east. There is a cave marked on the OS map
at the strategic point but don’t worry unduly about locating it – it refers to one of the many shakeholes.
So far, it has been a pleasant stroll through the hidden valley of Grisedale but now you must summon the energy to walk up
the watershed between the two gills. Eventually, a cairn will come into view on your right. Keep to the left of the cairn, proceed
to the wall and follow it to the top of Tarn Rigg Hill. The panorama is wide but note especially the view of Whernside, 10km
south.
Return east by the wall for 1km and continue in its line, leaving it as it bends to the right. This takes you directly to the cairns
of Grisedale Pike, with a view of Dandrymire Viaduct and upper Wensleydale.
Aim towards the viaduct and, keeping to the CRoW land, reach Double Hole Bridge. Keep on the right bank of Stony Gill
to pass Clough Force and then, after reaching the road at Clough Cottage, walk back towards Garsdale Station.
Short walk variation: A short walk does not permit the long tramp up Baugh Fell. Instead, we must content ourselves with an
exploration of Grisedale. Follow the long walk as far as Flust and then take the lower of the two paths, to the ruin of Round Ing.
Then turn east to return via West Scale and East Scale to the road at Moor Rigg. From here you could return the way you came,
or follow the road (very little traffic) over Double Hole Bridge for 2km to the Old Road and then cross the A684 at Low Scale,
returning via High Scale.
This is Chapter 4 of The Land of the Lune (2nd edition), http://www.drakkar.co.uk/landofthelune.html, Copyright © 2010 John Self