Home The 214 Fells Map My Diary      

Heughscar Hill, Askham Bridge & Whale from Helton

11th June 2022

Todays walk concludes my last walk after a weeks holiday where the forecast dominated where I could walk adding that I managed to crock my back on Thursday after heroically sweeping up grass clippings igniting an old injury which recurs every now and again. I tried my luck the following day and drove to Lakeland to walk High Raise from Grasmere but by the time I arrived I was struggling to stand straight and I made the decision to abandon the walk cursing myself and the spiralling cost I'd wasted on fuel driving to the Lakes.

As the day went on my back pain eased and I was able to walk around more freely so I decided to take Holly and Brad on a four mile unrecorded walk around Winter Hill where despite the odd niggle I was able to walk without much trouble so I made preparations for todays low level walk.

Low level I hear you ask? Well, when the walk was planned on Wednesday, Saturdays forecast was for a wet and windy day so Rod suggested a route that he and David had walked previously which suited the forecast perfectly. As it turned out it wasn't that wet after all.		  
Wainwright Guide Book

The Outlying Fells

The hill overlooks a rough plateau, Moor Divock, the site of many antiquities, suggesting that long before the Romans came, the ancient Britons had already found the place to their liking.
 

Overview
Ascent: 906 Feet - 276 Metres
Outlyers: Heughscar Hill
Weather: Overcast, Blustery Showers With Periods of Sunshine. Highs of 18°C Lows of 10°C
Parking: Roadside Parking Between Helton & Scales Farm
Area: Far Eastern
Miles: 7.7
Walking With: David, Rod & Michael
Ordnance Survey: OL5
Time Taken: 3 Hours 45 Minutes
Route: Helton - Cop Stone - Moor Divock - The Cockpit - Heughscar Hill - Riggingleys Top - Haber Hill - Askham - Askham Bridge - River Lowther - Whale - Helton
 

Parking Details and Map
Nearest Post Code: CA10 2QA
Grid Reference: NY 497 214


 

Map and Photo Gallery

 
 

Moor Divock, Helton 08:00am 10°C
The plan was to meet at 08:15am on the narrow road between Helton and Scales Farm which is a popular starting point to explore Moor Divock and its ancient stones. I arrived first and span the car around so it was facing the right direction for later soon followed by David who did the same.. I could hear the wind from inside my car and knew to keep hold of the door handle as I went to greet David with a 'morning' The wind caught the door as I knew it would setting the scene for what kind of day we were in for. A squally shower had just passed and while we waited in David's car for Rod and Michael to arrive I told David about my back "had the forecast been better, and we'd have been going higher I'd probably have given today a miss" I explained. Rod and Michael arrived and we repeated our cautious exits so David didn't lose any doors either. It was a blustery start to say the least and despite the fact we were all wearing shorts we added windproof or waterproof jackets not to take the edge off but because we had too.

Todays walk will see us cross Moor Divock whilst taking in its ancient sights after which we will gain Heughscar Hill then descend east into Askham village which incidently was the start and finishing point of a wild camp that David and I completed on Loadpot Hill the same weekend this time last year which brought back some great memories. We continued through Askham through to Askham Bridge before following the course of the River Lowther southwards (known as the Askham Fell Loop) towards the farming hamlet of Whale from where we head west crossing the River Lowther again and back to Helton. It's a fully recommended route when gusts are reaching 50mph across the higher summits.

The Cop Stone with Heughscar Hill in the distance.
You can see the Cop Stone from the start of the walk which stood boldly on the moorland. We'd all visited the Cop Stone previously but that didn't stop Rod and I having a wonder over to see the glacial erratic stone which was thought to have been left here after the last ice age. Talking of ice my hands are bloody freezing.

A pair of stones are passed close by.
David and Michael are on the path over on the left so after taking photos of the stones Rod and I link back up with them.

Ring, Kerb cairn, Moor Divock.
Thought to date back early to middle Bronze Age the Ring or Kerb cairns consists of a circular mound of rock set around a central pit where evidence of charcoal and cremated remains have often been found.

We contine across Moor Divock towards the Cockpit Stone Circle.
With views of Arthur's Pike and Loadpot Hill beyond

The Cockpit Stone Circle.

Dating back to the Bronze age it is said that although the circle is single ringed evidence of a 'double run' on the north western side with what is thought to be an entrance on the western, and north eastern arcs.

Okay, time to head over to Heughscar Hill now.

Arthur's Pike, Ullswater and the Eastern fells.
As the morning progressed hints of sunshine begin to break through the cloud bringing with it instant warmth on what felt like a very Autumnal day.

Woo hoo!
 

Ullswater from Heughscar Hill.
With the Mell Fells seen just above the stone cairn.

From such a small hill...
...you do get these huge views of Ullswater with the eastern fells beyond.

Heading towards Askham.
From an area of Heughscar Hill/Askham Hill known as Riggingleys Top.

Looking back to Riggingleys Top.
With Heaughscar Hill now beyond the treeline.

On the outskirts of Askham village.
In between spells of sunshine we were treated to more showers which passed through quickly and didn't amount to much.

St Peters Church, Askham.
The sunshine held as we passed through Askham village where village life was thriving outside the village shop with locals greeting each other with 'mornings' even as far from across the street, a rare sight these days.

The River Lowther, Askham Bridge.
 

St Peters Church from Askham Bridge.
It's time to head south now and follow the course of the Lowther towards Whale. It's here we join what is known as the Askham Fell Loop which is also a popular cycle route.

First we pass through the woods as the Lowther falls steeply to our right.
Where we were treated to smells of wild garlic growing nearby so David, Rod and Michael gave it a try with Rod adding 'it had a bit of a kick' but I wasn't brave enough.

Helton from Whale Farm.
The woods gave way for views of the parimeter wall of Lowther Castle to our left and the River Lowther to our right and after a mile and a half we left the Lowther behind and took the bridleway towards Whale Farm.

The hamlet of Whale.
With Whale Farm behind us we climbed roughly three steps and passed through a wooden gate perched on top of the steps before walking the last few yards into the hamlet of Whale not before startling a pigeon in a tree above our heads. I'm not sure whose heart nearly jumped out first, ours or the pigeons.

Whale.
I didn't know Hedgehogs could read never mind drive!

Crossing the River Lowther at Whale.
We left the hamlet of Whale and crossed the road linking Askham with Bampton Grange, the very same road David and I started our Knipescar Common walk from a few years ago and it was good to get our bearings together. From the road we passed through a gate which lead through a pasture and onto the banks of the River Lowther.

That's Loadpot Hill (left) and Arthur's Pike (far right) on the skyline.

The River Lowther flowing north towards Askham.
A few miles south from here Haweswater Beck also flows into the River Lowther before starting life at Wet Sleddale Reservoir.

Views towards Selside Pike, Branstree, Harter Fell (Mardale) and Four Stones Hill.
Seen as we continue along the bridleway through Setterah Park

Rough Fell sheep, Helton.
The Bridleway steepened as we joined the road and the village of Helton thereafter where a short cut between rows of cottages lead us back onto the road linking Helton with Scales Farm. I wonder if it was this was girl who refused to move this morning causing me, and the rest of us as I later found out to mount the verge in order to pass!

Knipescar Common from Helton.
 

Leaving Helton village for Moor Divock.

The rain had held off for much of the morning but the wind had increased which was noted as we left Helton for the exposure of Moor Divock. Cars came and went mostly locals taking their dogs for a walk as our own cars came into view.

We had all enjoyed the walk but I think it was Michael who summed the morning up by saying how nice it was to walk such a route where you are left with no option other than to take in the countryside and its views rather than hop from summit to summit.

We couldn't have put Michael's words better ourselves.

 

Back to top
  sharkeysdream.co.uk