Ramblers Routes Ramblers Routes Britain’s best walks from the experts Britain’s best walks from the experts Northern England Northern England 08/05/2014 16:32 03 Norham, Northumberland 04 Bowfell and Esk Pike, Cumbria l Distance 6km/3½ miles l Time 1½hrs l Type River and country l Distance 16km/10 miles l Time 7hrs l Type Mountain NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL walk magazine summer 2014 summer magazine walk walk magazine summer 2014 summer magazine walk Plan your walk Plan your walk l Dumfries l Dunbar l Carlisle Berwick- CUMBRIA l upon-Tweed Penrith P l NORHAM BOWFELL RLTRO A l NORTHUMBERLAND Kendal HY: KEITH FERGUS HY: HY: FIONA B HY: P P WHERE: Scenic circular WHERE: Circular walk from walk along the River Tweed, The Old Dungeon Ghyll PHOTOGRA starting at the picturesque Hotel via Bowfell, Esk Pike, PHOTOGRA village of Norham. Angle Tarn, Stake Pass When the River Tweed crosses the Pedwell Way to St Cuthbert’s ‘Bowfell,’ writes Wainwright, ‘is are splendid. Despite its height, START/END: Norham village and Mickleden. border into Northumberland, the Church. Go through the church a mountain of noble aspect and the climb is straightforward, green (NT899473). START/END: Car park next first village it reaches is Norham. gates, turn L then immediately rare distinction, rising as a massive though the final section is up TERRAIN: Woodland, field to The Old Dungeon Ghyll It’s a sleepy place, overlooked by R onto a grassy track, and walk pyramid at the head of three rough, stony terrain. This walk edge and riverbank paths, Hotel (NY286061). its fabulous and historic castle – through the church grounds. This lovely valleys… and commanding takes in both Bowfell and its and some quiet roads. TERRAIN: Clear paths, the focal point of this picturesque leads to a narrow path, which attention whenever it appears in neighbour Esk Pike, with a MAPS: OS Explorer 339; marked by cairns in places, walk. The artist Turner sketched takes you to the River Tweed. view.’ Wainwright duly ranked it return via Angle Tarn, Stake Landranger 74. but very rocky terrain on the castle in 1797 and produced Drop down the steps, walk L and among the best half dozen and Pass and Mickleden. GETTING THERE: Perryman’s Bowfell and Esk Pike. Only a series of stunning watercolours, proceed west along a lovely river included it, along with Esk Pike, Buses service 67 runs between recommended in good one of which is displayed at the path to the arresting four-arched among the 18 favourite walks he 1. START From the car park Galashiels and Berwick- weather and visibility, and Tate Gallery in London. Norham Ladykirk and Norham Bridge describes in his excellent book, (NY286061), return to the main upon-Tweed, via Norham for those with experience Castle was founded in 1121 by (NT891473). Straddling the River Fellwalking With Wainwright. road and turn R. The road then (✆ 01289 308719, www. of high-level fell-walking. Ranulf Flambard, the Bishop of Tweed and the Scottish/English At 902m/2,959ft, Bowfell (named turns sharp L, but you continue perrymansbuses.co.uk). MAPS: OS Explorer OL6; Durham. Between 1136 and 1513, Border, the bridge was built Bow Fell on OS maps) is the sixth straight on along the access road EATING & DRINKING: The Landranger 90. raids by Scottish armies saw the between 1885 and 1887, and highest peak in Lakeland and is to Stool End Farm – a level stretch Victoria Hotel, Norham GETTING THERE: Mainline castle fall into Scottish hands four replaced an earlier wooden deservedly one of its most popular of walking before the hard work (✆ 01289 382437, www. trains run to Windermere, times, giving it the reputation of bridge erected in 1838. fells. The mountain is impressively of the day. The Band, your route victoriahotelnorham.co.uk). from where there are being the most dangerous place in situated at the head of Great of ascent, is ahead of you. Just SLEEPING: The Victoria buses to Ambleside, and England. Its era as an important 2. Walk under the bridge, then Langdale, its east ridge – The beyond the farm you’ll reach a Hotel, Norham (see above). from Ambleside to The Old stronghold came to an end in bear L to cross a stile. Turn R and Band – dividing the two branches fork, where you bear R to follow VISITOR INFORMATION: Dungeon Ghyll (✆ 0871 200 1559, when Queen Elizabeth I follow a field-edge path south. of Mickleden and Oxendale. To the clear path up. It’s quite a Berwick-upon-Tweed TIC, 2233, www.traveline.info). took control from the Bishop of Just before reaching a house, turn the north is the Langstrath branch climb, but the excellent views Marygate (✆ 01670 622155, EATING & DRINKING: Hiker’s Durham, Cuthbert Tunstall, after R over a stile, go L and follow a of Borrowdale, and to the south as you get higher provide some www.visitnorthumberland.com). Bar, The Old Dungeon he refused to swear an Oath of woodland path, passing through is Eskdale. From all these valleys, reward. Pike o’Stickle is on GUIDEBOOK: Walking In Ghyll Hotel (✆ 015394 Supremacy to the Queen. a gate to join a narrow road. Turn Bowfell presents a striking profile, your L as you look back down Northumberland by Alan 37272, www.odg.co.uk); R and follow this to its end. Take with its conical top surmounting a Langdale, with Pike o’Blisco Hall (£12.95, Cicerone Press, Restaurant & Walker’s 1. START From Norham village a gate on the R signposted for wider summit plateau. The views towering over Mickleden to Bar, New Dungeon Ghyll ▲ ISBN 978 1852844288). ▲ ▼ Twizel Bridge (NT894464). ▼ from the summit on a good day your R. Bowfell itself is hidden green (NT899473), walk down 53-54 walk43 ramblers route northern.indd 1 53-54 walk43 ramblersroutenorthern.indd 2 Ordnance Surveymap Ordnance Surveymap Continued... START FINISH 1 Hotel (✆ 015394 37213, 5 www.dungeon-ghyll.co.uk); Sticklebarn (✆ 015394 37356, www.nationaltrust. ping ©Crowncopyright2014OrdnanceSurveyMedia048/14 ping ©Crowncopyright2014OrdnanceSurveyMedia048/14 org.uk/sticklebarn-and- 4 2 great-langdale). SLEEPING: The Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and New Dungeon 3 Ghyll Hotel (as above); Great Langdale National Trust Campsite has camping pods, yurts and luxury shepherds’ huts available (✆ 015394 37668, www.nationaltrust. 3 org.uk/holidays). For a further choice of B&Bs and 2 self-catering cottages, visit www.golakes.co.uk. 1 VISITOR INFORMATION: START Ambleside TIC, Central FINISH Buildings, Market Cross Map not to scale. (✆ 015394 32582, Representation of OS Landranger 4 www.golakes.co.uk). MAP 90 1:50,000 GUIDEBOOKS: The Southern www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Map not to scale. Fells – Book Four (A Pictorial Representation of Guide To The Lakeland Fells) OS Landranger by Alfred Wainwright MAP 74 1:50,000 To download this route and hundreds of others, www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk (£13.99, Frances Lincoln, ISBN 978 0711226586); visit www.ramblers.org.uk/routes Fellwalking With Wainwright: 18 Of The Author’s Favourite pass the Great Slab, an impressive 3. Turn R towards Allen Crags to Continued... To download this route and hundreds of others, Walks in Lakeland by Alfred tilted sheet of rock, on your R. reach a large, cross-shaped stone visit www.ramblers.org.uk/routes Wainwright (Frances Lincoln, shelter, and turn R again along LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUP: ISBN 978 0711226579). 2. From here, there are some the bridleway, heading down Berwick-upon-Tweed Ramblers continues gently (although a little walk along a field edge through LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUPS: tremendous views from the towards Angle Tarn. At the fork (✆ 01289 309581, www. muddily) over a stile. Bear R at a another gate to a road beside Kendal Ramblers (www. summit, notably of the Scafells. at the bottom (after crossing northumbriaramblers.org.uk). fork, signposted East Newbiggin, Norham Castle. Turn L and walk ralakedistrict.talktalk.net); It’s worth having The Southern Angletarn Gill), bear L (or for then walk along the grassy path the short distance to the castle’s Summitt Good (www. Fells – Book Four (A Pictorial the most direct route back, keep entrance gates (NT907477). HF HOLIDAYS: Stay at Nether through beautiful countryside. summittgood.blogspot.com). Guide To The Lakeland Fells) ahead to go over the ridge to Norham Castle and its grounds Grange in the centre of the Once through a gate, turn L onto by Alfred Wainwright with you, the R of Rossett Pike and down are well worth exploration and, historic village of Alnmouth, a quiet road (NT907462). since his very detailed viewpoint the old pony route). Continue despite its tumultuous history, it’s HF HOLIDAYS: Choose from for the perfect walking panorama identifies every fell walking north-east to Stake Pass. two spectacular Country ✆ 4. This road wends its way through still in remarkable condition. within sight. The onward route break. 0345 470 7558, Houses in the Lake District, www.hfholidays.co.uk. peaceful countryside, passing what can be clearly seen: follow the 4. Turn R – now on the route of both with stunning lakeside used to be Norham Station (now 5. Retrace your steps back to the stony path that continues north the Cumbria Way – and follow views. ✆ 0345 470 7558, converted into houses) to reach road, turn R and descend into 3. Beyond a couple of attractive then west, descending to Ore the path down via Stake Gill the B6470 a little east of Norham Norham to follow Castle Street www.hfholidays.co.uk. cottages and a gate, follow a Gap. (If you want to shorten the and along the Mickleden valley (NT908469). Turn R, walk for back to the village green.