Last updated 04 February 2006

 
The Routes and Paths around Hutton Roof and the Crags
 

It is impossible to describe all the paths which abound on Hutton Roof. One, the Limestone Link, is immensely popular and many walkers enjoy the route from Kirkby Lonsdale to Arneside, passing over Hutton Roof and Clawthorpe Fell. Many of these get lost on the earlier section between High Biggins and Hutton Roof as the route is less than obvious. It is not our intention to cover this route here, suffice it to say that if you follow the overhead power cables the gate and stile you are looking for will be obvious.

Right. On to Hutton Roof itself.

Essentially there are five popular access points. The first is a footpath signposted in the middle of the village and is practically directly opposite the road which leads from Kirkby Lonsdale via Kilnerfoot and The Biggins. Parking is normally available a little further down in Main Street in a small lay-by at Low House Farm.

When you enter the fell, through a five bar gate, you can either follow the Limestone Link, which takes the right hand track, of keep to the left and pass up Blasterfoot Gap. The Link route provides some excellent scenery, on your right as you get to the higher reaches. You will have a superb view of Ingleborough, Barbon and Middleton Fells and the Howgills beyond. The alternative route through Blasterfoot Gap leads up the Rakes, which may well be covered with rock climbers any weekend. If you want to picnic at the Rakes you need to take the left path at the top of Blasterfoot Gap. Alternatively if you keep straight ahead you will be able to look back and view the Rakes with the advantage of a little more elevation.

Further on you have a choice of two routes which pass either side of the Uberash Plain and the Limestone Pavement. If you choose to investigate the Pavement, or for that matter the top of the Rakes, you must take care as the limestone is riddled with deep cracks just waiting to snare unsuspecting ankles.

The three alternatives mentioned above all end up on the road to Clawthorpe and provide immediate access to New Biggin Fell, Farleton Crags, Clawthorpe and Holmepark Fells. The routes around this Fell will be the next thing to go on this website.

Its worth mentioning here that having parked in the lay-by at Low House Farm there is a route which goes through the farmyard then by the side of Park Wood, over Hutton Roof Park, Cockshot Hill and straight on to Crag House Farm and the Whittington / Burton road. Turn right when you reach the road and after a short walk you will arrive at Plain Quarry, which is another access point, and a recently constructed picnic area.

The next popular access point to Hutton Roof is by the side of Hutton Roof Church. This is the beginning of the road to Clawthorpe, which was mentioned above. There is parking both opposite the Church and at the old School, just around the corner. The route onto the fell is over a stone stile by the side of the school, and through a small wood. At the end of the wood the stile has been partly blocked by a tree, which came down in the exceptional winds in the autumn of 2004. If you are wearing a rucksack it may have to come off in order to get under the tree trunk. Keep following the track to the right to get onto the Limestone Link, or left to access up Blasterfoot Gap.

Turning left at the Church and continuing up the Clawthorpe road you will pass Kelker Well on your left. At the T junction turn left to the parking available at the crossing of the Limestone Link. From here you can either investigate Hutton Roof or alternatively Newbiggin Fell. Carrying on for a couple of hundred yards you will arrive at a fell gate on the right and a stile on the left. These give similar access to that mentioned above. A little further on the fell gate on the left provides access to the route which is shown going up the steps in the Uberash Breast and straight on to the Trig point at the summit of Dalton Fell. This is a route that is well worth the effort. However it is not easy to find, at the lower end. Probably it is better to investigate the route from the Trig point in the opposite direction to start with. You will more likely to find it from Clawthorpe Road as a result. The steps up the Uberash Breast resemble the Fairy Steps above Beetham but, thankfully, are somewhat less narrow.

The last access point was mentioned above. This is at Plain Quarry. Parking is a doddle as there is a Carpark at the picnic area. The route onto the fell requires that you gain access at one or other of the stiles on the wood side of the quarry. The route to the Trig point is relatively straightforward. Simply follow the obvious, upward leading path. You will pass through and area where the trees have been felled in the last three years. Keep an eye on the stone wall on your right as you head for the wooden gate which is situated at the intersection of two stone walls.

On your way up the early part of this route you will pass through some excellent examples of limestone fellside and attractive woodland. Looking behind you periodically you will suddenly see the River Lune in the distance as it passes on to the Crook of Lune, with Morecambe Bay in the background. I have seen deer in this woodland on many occasions.

The view from the Trig point is not magnificent but does provide a breather. From here there are a number of alternatives, all the paths are obvious on the map of the routes. I would suggest taking the path which goes slightly to the left, not the left path which is at right angles (this goes to the steps in the Uberash Breast mentioned above) at the end of the grass section of the fell you will descend through a wooded section and a gap between the limestone, which forms a T junction with another path. You want to turn left but, as you do, look back at the crack through the rocks which you have just left. If you ever want to do this route in reverse this crack is not so easy to spot.

If you have kids with you there are wonderful sections of this walk which, with just a little imagination can become a big adventure through haunted woodland and fairy dells. Ok maybe you don't need to have kids with you to use a little imagination. Following the path you will, in due course come to a large grassy break in the woodland (the fairy dell). Here I would suggest that you take the right hand path which in the end arrives at the Rakes.

It is possible to descend from the Rakes to Hutton Roof, walk along the road to Low House Farm then follow the return route, described above, to Plain Quarry. If you have small children with you this is probably too long a route so if there is any way that you can leave one vehicle at the Quarry and a second at Hutton Roof you will make the whole experience less tiring.

The walks described are simply a few of the options on Hutton Roof. All the paths are shown on the map but at high summer the vegetation gets quite thick and some routes are there but less obvious.

One last thing. Limestone gets very slippery when wet. Please take care, especially on any of the pavements as they have deep cracks just waiting to grab your ankle. The cheapest safety aid when walking the fells is a whistle. If you get into trouble six whistle blasts periodically is a recognised signal which will attract someone sooner or later.

We will be adding a description of some of the climbs on the Rakes very shortly.
Enjoy your walking.

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