Hebblethwaite Hall Gill
The snow had all but disappeared and I was back out checking out another place I'd never visited to see if I could incorporate it into a walk. Hebblethwaite Hall Gill isn't far from Cautley Spout, England's highest above ground cascading waterfall (see blog entry here), so I needed to make sure I was familiar with it anyway. It was a soggy and rainy day as I set out and it didn't get any better!!
Situated just east of Sedbergh, that lovely little town that's on the east side of Cumbria but also on the western tip of the Yorkshire Dales, lies Baugh Fell, and Hebblethwaite Hall Gill is one of the gills coming off the fell to the west. There were paths and rights-of-way shown on my old paper map but my OS app suggested fewer options to get close to the falls. I did, of course, persevere, but often found myself bogged down and in some dodgy overgrowth on a slippery slope towards the water but, as the area wasn't yet into the open access land just a short distance beyond, I also had to take care that I wasn't on private land that I shouldn't be on...
After a while, as the route staying close to the gill got completely mad (and as the gorge ahead grew quickly, meaning that the water flow ahead only climbed slowly), I headed up and took the main "path" that was actually just a road to Hebblethwaite Hall from where I then dropped back down again towards the falls and where there was, for a short while, a clear and fairly safe route and even a footbridge to get over the gill - the signs indicated that this section of woodland is managed by The Woodland Trust suggesting that the area is left to, more or less, look after itself. I headed downstream for around 500m, until the gill started flattening out a little (ie where the waterfalls became limited), then headed back to the bridge, crossed again, and headed another 500m upstream. This section is where the best of the falls are but, aided by the recent wet weather and, presumably, a limited number of visitors beating out any kind of clues as to where was the best place to walk, it was fun getting close to the water at times.
However it was really worth it, with some lovely cascades coming down the sides of the gorge, some terrific raging sections along the main gill, and all set in a beautiful old wood with damp moss sitting everywhere, on rocks and trees alike. I made my way back to Hebblethwaite Hall and took the easy road route all the way back to my van.
Another cracking set of falls but not a great walk to get to as it looks like the only "correct" way in is via a walk along a road. For now this one will stay off my list of places to take people but I'll also add it to my areas to keep wandering around on free days to see if I can make a walk work...
Andy
Situated just east of Sedbergh, that lovely little town that's on the east side of Cumbria but also on the western tip of the Yorkshire Dales, lies Baugh Fell, and Hebblethwaite Hall Gill is one of the gills coming off the fell to the west. There were paths and rights-of-way shown on my old paper map but my OS app suggested fewer options to get close to the falls. I did, of course, persevere, but often found myself bogged down and in some dodgy overgrowth on a slippery slope towards the water but, as the area wasn't yet into the open access land just a short distance beyond, I also had to take care that I wasn't on private land that I shouldn't be on...
After a while, as the route staying close to the gill got completely mad (and as the gorge ahead grew quickly, meaning that the water flow ahead only climbed slowly), I headed up and took the main "path" that was actually just a road to Hebblethwaite Hall from where I then dropped back down again towards the falls and where there was, for a short while, a clear and fairly safe route and even a footbridge to get over the gill - the signs indicated that this section of woodland is managed by The Woodland Trust suggesting that the area is left to, more or less, look after itself. I headed downstream for around 500m, until the gill started flattening out a little (ie where the waterfalls became limited), then headed back to the bridge, crossed again, and headed another 500m upstream. This section is where the best of the falls are but, aided by the recent wet weather and, presumably, a limited number of visitors beating out any kind of clues as to where was the best place to walk, it was fun getting close to the water at times.
However it was really worth it, with some lovely cascades coming down the sides of the gorge, some terrific raging sections along the main gill, and all set in a beautiful old wood with damp moss sitting everywhere, on rocks and trees alike. I made my way back to Hebblethwaite Hall and took the easy road route all the way back to my van.
Another cracking set of falls but not a great walk to get to as it looks like the only "correct" way in is via a walk along a road. For now this one will stay off my list of places to take people but I'll also add it to my areas to keep wandering around on free days to see if I can make a walk work...
Andy