Sunday 14 February 2010

A walk up Stagsfell.

Hello Ladies,
I have to tell you that after reading the end of my last post, my husband confronted me on the landing, just outside our bedroom door and almost demanded to know when I'd been Fell walking without him!
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As he now knows and you can see from the photos, this walk took place with hubby in the sunshine, back in May last year. I just never got around to posting about it.
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So after all the snow and grim weather we have had recently, I thought we could all do with a little unseasonal sunshine and fresh air.
Let's get started shall we?
The photo above will give you some idea of where we are going to walk. This is St. Margaret's church in Hawes. If you click on the photo to make it bigger (sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't) and then look to the right of the church on the hillside, there is a dark diagonal line sloping upward to the shadows on the hillside. This diagonal line is the lane we will walk up, and then climb to the Fell top above it. (The third bump of hill from the left on the horizon.)

We have just left the tiny village of Sedbusk, in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. There it is, (I'm looking backwards) all those little stone cottages.
Click here to see where we are on Google maps, just type in Sedbusk and click on Satallite. In both of the above photos, we are looking back down the veeeeeeery long Shutt Lane, back at Sedbusk and the little town of Hawes in the distance.
Onward and upwards!
We've left the lane now and climbed diagonally half way up the hillside to this little group of trees, where I have been promised a little rest by my mountain goat of a husband.
(can you hear me gasping for breath?)

This little group of spindly trees has a tumble down stone wall around it, once enclosing the trees and I presume protecting the young saplings from grazing sheep.

If there is one thing we are not short of here in the Dales, it's dry stone walls!

Well we've reached the summit, sorry I mean hill top! It just feels like I've climbed a mountain! Mental note to self, "must get fitter".
We are looking East, right down the Dale/valley.

I've turned right with my camera to try and give you a panoramic view of whats in front of me.


We can see right across from the one side of the Dale to the other.

And now to our right, looking West you can just make out the loooong lane to Sedbusk and Hawes in the distance. If you carried on travelling West in a straight line you would come to Sedbergh and then if you carry on that straight line you come to Kendal in the Lake District.

I'll keep turning right so that you can see what I see.


I'm now looking behind me (if that makes sense) at the moorland Fell top. At the other side of this moorland, which stretches for about 6 miles, is Swaledale (the next valley). There are only 3 or 4 roads (I use the term road very loosely) that cross this huge mass of land from one valley to the other. Closest to this spot is the Buttertubs Pass, the next two are above the village of Askrigg and are suitable called 'Cross Top' and 'Long Band', these roads are literally single tracks that you would only choose to travel in Summertime.


Heading back now. I think the whole walk took just over an hour.

It amazed me when we first came here, how many wild flowers there were at the road sides.
There is so little pollution here that wild snowdrops, garlic and foxgloves all thrive in the verges. Not to mention dozens of other flowers that I'm ashamed to say I don't know the names of.

See! There he is! He did come with me.

Back in pretty Sedbusk.

I'm not really flagging behind! No, I'm hanging back on purpose to take photos. cough! cough!

Well I hope you enjoyed our little walk?
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I think it must be time for a cuppa now, don't you?
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Fi x


32 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an absolutely lovely walk we've just had! You are so blessed to live in this gorgeous countryside.
Thank you for sharing it.

Barbie

Jennifer said...

Absolutely stunning, and you are right, it's my dream. Thanks for sharing it with us.

GardenOfDaisies said...

I loved your little walk! So beautiful where you are. Did you know that one of my very favorite TV shows of all time was "All Creatures Great And Small"? Well, it was. And of course you pictures look just like the scenes in that show. I love it!

Devon said...

Wow what a beautiful walk and thank you so much for taking us on it with you and your hubby...

Holly Days Closet said...

WOW that was truely lovely. Thank you for the walk I sure needed that.
Holly

Claire said...

Hey Fi, thanks for the invite to join you on your walk.
As usual the scenery is breathtaking. I can never get enough of stone walls and villages.
Three things I noticed:- Blue sky, tee shirts and flowers, it would appear that Spring is just around the corner.
If I lived in such picturesque countryside then I am sure I would be donning my walking shoes and hitting the trails too.

Helsie said...

Oh Fi,
What memories that brings back. This is my favourite part of England. We stayed in Askrigg in 2008 and absolutely loved the area. We walked from Keld to Muker along the Pennine Way and back through the valley - absolute heaven through fields of buttercups.
Thanks so much for taking me on your walk. Can't wait til we go again.
Cheers
Helen

Marigold Jam said...

May is my favourite month and that walk was wonderful - thanks for inviting me to join you! Love the third photo and could just imagine sitting under those trees with that fabulous view spread out in front of me and taking a breather!

Jane

Mandy said...

Thank you for taking us with you on your walk! Just fantastic! You live in a very beautiful place.

Annie said...

Thanks for that Fi. I can no longer manage walks like that so it is special so share your views. Stunning scenery :-)
A x

harmony and rosie said...

I wish we had a day like that today, it's very grey and cold-looking. Stunning scenery on your lovely walk and thank goodness you had the evidence.

Pink Feather Paradise said...

Thats it the house is going on the market and I am moving... I want wide open spaces and rolling skylines and stones walls... (says I stamping feet... !) lol

Thank you for sharing
I shall peer out my window at hte drizzle and dream...

Alex
x

Anonymous said...

What stunning countryside! You are so lucky to live where you are, how I would love to live somewhere like that! :) xx

Laura said...

What a gorgeous place you live in! It's my dream location! Thank you for sharing the stunning landscape with us.

xxx

Carol said...

I loved (y)our walk but after a morning's gardening my knees were a aching quite a bit!
Stunning scenery, wonderful, wonderful Yorkshire.
Thank you.
Carol

Lululiz said...

I am so in need of a cup of tea and a biscuit now, I am shattered after walking all that way! Mind you, it was worth it, it was a very beautiful walk, and such nice company, too ;-)

wonderwoman said...

looks an amazing walk - roll on the spring!!!
x

Twiglet said...

Oh how I miss those Dales!! Thanks for those fab pics. It must be one of the best places on Earth to wander!!!!

Autumn Mist said...

I've been there. It was several years ago now, but I went for a weekend with Worksop Ramblers and stayed in a Youth Hostel. Fabulous landscape, and beautiful in spring and summer, of course. Can't wait for the warmer days to come again.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Fiona, I did enjoy the walk. I came through Hawes this morning and I must say it was not like it is in your pictures - oh for a bit of summer weather.
I loved your photograph of the yellow marsh marigolds - they grow in every damp place in the Dales and always give me joy.

Anonymous said...

My husband's gone to Houston for the week, and I've been at work all day. Once I'd put the children in bed, I really needed a virtual walk. Thank you so much for that!
a-m

Martha in Kansas (US) said...

Thanks for the tour! A perfect thing on this cold blustery day in Kansas. You live in a lovely place! My mother's maiden name was Fell, a family with a long history dating back to that area somewhere -- Longlands, I think. It's interesting to see this with that in mind. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

HA MERCI FIONA POUR CETTE BELLE PROMENADE ?
JE VAIS AVOIR LA CHANCE DE VOIR TOUS CES BEAUX PAYSAGES CAR JE VIENS DANS VOTRE BELLE REGION AU MOIS D AVRIL ??
JE VOUS SOUHAITE UNE BELLE JOURNEE
AMICALEMENT
MARIE CLAUDE

Sal said...

That is just such pretty scenery! I loved coming along with you! ;-)

Lynne said...

It's lovely to take a walk in the sunshine. It looks warm too.

Annie said...

There is a new award for you on my blog if you choose to accept :-)
A x

Anonymous said...

Thank you, thank you for the breath taking walk and views! I feel quite weary now and will join you in that cuppa!!

Carolette said...

Hello,

I just stumbled upon your lovely blog and would like to join the 20 minutes resolution? Is that ok?
I need something to give me a little push. I do sewing and cross stitching mainly.

I really enjoyed this little walk btw!
PS: my blog is in French but I live in Staffordshire!

Booklinks said...

Thanks for sharing this pictures! Such a beautiful landscape, very impressive
I live in the countryside, near the woods and I love it, but compared to these pictures....
In the Netherlands thing are a bit smaller.

Suzanne

Joyce across the Pond said...

Gosh this reminds me of the time we towed a caravan in the Dales and went to the Long Wool Sheep shop....such a job getting the caravan out of the lane and unto the main road...do you know that after 15 years I still have the 4 ply wool untouched...how awful is that? Are you near Leyburn...I'm too tired to sort it out myself at the moment. Joyce in Northern Ireland

MarmaladeRose said...

Hi Joyce
Yes I'm about 30mins drive away from Leyburn. It's our nearest little town.

Nancy said...

Thank you for the beautiful walk. I've always read much about the English countryside, and aspire to visit some day (I live in the US.) Your villages and countryside are so charming. I've recently found your blog and look forward to more engaging walks and past times.