| Name of walk | Bigland Barrow with Friends |
| Date of walk | 2024-08-31 |
I was meeting up with Sue, Andy, Jo and Cameron, bellringing friends, for a walk. They wanted a walk with some variety, so I chose a favourite walk up to Bigland Tarn and Bigland Barrow. They had never done this route before. A four mile, easy circular walk that takes less than three hours. Parking is in the lay-by almost opposite the start of the walk, at Haverthwaite on the B5278 road to Cark, 200m past the hamlet of Low Wood. Heading up through Birk Dault Wood. The path is part of the Cumbria Coastal Way.
Andy's tracker of our route.
In the lay-by ready to set off. Sue and I had only just recovered from the shock of seeing Andy arrive before us, and ahead of time! Probably a once in a lifetime event, or maybe the start of a trend?
The path up through Birk Dault Wood is part of the Cumbria Coastal Way. (AP)
The woods are very atmospheric.
(AP)
A well camouflaged Andy on the boardwalk.
(AP)
Old stone barns near the top of the path.
Bigland Hall.
We are now out of the woods and approaching Bigland Tarn.
We head for the water's edge.
We then detour around to the right, then head down to the shore.
View back to Bigland Hall.
Andy's photo of me by the tarn.
We head back in the other direction.
View back down the tarn.
Andy photographing a patch of Harebells.
I show them the hidden entrance to the boathouse, which is well disguised.
Sue's photo of us all standing on top of the boathouse which from the path looks just like a little hill.
The jetty on the left. There is no access to it.
We continue around the tarn. (AP)
The long driveway to the road.
Bigland Hall Stables on the right.
At the entrance to Bigland Hall we cross over the road and go through the gate.
Bigland Barrow is now in sight.
Looking down to Bigland Trout Fishery, an artificial tarn created by the damming of Black Beck.
Heading for the summit. (AP)
The old Royal Observer Corp Orlit 'B' post on the summit of Bigland Barrow.
Looking out towards the Leven Estuary. The view is very hazy today. (AP)
I set up my selfie tripod ready for a group shot. Andy is photographing a beetle that Sue has found. I press my remote selfie button. The pose reminds me of a Renaissance painting!
Proper posed selfie shot.
Another selfie shot, but this one has some view behind.
View north.
Backbarrow with Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man behind.
We head back down. (AP)
We leave the main path, crossing the stile to a small tarn.
Over the years the tarn has become very overgrown, but it is teeming with dragonflies and damselflies.
We head past the tarn, following the grassy track down to High Brow Edge. Great views!
We hear the steam train at the Haverthwaite Railway below, but are too late to see it.
We follow the path between the two stone walls. At the road, we turn right then directly left down a 'road', sign posted 'unsuitable for cars'. Cottages lead off this 'road'.
We are greeted by chickens.
We head down past the cottages. (AP)
One is getting an extension.
Heading down to Low Wood.
The clock tower at Low Wood. A local resident told us they used to make gunpowder here 150 years ago. This resident was living in The Smokehouse. Nothing to do with kippers, but a building used to keep the smokers away from the gunpowder!
Workers' cottages.
A vintage Bentley passes us. (AP)
Low Wood bridge over the River Leven. From here we walk the 200m back to our cars.
We return home via the Coast Road and Roy's Quality Ices. We sit on a bench and eat our ice creams.
View of Morecambe Bay from our bench.
A good day!
Our 4.3 mile walk had taken under three hours. Luckily the weather was ideal and we had a warm, sunny day. Thanks to Andy (AP), Jo and Sue for the use of their photos. It was good to catch up. We missed Jason, who couldn’t make it, but we paid homage to him by stopping and looking at (and climbing on) various rock forms on our route. WWJD: What would Jason do? 😉 This walk is one of Wainwright’s Outlying Fells, but not his route, this one has far more interest!
Jo.
