Name of walk	Smardale Gill Viaduct Round
Date of walk	2025-03-20

Brendan and I were meeting Val for lunch in the Black Bull at Nateby, near Kirkby Stephen, so we decided on a morning walk of the Smardale Gill Viaduct. 4.8 miles in 2hrs and 20 minutes. We parked in the Smardale Gill Nature Reserve car park.

The map in the car park shows where we are.

This shows our route out, we would cross Scandal Beck at the packhorse bridge and return to the viaduct on the other side.

The way ahead from the car park.

We cross the road and head past Smardale Hall and continue along the old railway line.

Good views out.

We head under the Settle-Carlisle Smardale Viaduct.

The trees make it quite difficult to see, but easier now than when the trees are in leaf.

View back as a train crosses the viaduct.

Another view back along the line.

The top of the Smardale Gill Viaduct.

Scandal Valley.

Old limekilns top right.

Shadow of the 14 arches on the viaduct.

Brendan and the limekilns. He is quite tiny beside them.

The old railway cottages. A pity they have not been put to better use. They have a wonderful aspect.

At the bridge we go left over a stile.

We head down to the packhorse bridge to cross Scandal Beck and return on the other side of the valley.

Route back to the viaduct.

Viaduct view.

On the right are the quarries where the stone for the viaduct came from. On the left are the railway cottages.

The cottages would make a good holiday let.

We head along a good path. The rock is sandstone on this side of the valley, limestone on the other. There are some sandstone quarries on this side.

The viaduct is 552ft long and 90ft high.

View back before we rejoin our original path.

Heading back to the car park.

A good little walk on a warm day. We made it to the pub in plenty of time.

Jo.