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Wallowbarrow Gorge via Seathwaite Difficulty: Easy These stepping stones are known as the Fickle Steps to some, Fickle relating to the small crag above the river in the Dunnerdale Forest. The stones are not that easy to cross and because of this a helpful wire hawser has been installed for people crossing to hold onto while they jump from boulder to boulder trying hard to keep a grip on these often slippery rocks. If when you reach the stepping stones the river is in spate then unfortunately there is no alternative way to cross the river. In this case you will have to return to the car and drive down to Seathwaite Village and start the walk from there instead. Apart from the small section from the car to the River Duddon, the walk is actually a circular walk so just start the walk from Seathwaite instead. You can do this by reading the route description from the Newfield Inn onwards then completing it by reading from this point onwards once you make it to the stepping stones again. Once on the other or west side of the stepping stones follow the path that heads west uphill through the enchanting Dunnerdale Forest signposted to Grassguards. As you head uphill through the forest floor you will see the huge cliffs of Fickle Crag on your right, the path eventually skirts the crag and the path becomes quite rocky for a short section, after which the path levels out and reaches the banks of Grassguards Gill. This is a lovely spot with hundreds of birds singing away in the forest to the right and Grassguards Gill falling down the hill on the left. After a while you will reach a small road at Grassguards which goes through a ford in the river. Walkers are signposted to walk to the small wooden footbridge just beyond the ford and cross it to a gate in the wall on the left just a little further on. A footpath has been created that heads round the back of the farm here and eventually meets back at the road that went through the ford and has now come out of the other side of the farm. Do be careful on the diverted path as it heads behind the farm, the owner there seems to feel the need to have wire fence with large holes in holding back a few rather unfriendly ankle biting dogs who's heads soon fly through the holes and are in easy biting distance. When you get back to the track road follow it to the right heading south towards the fields. You should be able to see the impressive stone walls that surround most of this areas farming fields. These walls are some of the best built I have ever seen, the family who ran the farm here in the middle of the last century had several strong sons in the family, it was there man power that enabled the fields here to be turned into excellent farming land and enabled the building of such grand walls. They really are something to be seen. Follow the road through the last of the farmers fields and then out onto open moorland of Rowantree How where the track eventually passes under the craggy Basin Barrow to the right. After passing Basin Barrow the road crosses between Wallowbarrow Crag on the left and Hollin How on the right before heading downhill towards a lovely little valley where you will come to the impressive Low Stonythwaite buildings. About a hundred yards before the house a bridleway sign points to the left, follow this route left and downhill, after about ten metres there is a small path heads uphill to the summit of Wallowbarrow Crag for anyone interested in the view from this excellent lookout over the Duddon Valley. Continue downhill now on a rough track passing the huge crags of first Wallowbarrow Crag and then Low Crag on the left hand side. The path will eventually reach the small Rake Beck as it zig zags through Lily Wood. At the point where the stream crosses a small beck that runs into Rake Beck stop and look back up at Wallowbarow Crag and Low Crag and you'll be amazed at just how big they actually are, approaching them from behind gives no aspect of just how grand these huge crags are but seen from below they really are special, especially with the foreground of an autumnal Lily Wood. When you reach the gate a few hundred yards from High Wallowbarrow farm follow the path to the left towards the farm. The path here goes straight through the farm, go through the large gate into the main part of the farm and then turn immediately left through two other gates away from the farm. The path now heads across towards another forest, go through the gate into the forest and follow the track until you get to one of the most impressive stone arch bridges your likely to see in the Lake District crossing the River Duddon. If your brave and the water is low then there are also some stepping stones down stream from here. Cross the stone arch bridge and follow the path to the right as it follows the bank of the river bending left after a few hundred metres. The path will eventually come to a rather less aesthetically pleasing stone bridge which you can cross to reach the other side of the river and then through a gate onto the road. At the road turn left towards Seathwaite Village where you will find the warmth, comfort and hospitality of the Newfield Inn. The Newfield Inn is a 17th century free house situated in the quiet Seathwaite Village in one of the quietest Lake District valleys. It is a place full of character with exposed beams, a log fire and a unique slate floor. Walkers are always welcome and the food, refreshments and local ales are all excellent. What more could you want? After taking in the delights of the Newfield Inn take a path that is signposted and heads in between the two barns on the opposite side of the road to the pub. The path goes through a few gates and then onto the farming fields, cross the final field and head slightly to the left once on the other side to reach a small footbridge. Cross the bridge and then head straight on through the woods. You will get to the old dam in the river, here follow the path left as it heads over a marshy boggy field, the path too ends up quite wet here. After the boggy area the path bends slightly right and heads into the forest before reaching the beautiful stone arched bridge yet again. Cross the bridge and turn right heading upstream following the River Duddon which at this point turns from a wide calm river into a torrent crashing over fallen boulders. The path starts to get difficult as it crosses large boulders, this can be extremely slippery and care should be taken for the next mile or so. In the river you will see a huge boulder which indicates the start of the Wallowbarrow Gorge, a deep wooded ravine with crags of loose rock and scree on either side and the excitement of its spectacle the River Duddon in the valley floor. The river here when in spate is phenomenal and adventure seeking canoe and kayak experts love taking advantage of it. Follow the path along the banks of the river and eventually it will head uphill, a slight scramble is required. As the path heads uphill it passes a large scree spill to the left and then settles down as it passes through the valley high in the woods. The path stays high for a while and then gets boggy before it starts to descend again and eventually reaches a small footbridge over Grassguards Gill at the point where it joins the River Duddon. Follow the path for a few hundred metres and you'll reach the Fickle Steps at the start of the walk, simply cross the Fickle Steps once more and head uphill back to the car park. |
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