BB2519 : Wonderful Wiggles?

Wednesday 28th May 2025

I thought Martin had suggested Scandale as our target for this week so that we could the see effects of the new and allegedly "wonderful wiggles" as part of its re-wilding scheme.   Scandale is the pass that separates Red Screes from Little Hart Crag and drops down to Ambleside via Scandale Bottom.  After the recent downpours, I wasn’t sure what conditions would be like down there as on the map it looks somewhat soggy.  Consequently I Googled for Scandale to check to see anyone had shared their experiences on-line.  I was directed to the website Scandale.com which has a video about Scandale Bottoms and Wiggling.  However, somehow it didn’t seem quite that relevant.  Check it out for yourself and see if you agree.

I then re-read Martin’s message and realised that he was talking about Swindale, not Scandale.  The RSPB website does indeed talk about "Wonderful Wiggles" and has a short film about "A River Restored". Tony and I had seen the re-wilding in process on BB2312 and were interested to see its development.

After I had picked up TV Mike, Stan and Tony, I asked my new Google navigatrix, a very polite lady with a nice Indian voice, to lead us to Swindale.  I think I shall call her Vaanya which I am told means "A Sylvan Glade".   She rather surprised me by suggesting we took the old Engineer’s Road from Shap.  I had thought it was closed to traffic.  As we reached the turning, Martin and the other Mike fortuitously arrived from the opposite direction.  After a brief discussion, we agreed to do as she suggested and, sure enough, with a bit of care about potholes and prayers that the dangerous bridges would not collapse, we reached the parking area near Swindale Foot.

We decided first to climb the fell.....

..... to get a bird’s-eye view of the rewilding then descend to Swindale Head to walk back down the valley and see it in close-up.  As expected, from the hill we could see the old straight bits were now dry and the river was wiggling away on the east side.  

After reaching the old pump house (at least I think that is what it used to be) on the watershed,.....

..... we progressed to Powley’s Hill and continued along to Hare Shaw for lunch. The descent  via the Old Corpse Road to Swindale Head was notable for several things.

• The view over to the Nan Bield pass and on to the only peak that Tony can reliably identify- Kidsty Pike.

• The number of planted trees, many of which had suffered from storms but several Rowans, unprotected other than by a yellow marker band, had survived.

• The mass of what I thought were called cotton-tails but have subsequently discovered they are called bunny-tails.  I’ve never seen such profusion.

• As before, the total absence of sheep.  Hence no picture.
• A Stonechat sitting on a branch and sounding like he was knocking pebbles together.  He flew off.
• The view up and down the valley.

Once down, we had to find the access to the path along the valley bottom.  The one that we had used two years ago no longer seemed to be open to the public so we headed upstream to find a different access.  The OS map was not helpful but the WalkLakes map showed a footbridge some way upstream, just below Force Falls.  Stan, TVM and I pressed on to the bridge, which did actually exist although it couldn’t be seen from a distance.  The other three didn’t want to risk walking so far then having to return the same way so they decided to head back on the west side.

I asked Mike to describe their return to the car and he, in turn, delegated the task to Alexandre Dumas.

It’s exactly this kind of spirit – self-reliance, determination, and a dash of cheek – that keeps our great nation moving forward. Long live the Boot Boys, and long live the Three Musketeers!

I ought to take issue with the implication that we three non-musketeers took the more traditional path- quite the opposite- but I’ll let that pass.   Having crossed the bridge below the falls path, we progressed north, down the east side of the valley on what appeared to be a new official path.  Maybe that was a mistake, it was certainly disappointing.  There were few open views; it was mostly undulating rough track through light woodland with little opportunity to assess the re-wiggling.

The Three Musketeers were waiting for us at a set of stepping stones.

TV Mike took up the challenge and safely made it across.  Stan and I wimped out and used the footbridge 20 yards further down river.  

There’s little else to report, other than another interesting drive on the Engineer’s Road.....

..... and, inevitably, a visit to the Tap.

So, were they wonderful wiggles?  They looked it from the hillside but it’s hard to judge from the designated path.  You can get a better idea from the video mentioned above.  Just make sure you watch the right one!

Don, Wednesday 28th May 2025

Bonus Pictures from TV Mike:  

Comitibus:  

 Tony,  TV Mike,  Mike B,   Martin,  Stan,  Don

Relive:

In Robert's absence, Mike B had been delegated to produce the Relive, which can be seen by clicking on the picture below.  In true Mike fashion, there are some atmospheric interpretations included.

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STATISTICS

BB2519 : Wonderful Wiggles

Date:

Wednesday 29th May 2025

Features:

Harper Hills, Powy's Hill, Hard Shaw

Distance in miles:

6.5

Height climbed in feet:

1,124

GPX track:

BB2519.GPX

Comitibus:

Don, Martin, Mike B, TV Mike, Stan, Tony

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