GLW1502 : Killington Discovered

Sunday 15th February 2015

It's a rare treat to find a totally new (to us) and attractive walk only 6 miles from our doorstep but we managed it today.

The forecast suggested we should go east so we headed for the tiny hamlet of Killington (not to be confused with the lake or the motorway service station bearing the same name). Killington is little more than a church, a manor house, a small village hall and a handful of houses.

Whichever way you approach it you think to yourself "what narrow lanes" and "I wouldn't want to live out here, it's too remote". Yet it is undeniably attractive and no doubt you get used to the lanes once you have learned where the passing places are.

We parked near the old church, which we examined, and admired the manor house, Killington Hall.

Then we set off across the fields to Aikrigg.

We could have taken a direct path south but the map says "Ford". Consequently we chose the circuitous route to the west marked on the map as having a FB. When were reached the stream however there was no footbridge to be seen, just a concrete cobbled track under the fast flowing water. After discussion about the best way across, we waded the stream. What did we see once across? Yes, a footbridge about 20 yards downstream. It had been hidden by bushes.

We followed an old track south, pausing for a coffee stop near a communications pylon. We were in pleasant rolling countryside with views over to Middleton Fell and the Howgills although they were somewhat shrouded by haze.

At Low Harprigg (where the map says ford but there is actually a footbridge) we didn't cross the beck. Instead we headed north-east to Beckside. It is lambing time and there were plenty of very young ones being protected by their mothers plus a posse of those yet to lamb.. We gave them a wide berth.