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GLW2007
: Benson Knott; Cars or Cows?
Thursday
16th July 2020
Overlooking
Kendal to the north-east are the twin peaks of Benson
Knott. Unlike the Helm or the Scout Scar range
they are infrequently visited. In part this is
probably due to legitimate access only being available
from the north. To the south, the farmer is believed
to tolerate walkers and there is also the possibility
of crossing Hayfell to a broken wall into the Fisher
Tarn area though when the BOOTboys
did that, the fields were rather unpleasantly covered
with slurry.
We
parked on Paddy Lane where the hedgerows were full of
raspberries. Access to the fell requires a short,
unpleasant stretch along the A685 Tebay road before
finding the farm track. Soon you have to decide
which way to access the fell. I had intended to
take the direct route and return via the path that emerges
onto the farm track. We noted that in that field
were a lot of unfriendly looking bovines. I can't
say whether they were heifers or bullocks but they didn't
seem to welcome visitors.
We
followed the direct path up the hill. There were
heifers en-route but they were just interested in grazing
so presented no problems. In fact the biggest
problem was negotiating the gates and stiles without
actually making touch with any parts that might harbour
lurking C-19 traces.
First
we tackled the slightly higher and less interesting
eastern peak.....
.....
then dropped down and up to the western top. This
presents a huge panorama from the estuary.....
.....
to the Coniston Fells and further round.
Unfortunately,
whilst we could see the house next door, all we could
see of Emma's was her roof top.
Our
descent was more or less parallel to the stream until
we reached a decision point. Cows or cars? Bovines
or white vans? We chose the latter and returned
along the A685 for quite some distance, passing evidence
of the pipeline that we had not seen on the Thirlmere
Way. It was not nice on the road; busy and potentially
dangerous. We concluded it was less risky to be
facing bullocks!
That
aside (plus the fact that some nasty insect bit me on
the back of my hand, which is still sore) it was a Great
Little Walk but one can understand why the Helm or Scout
Scar are the destinations of choice.
Don,
Thursday 15th July 2020
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