Whitbarrow Scar

A fine if slow ~10km run around novel parts of Whitbarrow Scar.

Route: leaving the car at the side of the quiet road which probably formed the original route of the A590 near the road to Raven’s Lodge and running up this, past the farm and then left along a track under White Scar gaining height.

Shortly after entering a wood and passing a bench, angling right uphill to climb onto the top of the plateau and then through and back through a wall to gain more height to enjoy fine views south over the Kent Estuary. Then taking paths rising gently, with views over the Winster valley and to the Lakeland Fells to reach the summit. Further north and east to cross a wall stile and, where the marked path turned left, continuing forward to a T-junction.

Here, doglegging left then right on a faint but definite path for 100 metres to reach another later track and turning right on this with a wall of limestone to the left. Following this, quickly becoming overgrown, for 2km, at times at walking pace picking a way round, under and over fallen trees and generally descending until the valley broadened slightly with grass under foot. Continuing slightly uphill until the higher ground to the left (east) came to an end and descending, with limestone under foot, to another T-junction. Here turning right and running slightly uphill to reach a wooden byre with cows and descending steeply left on a clear track, through a gate, left at a junction and right onto a path and following this down to Rawsons and then on a track back to Raven’s Lodge and thus the car.

Conditions: cloud and sun but warm.

Pub? (C-19) Bottles of Hawkshead WPA and Moorhouse Pendle Witches’ Brew in the summer house.