MARTINDALE


Directions With St Martin’s Church on your leſt, follow the tarmac road towards the head of the valley. At the end of the road continue on, passing in front of the white farmhouse then turn right and pass through a wooden gate. Follow the path uphill alongside a walled field boundary and take the right fork, near a large boulder, aſter 30m. Remain on this path as it climbs steadily along the hillside. Towards the top the path bends around an old building – remain on the main track until it brings you out onto Bedafell Knot. Bear right at the cairn and follow the


footpath all the way along the top of the ridge and across the top of Beda Head. (Note: This is a long stretch but the path is clear throughout.) Remain on the ridge top and continue along the path for ¾ mile. As the path descends to a distinct ‘crossroads’ with a black metal bench, turn right and return down to the tarmac road, then turn leſt to return to the church.


“Red deer have roamed the valleys for over 300 years and are usually fairly easy to spot”


Walk commentary: Beth’s highlights Cumbria is literally crawling with wildlife and, for me, there’s no beter time to see it than during the autumn. Aside from the fact that the changing colours of the bracken and trees make the hillsides glow a million different shades of gold and brown, there’s the practical aspect, which is that wildlife is easier to see at this time of year as the fells are generally quieter and the leaves are off the trees. Ullswater is one of the most popular


lakes and tends to be busy all year round, but a ‘lap of Martindale’ is one of my favourite quiet walks. The ascents are long and gentle with ample excuse to pause and catch your breath and, for a low level


fell, the views are spectacular. The added bonus is that the route is really easy to follow and so is perfect for anyone who feels less confident on the higher fells. In addition to all of the fantastic wildlife, there are also plenty of points of historical interest along the way. There has been a church on the site at the start of the walk for over 700 years, and a nearby yew tree is thought to be over 1,300 years old, suggesting this may have been a site of worship since the Middle Ages. There’s also the unmistakable ‘red


bungalow’ at the head of the valley. Today it’s a smart holiday home but it was once owned by the Earl of Lonsdale whose favourite colour was yellow. He loved the colour so much that when Kaiser Wilhelm II visited the Earl and they took a cruise along Ullswater, the deck of the boat was painted yellow in his honour. When it comes to wildlife these valleys


have plenty to offer and it’s definitely worth packing your binoculars for the best views. Red deer have roamed the valleys for over 300 years and are usually fairly easy to spot, although only from a distance; red deer have over 250 million olfactory sensors in their noses compared to our paltry 5 million, so there’s a very good chance they’ll smell you before you see them (especially if you’ve packed egg sarnies!). During the autumn months the ruting season is in full flow and the bellows of the stags echo around the valleys as they compete for dominance in their herd. Even if you don’t spot wildlife, a look


along the hedgerow will show you exactly where it’s been, with fox and badger routes easily identifiable by the holes they leave through the botom of hedges and, occasionally, fences. If you have a dog with you do make sure you keep it on a lead; there’s a story from 1779 of a fox terrier taking off aſter a fox one evening and he wasn’t seen again until the following evening when he arrived back at the farm, still chasing the fox! There’s also plenty to spot in the


skies above with buzzards keeping you company on most walks and, if you’re there around dusk, the sight and sound of owls coming out to hunt their dinner.


Route details


Start: St Martin’s Church (the ‘Old Church’), Martindale


Grid reference: NY 434 184 Distance: 4.5 miles / 7km Terrain: Tarmac, grassy track, fell paths


OS map: Explorer OL5 – The English Lake District, North Eastern Area Ascent: 984ft / 300m


Difficulty & duration: A challenging walk with a long but steady ascent, and a descent which is very steep in places. The paths are clear throughout, but the usual care and preparation should be taken for a fell-top walk.


Parking: Limited free parking available adjacent to the church. Public transport: The Ullswater Steamer will drop you at Howtown, a short distance from the start of the walk.


Directions: From Penrith take the B5320 towards Pooley Bridge. Just before the village, fork left and follow the road to Howtown. Continue through Howtown to Martindale, passing St Peter’s Church. Continue for about half a mile, bearing left, to arrive at the Old Church of St Martin.


Facilities: No facilities along route.


Cumbrian Wildlife | September 2019


31


PHOTO: STEVE PIPE


© Crown copyright 2019 Ordnance Survey. Media 056/19


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