Calf Top 609m and Barbon Low Fell 437m, 30th January 2010

Calf Top from Castle Knott

 

Calf Top

I parked the car near the church in Barbon village and started walking at 10.30 am. It was a beautiful sunny day, with hardly a cloud in the sky but a bitter wind. It was a cold, crisp day but where there was shelter from the wind if felt warm in the sun. I was disappointed at the lack of snow cover, although the hillsides were flecked with snow and the ground was frozen solid. This made it easier to cross what was normally boggy ground. I followed the right of way by the side of the church and my intention had been to follow this to Eskholme Farm. However, I made the mistake of following the tarmac road into Barbon Park, where there were a number of shooting parties. I easily found a path that ascended the open hillside and as I climbed the views to the Lake District opened up quite nicely. I reached the top of the Dewey of Castle Knott at 11.40 am and the view was amazing: across to the snow covered Lake District mountains, the Forest of Bowland, Morcambe Bay, Blackpool Tower, Great Coum and Calf Top. Despite being a cold day I was thirsty but I had left my water bottles at home and all the ground water was frozen. The path descended to a col and than ascended towards Calf Top, eventually following a fence and ruined stone wall to the summit. I reached the top at 12.25 pm and sheltered from the bitterly cold wind behind the wall and ate lunch. The view was fantastic: aside from what I had seen from Castle Knott I also saw the Howgill Fells, Whernside, Aye Gill Pike, Baugh Fell and Knoutberry Hill. I stayed until 1.15 pm, unable to leave the fantastic view but decided that I had to make a move.

The Howgill Fells from Calf Top

Barbon Low Fell  

I followed the path back to Castle Knott and beyond down the ridge. I then descended steep slopes to Barbondale, crossed the beck by a footbridge and walked along the minor road for a short distance. I then took the track to Bullpot Farm and near where a gate and a wall crossed the track I left the track and climbed the hillside. It was hard work but the beautiful views of Great Coum and Calf Top were compensation. The trig came into view but the summit was in an undulating area with many ups and downs but I reached it at 3.20 pm. I stayed for 10 minutes to admire the crystal clear view and descended towards an area called Johnny Barns Moss. I found an intermittent path and a flowing beck, allowing me to slake my raging thirst. I reached the road not far from Barbon and reached the car at 4.20 pm, almost 6 hours after leaving it.

Barbon Low Fell

 

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