Author Topic: Mount Barnard  (Read 1718 times)

Brandywell

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Mount Barnard
« on: 13:58:46, 10/05/20 »
Mount Barnard, despite its grand name is only a little hill, standing at just over 500 feet high, it's the most southerly point of a 5 mile long ridge which runs from Newby Bridge at the foot of Windermere to Morecambe Bay. The Cumbria Coastal Way long distance path runs below it but it's never been worth the short diversion from that path to climb Mount Barnard because its slopes and summit have, for decades, been covered  in a dense pine forest.  Besides the hill has always been off limits because it has been used to rear pheasants for the shooting season.  Last year most of the trees were felled and the 'Strictly Private' gate has been left wide open, a too good an opportunity to miss - so off we went to see what the view was like from the summit. after all it's supposed to be legendary.




On the lane towards Low Bank Side Farm


Hampsfell across the valley from the Low Bank Side lane



Opposite the farm we take a public footpath up the now denuded Low Bank Side Wood.  It was clear felled about three years ago of its pines and replanted last year with about 2,000 beech and oak whips, though the self seeded birches seem to be growing much quicker.



Newton Fell from the Low Bank Side footpath.



A  wall stile at the top of Low Bank Side Wood gives access to Salesbrook Wood, a lovely place.



We leave Salesbrook Wood via another wall stile and descend a small field to join the Cumbria Coastal Way.



Lovely Scots Pines in this field, there used to be lots more in Low Bank Side Wood.



On the Cumbria Coastal Way track along Holker Bank.



The 'mighty' Mount Barnard soon comes into view.



Just to the right of the track is The Frog Stone which is about three feet high.  There used to be pre-historic stone circle here, 126 yards in circumfernce,  the Frog and two other stones stood in line to one side of it, the circle survived until the mid 1700's.  All this was once common land where landless peasants could graze their few animals. Holker Bank was enclosed under one of the numerous Parliamentary Inclosure Acts which in effect extinguished the centuries old commoners rights.  The stones of the pre-historic circle were removed to use in the enclosure walls, only the 'Frog' remains as a witness to those times.



Looking back along Holker Bank,  We found a clue for a birthday 'treasure hunt trail' beside the Frog Stone.  One person is standing beside the stone with another approaching it.  We presumed they were on that trail.



From the top of Holker Bank we turn left through a wooden gate.


Continuing on the Cumbria Coastal Way along a walled lane



A peep over the wall to Mount Barnard, last year all you could see from here was a dark and dismal pine forest.



Starting the ascent of Mount Barnard from the open gate, old forest roads which wind around the slope makes this a easy climb, but it's steeper than it looks.



Looking west across the devastated Mount Barnard's southern slope, the Sir John Barrow Monument on Hoad Hill is visible over the How Barrow Plantation.



How Barrow from the summit of Mount Barnard with the tops of the Coniston Fells on the right.



Cartmel and Hampsfell from the summit of Mount Barnard.



Looking south-east to the Forest of Bowland hills.



The view south over the wide expanse of Morecambe Bay.  The roll of wire and fence on the right are part of the ruined pheasant rearing compound.



Chapel Island and the Furness Peninsular.



Ulverston across the Leven Estuary.



Gummer's How in the centre with Red Screes and Caudale Moor to the left.



How Barrow from the descent of Mount Barnard.





Watch where you are putting your feet : AW

GnP

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #1 on: 14:30:01, 10/05/20 »
Great pics, + Salesbrook wood and the bluebells.. O0
Looks like it was blue sky all day too.


A night under silnylon. Doesn't have the same ring to it.

richardh1905

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #2 on: 14:31:14, 10/05/20 »
An enjoyable report, Brandywell - strange in a way to see photos of local paths that I now know quite well. I love that track skirting to the west of Mount Barnard.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

richardh1905

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #3 on: 14:33:32, 10/05/20 »
I didn't know about the Frog Stone, but my son and I were commenting on what it looked like when we passed that way a few weeks ago - he said a rabbit, I said a frog  :D
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

vghikers

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #4 on: 14:52:54, 10/05/20 »
A nice local exploration, great pics and views  O0
Pheasant rearing seems to have increased in recent times in a few locations we've been to.

Ridge

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #5 on: 14:57:17, 10/05/20 »
Lovely pics.  O0

karl h

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #6 on: 15:00:06, 10/05/20 »
Lovely pics from another beautiful little corner of Lakeland.  O0

April

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #7 on: 15:20:25, 10/05/20 »
Lovely pics Brandywell.  O0

Yourself and Richard have made me turn the SE Lakes OS map OL7 over on to its south sheet. It is a new copy of the map and this is the first time the south side has been aired  :) I don't remember ever turning my old copy on to the south sheet either. There is so much more in Cumbria to see outside of the National Park.
Hate will never win

Brandywell

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #8 on: 09:59:13, 11/05/20 »
Great pics, + Salesbrook wood and the bluebells.. O0
Looks like it was blue sky all day too.
Thanks G&T, Salesbrook Wood is quite small and very peaceful with lots of wildlife, we once saw a Tawny Owl asleep there on a fallen branch only two feet from the ground. :)
An enjoyable report, Brandywell - strange in a way to see photos of local paths that I now know quite well. I love that track skirting to the west of Mount Barnard.
Thanks Richard,  We used to walk along the track every Boxing Day on the way to Speel Bank Allotment, sometimes we passed Lord Cavendish and family plus house guests waiting there for his beaters and dogs to flush the pheasants out of the woods. :)
A nice local exploration, great pics and views  O0
Pheasant rearing seems to have increased in recent times in a few locations we've been to.

Thanks vghikers, a local shooting syndicate have a few pens and lots of feeding stations in the woods around Holker Bank.  I've seen a few work parties about recently so they must be expecting to start the shoots around October as usual. ;)

Lovely pics.  O0
Thanks Ridge :)
Lovely pics from another beautiful little corner of Lakeland.  O0
Thanks Karl, We are so lucky here to have lots of PROW's and permissive paths to walk on from home. :)
Lovely pics Brandywell.  O0

Yourself and Richard have made me turn the SE Lakes OS map OL7 over on to its south sheet. It is a new copy of the map and this is the first time the south side has been aired  :) I don't remember ever turning my old copy on to the south sheet either. There is so much more in Cumbria to see outside of the National Park.
Thanks April, I bet you were surprised to see so much sand when you turned over OL7.  ;)
 
Watch where you are putting your feet : AW

pdstsp

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #9 on: 10:15:00, 11/05/20 »
Lovely pics - thanks for posting.

April

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #10 on: 12:27:13, 11/05/20 »
Thanks April, I bet you were surprised to see so much sand when you turned over OL7.  ;)


 :)  Dangerous sand too!
Hate will never win

richardh1905

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #11 on: 12:28:12, 11/05/20 »

 :)  Dangerous sand too!


"If the quicksand doesn't get you, then the tide will"


Seen on a warning notice  :o
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

April

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #12 on: 18:19:24, 11/05/20 »
"If the quicksand doesn't get you, then the tide will"

 :o I will leave the sand well alone  :)
Hate will never win

Mel

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #13 on: 21:33:36, 11/05/20 »
Looks a nice walk. 


I like How Barrow and it's gorse girdle.  My kind of lumpy-bumpy fell  :)

Brandywell

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Re: Mount Barnard
« Reply #14 on: 09:34:56, 12/05/20 »
Lovely pics - thanks for posting.
Thanks Paul  :)

"If the quicksand doesn't get you, then the tide will"


Seen on a warning notice  :o
:o I will leave the sand well alone  :)
I've crossed the sands three times with the guide Cedric Robinson (now retired), its a great experience. O0
Looks a nice walk. 


I like How Barrow and it's gorse girdle.  My kind of lumpy-bumpy fell  :)
The gorse girdle is home to hundreds of rabbits, their kind of lumpy-bumby fell too I guess. O0
Watch where you are putting your feet : AW

 

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