iKnow Lake District
Walking Caldbeck Uldale Fells rambles Lake District
Hills rather than mountains, says Wainwright of the Caldbeck and Uldale Fells area. A little busier than in the 1950s, but still a quieter option, easy on the drama but certainly not short on charm. High Pike and Carrock Fell are the most renowned walks in the area.
Walking around Caldbeck and the Uldale Fells - quiet rambles and grave spotting!
High Pike is traversed frequently by Chris Bonnington apparently. The Caldbeck Fells were once a heavy mining area, and mine shaft graveyards are dotted about. Perhaps they'll open a mining museum soon in Caldbeck as there must be many untold stories of mining families past.
Caldbeck is a quiet little village, perhaps still not the land of ice cream suckers and juke box junkies, with many of it's buildings dating from the 17th century. It's history, however, stretches back to the 13th century. Perfectly placed for walkers of all levels, Caldbeck is close to the drama and scrambles of the Keswick Fells, but also good for the rounded hills and slopes of Uldale, where you might see more sheep than people, and roaming is a little freer.
Caldbeck Village and Mining History
For a quieter retreat why not stay over in charming Caldbeck (check out the village website below for the virtual tour of this charming village). You've got High Pike nearby of course, but also numerous other lighter rambles accessible from the village. Caldbeck has a particularly interesting industrial history, which developed around the rather convenient river, the Cold Beck, adjacent to which it stands. This was once a village crammed with mills, and many of them still stand including a particular favourite, Priests Mill, now a restaurant.
The whole village sits within a conservation area, and watch out for roaming sheep, ducks and so forth. It's all free roam in Caldbeck. If you're into hunting history you might just recognise the name of John Peel (not the one and only John Peel I might add!) who lived and is renowned in the area. It's spot the grave time in the graveyard of 12th Century church St Kentigern's Church behind Priests Mill. After you've found John Peel's grave (it's been desecrated in the past in protest against blood sports!), spot Mary (the Beauty of Buttermere, yawn) Harrison's grave.
Apparently the parents of John Dalton, the originator of the atomic theory are also in there. It is serious business this grave spotting lark. Alternative bob into the fantastic Oddfellows Arms for some great real ale and grub!!!! The Watermill Vegetarian Restaurant at converted Priests Mill is particularly popular, and still has the enormous waterwheel on the side of the building. Priests Mill, Caldbeck, Wigton, Cumbrian CA7 8DR, T 016974 78267
High Pike
High Pike is particularly famous for the view from the top towards other summits. Not known for it is dramatic climb, but a particular favourite of both Wainwright and Bonnington. If you're interested in mining history then High Pike is where to head, as pretty much all the mines in the Caldbeck Fells are here! I wish they'd make them safe so we could take trips down some of these mines, as Wainwright alludes to, were worked in the sixteenth century.
There is a detailed account of the Caldbeck Fell Mines in Wainwright's book five, well worth a look! Pet dogs and children, he advises, should be kept on leads near all mine shaft entrances! Here he mentions Roughtongill, the oldest and richest of all the mines which apparently was mined for 23 different ores and minerals. More recently mined in this area is the mineral brytees.
For a straight route from Caldbeck take the Nether Row Route, High Pike 9, book 5/Wainwright. Once at the summit in summer you'll be greeted by fragrant heather, oh and the simple stone seat (the previous ornamental iron one having been removed cause sheep kept getting caught in it). The seat is dedicated to a young guy called Mick Lewis from Nether Row who loved it up here!
