Walking in the Sedbergh Area
There is an extensive network of footpaths and bridleways in this part of the Yorkshire Dales. It is sign–posted and maintained by rangers and volunteers from the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Garsdale, Dentdale and the Rawthey Valley offer a range of lowland walking routes, while the more challenging Howgill Fells rise directly above Sedbergh.
For those with a few days to spare, there are some terrific routes from Sedbergh and Dent over to Swaledale, Wensleydale and the Three Peaks. And Bowness on Windermere is just two days walk away on the Dales Way.
A good source of information for walkers visiting the area is the Information and Book Centre on the town's Main Street.
Several maps, guides and books about walking can be found at the Information and Book Centre, Sleepy Elephant, the Post Office and many of the book shops in Sedbergh, as well as at the Village Store in Dent.
Videos To Get You In The Mood
- Calders and The Calf, a Howgill Fells Walk. A video by Matt O'Brien. Watch it on YouTube.
- Alfred Wainwright on the Howgill Fells. An utterly charming video featuring the late A.W. in converstion with Eric Robinson. Take twenty minutes and a cup of tea, sit back and indulge yourself on YouTube.
- The Calf from Sedbergh. A video by Rambling Tog. Watch it on YouTube.
- A Dales High Way. A video by David Halsall. Watch it on YouTube.
- Howgill Fells. A video by Riaz Ahmed. Watch it on YouTube.
- Ramblings, the Dales Way. Listen to Clare Balding as she walks from Dent to Sedbergh, on BBC i‑Player.
Local Walking Routes
- Walking In the Yorkshire Dales. A nicely illustrated website — walkingintheyorkshiredales.co.uk — that describes walks from Garsdale Station and the Moorcock Inn, and around Dentdale and the Howgill Fells (amongst other places). Many of the walks can be accessed using the Settle–Carlisle Railway (Dent and Garsdale stations) and/or the Western Dales Bus.
- The Sedbergh Quaker Trail By Dave Smith and Phil Satchell. This a circular walk starting and finishing in Sedbergh that takes in a number of sites of relevance to early Quakerism. A booklet describing the route is available at the Sedbergh Information Centre on Main Street.
- Sedbergh to Brigflatts A gentle 3 mile walk (there and back) to the Quaker Meeting House at Brigflatts. A map of the route can be found on the Brigflatts Quaker website.
- Garsdale to Cautley Circular. A 10 ½ mile walk described as moderate by the Walking Englishman.
- Flintergill Outrake & Nature Trail, Dent. A short linear walk that takes you about a mile and a half up Flintergill to "High Ground" (with its locally renowned views). See page on Heritage Centre website.
- Short walks from Dent. These can be found on the Dentdale website.
- Two walks from Dent. 6 or 7 miles each, can be found on the Discover Dentdale website.
- Free guided walks. Organised by the Friends of the Settle–Carlisle Line, some of them starting and/or finishing at Dent or Garsdale Station. Or take the train to Ribblehead Viaduct, have a guided tour, then come back on the train. Simples. See the FSCL website.
- My Pennines. A website by Matt O'Brien. This describes several walks around the Howgills, with photographs, route–maps, and videos. Visit My Pennines..
- Sedbergh Geology. An introduction and local walk — a short guide to the local geology of Sedbergh, by way of a short walk just to the North of the town centre. Text by Dr Neil Davies, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge. Photography by Andi Chapple.
- Access for all. Garsdale, Dentdale and Sedbergh. A free booklet giving 'information about access opportunities . . . for visitors who are less mobile'. Includes maps/details of a few short and level walks.
- A Walk Around Sedbergh. A booklet that describes a gentle walk around Sedbergh town centre, with places of interest and historical notes.
- Eight Walks from Sedbergh. By Peter McWilliam. Booklet of walks between three and eleven miles in length, with brief descriptions and maps.
- Wild Card Discovery Walks. A pack of walks around Brigflatts, Cautley, Cowgill, Dent and Sedbergh, each with map and illustrations of wildlife to look out for.
- Sedbergh (Dent). Leaflet by Arthur Gemmell, includes a small but comprehensive footpath and bridleway map at a scale of 2½ inches to the mile.
- Sedbergh (Howgills). Leaflet by Arthur Gemmell, includes a small but comprehensive footpath and bridleway map at a scale of 2½ inches to the mile.
- The Sedgwick Geological Trail leaflet. Describes a route of just over a mile that starts and finishes at the car park at Longstone Common on the A684, Garsdale Road. The route should be followed with particular care as there has been some erosion by the riverbank.
- Walking in Dentdale. A pack of six walks published by Discover Dentdale.
- Around and About Sedbergh. By Yellow Publications, a section of the OS Explorer OL19 map, waterproofed.
- Around and About Dent. By Yellow Publications, a section of the OS Explorer OL2 map, waterproofed.
- Sedbergh Walks. By Harvey's, map of 8 walks centred on Sedbergh.
- Walks around Howgills and Dentdale. Ten Great Walks Under 6 Miles, by Sheila Bowker.
- Further Information. See the Sedbergh town website and at the Sedbergh Information and Book Centre at 72 Main Street.
- Connecting Buses. Linear walking routes between Dent, Sedbergh, Cautley and Kirkby Stephen are sometimes made possible thanks to services offered by www.westerndalesbus.co.uk.
Long Distance Walking Trails
- The Dales High Way. A 90 mile waymarked route from Saltaire, via Settle, Ingleborough and Sedbergh, to Appleby–in–Westmorland. See website.
- A Dales High Way Companion. A guide to the Dales High Way by Tony and Chris Grogan.
- The Dales Way. A walking route that runs from Ilkley to Bowness–on–Windermere, via Grassington, Dent and Sedbergh. See website.
- Walking The Dales Way. A booklet describing the Dales Way with 1:25,000 maps. Published by Cicerone.
- Walking Counry – The Dales Way. 80 miles through the Yorkshire Dales.
- Harvey's Long Distance Route XT40 Dales Way. Waterproof map covering the length of the Dales Way in sections.
- A Pennine Journey. A way‑marked route, shown on O.S. Explorer maps, that roughly follows the route taken by Alfred Wainwright in 1938. From Settle it heads North to Hadrian's Wall, and then returns to Settle along a more westerly route passing through Sedbergh and Dent. See website.
- The Howgills and Limestone Trail. A 76 mile walk from Settle to Kirkby Stephen via Sedbergh. See website.
- Guides to The Dales Way, A Dales High Way and Dales Rail Trails. Published by Skyware. See website.
Printed Maps
- Harvey's1:25,000 map of the Howgill Fells. Covers Sedbergh, Dent and Garsdale as well.
- OS Explorer. 1:25,000 maps are useful, but you do need two to cover the whole area. OL 19, Howgill Fells, covers Sedbergh and the Howgills. OL 2, Yorkshire Dales Southern & Western, covers Dentdale. For Garsdale you need both maps.
- OS Landranger. 1:50,000 maps numbers 97 & 98 cover this area. The border between them bisects Sedbergh's biggest book shop and then proceeds North up Settlebeck Ghyll, one of the main routes to Winder and Arant Haw. These maps might be useful for anyone not planning to cross either longitude 2° 31', or farms, or any enclosed agricultural land.
- The British Mountain Map of the Yorkshire Dales. Harvey, (1:40,000) includes Sedbergh and the eastern Howgills. Designed for heavy duty walkers and mountaineers.
Walking Groups
- Kendal Ramblers organise walks twice a week. They do a range of walks, usually of 5 to 12 miles, some across fields and on lanes, some on mountain paths. Walking mostly in the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales and sometimes the Howgills. www.kendalramblers.weebly.com.
- South Lakes Walking Club organise walks every week, on either Saturday or Sunday. In addition there are Monday evening walks in the summer. Walks are graded and quite a few start or finish in Sedbergh or close by. See www.slwc.weebly.com.
- SummittGood are a Lakes–based walking group for those in their 20s, 30s and 40s, and their walks are clearly harder than those of Kendal Ramblers. Both groups are affiliated to the Ramblers (Association). See website.
- University Of The Third Age, South Lakes Group, has regular walks for 'Gentle Strollers' through to 'Fellwanderers'.
They also organise regular 'leisurely' cycle rides. See their website for both activities
Guided Walks, Holidays, Training & Advice
- Thorns Hall. HF Holidays, run a number of walking holidays and courses. For details see the Thorns Hall page on the HF website.
- Navigation Training. Ian Higginbotham, member of Kendal Mountain Rescue Team. Tel: 015396‑21073 or 07813‑818958. ianhigginbotham@btinternet.com.
Rights of Way
If you encounter any problems regarding rights of way in the National Park, please contact the Ranger Service, preferably by e‑mailing them at paul.wilkinson@yorkshiredales.org.uk.
