The Great Westmorland Challenge

Following the success this year of The Great Lakeland Challenge we are now looking at a similar exercise for 2006 in which members may participate. The idea of walking the boundaries of the Westmorland parishes was mentioned at the event following The Great Lakeland Challenge and a number of people showed considerable enthusiasm.

In Wainwright’s Westmorland Heritage, originally written and published in 1975, and reissued by Frances Lincoln in the autumn of 2004, there are a total of 110 parishes listed. It was felt that walking the circumference of each of the parish boundaries would provide a most interesting challenge, and take walkers into areas they have perhaps not visited before. The distances of the circumferences range from 3 miles – the boundary of Sedgwick parish – to 27 miles –  Shap Rural and Orton both measuring the same Without doubt, however, one of the toughest boundaries  must be that of the Patterdale parish with a walking distance of 21 miles and total ascent of 10,935 feet. This includes ascents to the Helvellyn ridge, traversing across to Fairfield and Red Screes and then crossing the Kirkstone Pass to take in Caudale Moor, Thornthwaite Crag and back over Rest Dodd and Place Fell before descending once more to Ullswater’s shores. This would take 12½ hours hard walking but could easily be split at the Kirkstone Pass and completed over two days.

As well as many well-known heights in the Eastern, Far Eastern and Central Fells of the Lake District, the parish boundaries in Westmorland Heritage also take in some excellent fells further east, out of the Lake District National Park.  These include Wild Boar Fell (2324 feet), Nine Standards Rigg (2170 feet) and High Cup Nick and Cauldron Snout. In the Howgill Fells, there is also Great Coum at 2250 feet and Calf Top at 1999 feet. Whilst some of the parish boundaries do not always coincide with defined rights of way, most can be followed on higher ground, usually  to within a few hundred yards of the boundary itself. With the recent right to roam legislation, all the area covered by Westmorland Heritage is within areas covered by that legislation and therefore no access problems should now be encountered.

Details of the parishes are listed below, along with the distance of the boundary, and height of ascent. The time is based on Naismith’s rule. Recommended starting points are also included and registration can be made on-line. The suggestion is that like The Great Lakeland Challenge these boundaries should be walked during March to September 2006, inclusive. The various parishes have been put on the website in the same way that The Great Lakeland Challenge operated to enable members  to choose which they wish to walk. A copy of the chapter from Westmorland Heritage will be supplied to each member so they can check AW’s map against a current Ordnance Survey map for the area, and work out the route to follow.

[AT the AGM on March 25 2005, in Kendal, it was agreed that the period over which this challenge could take place was extended from the present time to the end of September.  Also members queried whether it was necessary to walk the precise boundary and they were reminded that it would often not be possible and therefore 'challengers' should make their own routes as near as was practical, legal and safe.  It is not necessary to submit a report of the walk but if it was an interesting experience then perhaps you might care to share it with the Society through Footsteps.]

John Burland
Wainwright Society Press & Publicity - email : publicity@wainwright.org.uk

updated 21st June 2006