Great Asby Walk

Nine of us eventually assembled from various parts of the picturesque village of Great Asby to embark on a walk through this unspoiled corner of Cumbria.

At Clockeld Farm we were surrounded by, what seemed a pack of agitated sheep dogs, barking wildly in their exuberance until called to heel by their apologetic owner. Their bit of excitement over for the day we carried on but were halted once again by a dead sheep which had somehow got its head wedged underneath the bottom rail of a field gate. The struggle to free itself and presumably the shock had been so great it had sadly perished there and then.

Gradually upward we journeyed until we entered the Asby Scar Nature Reserve. A wonderful expanse of rough upland country, patterned with miniature crags and grassy hummocks and including within, one of the finest examples of best developed and least damaged limestone pavements in Britain. The reserve has been stockproofed by English Nature to protect this valuable area from sheep grazing and probably used as an experiment to measure and compare with similar adjoining land, heavily grazed throughout the year.

A monument was then spotted to our left, but wait a minute, the Jubilee Monument erected in 1887 should have been to our right on Orton Scar. On closer examination it appeared to move and was identified as human through binoculars but there were still some disbelievers amongst the party.

Those of greater observation may have noticed evidence all around here of ancient settlements. A complexity of prehistoric villages, comprising stone walled fields, hutments, dykes and pathways making it a key site. The long barrow on Rayseat Pike is one of the best relics of its kind and possibly the earliest evidence of the prehistory of old Westmoreland. It was excavated, examined and measured in 1875. The search revealed the remains of both adults and children. An unexpected discovery was a cremation trench containing many burnt bones, a feature that has caused speculations as to the age of this ancient burial ground.

Going beyond the ridge we temporarily left behind us the comprehensive views of Cross Fell and its Pennine neighbouring peaks to find unfolding before us the lush green valley of the Lune with the remote Howgills and the Eastern Fells of the Lake District providing a dramatic backdrop.

Here, as we stopped for lunch, we were most definitely in buzzard country and not only was our attention first of all drawn to them by their distinct mewing calls but then we were to witness a pair hovering in the skies above us. That was not all because very quickly a pair of peregrine falcons, followed by a kestrel soared into sight.

On our way again we joined the coast to coast route to Sunbiggin Farm before ascending the Scar to regain panoramic views of the spectacular Eden Valley and the Pennine Hills beyond.

Eight and a half miles completed it was decision time - Janet elected to take the short cut back to the village ; Vic and Doreen chose to run the final three miles - no power on earth could have stopped them - whilst the remainder of us fairly legged it after them in the warm, sunny conditions, which really we had been blessed with most of the day.

Once regrouped back at Great Asby there was a realisation - we had not encountered a single other walker during the course of a full day out amidst an unspoiled and delightfully scenic landscape ; countryside unfrequented, with rarely trodden paths, as yet undiscovered by the teeming masses. Rather selfishly, lets hope it remains that way!

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	Swaledale Outdoor Club

Great Asby Walk

Paddy V. Fleming