Lady Anne's Way - Pendragon to Nateby

 Wednesday 29th July 2026

Looking at recent walks I realised I was eating up sections of Lady Anne's Way. I realise I am not going to backpack this as a continuous route, but along with other unfinished campaigns I intend, for the moment, to see if I can keep doing short sections with circular walks. The route does seem to lend itself to that approach with adjacent footpaths and escape routes. I feel it is appropriate at this stage to outline the history so here is a chunk of Wikipedia for you to digest.

" In 1605, Lady Anne Clifford was disinherited from her father's estates by his death and the act of it passing on to the next male heir. 38 years later, it came to her when the last males in her family lineage died, and despite ideas that females could not accede to baronies, she became Baroness Clifford of Westmorland and Vecsey.^[1] She then set about repairing the castles and houses that she owned and when completed, she continually travelled between them all taking her household retinue with her.^[2]

In 1995, Sheila Gordon created a path that linked all the castles and fortified structures that Lady Anne Clifford used to travel between.^[3] The walk crosses from Airedale, Wharfedale and Wensleydale in North Yorkshire to the Vale of Eden in Cumbria.^[4] The route links Skipton Castle in North Yorkshire with Brougham Castle in Cumbria. The route then continues into Penrith, where it finishes.^[5]

As the route became more popular with walkers, funding was obtained to allow the entire route to be waymarked in 2018.^[6]"***

***I reckon I have now walked about 15 miles on the route and I've never seen one dedicated way mark, although conventional standard undefined ones appear. sporadically.

I have been keeping walks to around 4 miles in view of my advanced years and my respiratory problem but I seem to have been coping quite well and today's effort looked fairly easy, but it creeps up to 5.5 miles, however I have to say I felt more spritely at the end of this than recent lesser distances.

The first half of the route was the means to gaining the next section of Lady Anne's. That followed a previous walk, but for a change, in the opposite direction. There was perfect lay-by parking on the east side of the road about a kilomtere south of Nateby.

There was a hint of rain from time to time but otherwise it was all good country country wslking on estsblished paths and spirits were high. I noticed later when downloading my photos that this overcast weather often produces  better landscape photos with enriched colours than bright sunny days.

Wherever paths crossed fields later on they were well defined and easy to follow, and that was before I was on the LDP which I joined at my furthest south at Pendragon Castle. After some field work the route crosses the B6259 then branching off that road after a few hundred yards to pass through Southwaite Farm. Here they have a barn that may qualify in the Guinness Book of Redords for the largest corrugated iron building? Two farmers were repairing a strange piece of agricultural equipment. That turned out to be a feeder for lambs with access holes only big enough for lambs' heads but not big enough for adult sheep, fascinating. These two farmers were complaining at having to keep on those nameless long dingy fraincoats which look as though they have been gadged* up from some disused agricultural material, and here we are with our hundred pound plus designer outdoor waterprrofs -  each to his own.

*a verb which I think my mother, who had way with words, invented. My online dictionary does not oblige. My weighty Chambers lists only a noun with the brief definition of "an instrument of torture."

I was now on the Lady Anne route in earnest traversing the rough reedy tussocky sheep pasture on the lower slopes of the Pennine hills,.The paths were always well defined and generally providing easy walking. At one stage a  long stretch through a wood and bracken, and then just bracken had been well cleared; If not it would have been one of those desperate struggles through chest high bracken that we all know sbout.

I am now looking forward to exending this campaign northwards.

WORTH CLICKING PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

Leaving the road a few hundred yards from the lay-by parking

Dropping in to the Eden vlley

Lammerside Castle 14c. Zoom, too far to visit - I have commented before

River Eden, Low due to our current heatwaves

Dalefoot on the B 6259, My route went right before the road following the valley on its higher slopes

Dropping down to the elusive Pendragon. I'm not sure of its location and couldn't see it this time but I have commented before if you do a search on my blog.

From now on we are on Lady Anne's Way

A masterpiece of corrugated iron construction - somebody had a vision.

Well cleared bracken

What a gnarly tree

My route yellow, also overlayed onto Lady Anne's Way, orange.
Ignore green, or watch this space

The High Way from Moorcock Inn

 Thursday 23rd July 2026

A curate's egg walk. However, we start with the good bit.

There is a small lay-by opposite the Moorcock Inn which I knew of but was not sure if it was for exclusive use for Moorcock's customers, fortuntely there was no such indication and at 9:00am it was vacant: a good start.

The Pennine Bridleway climbs from the Moorcock up to the High Way, also known as St. Anne's Way, Old Road, et al. My objective was to fill in part of that track not previously trodden by me. That is one of the very best of those old dales lanes for good easy going and magnificent views.

After only a hundred yards on the track I was rewarded by two black grouse rising up and chortling off as they do. A little further on I had a rare chance to get a photo of what I think was a Red Admiral butterfly which against all my experiences of butterfly photography remained still long enough.  

It is a steep ascent, but I went well. but still restricted by my breathing affliction.

Once on the more or less level High Way it was all delight. I felt I wanted to to make this part of the walk last longer than this relatively short stretch would require. I stopped to sit on a limestone rock for a coffee from my flask soaaking up the  panoramic view and  my ascent from the Moorcock, and away on the horizon The Calf, highest in the Howgills. As I was enjoying all this in the now warm sunshine I became aware of rhythmical steps approaching from behind. A lady backpacker arrived and we chatted. She was walking all of St. Anne's Way and was obviously a veteran backpacker with a good lightweight sack with everything stripped down to a comfortable carrying weight; she was moving quckly and anxious to be off. I am aware of Lady Anne's Way which covers about a hundred miles from Skipton to Penrith. On my return home I researched it a bit more. I would guess this rivals the Dalesway and the Dales High Way for a superbly represntative dales walk.

As I continued focus was now switched from The Calf to Wild Boar Fell ahead. Reluctantly I had to leave The High Way and descend by Shaws with their stone stairway through their garden, then on down to Beck Side and Lunds Church. That part of this walk I had done on a recent walk posted here, but at least this time it was in the opposite direction. I now had the choice of walking out to the road or following footpaths back to the Moorcock as pre-planned. I decided on the latter. That turned out to be the bad part of the curate's egg. From Beck side I walked a couple of hundred yards uphill on the wrong path (see the red line on the map below) and had to trek back down through high reeds and tussocks, supposedly to get back on the proper path. That turned out to be non-existant as were the rest of those paths shown on the map.. I battled on as the now midday sun intensified.  That was hard going through reeds and tussocks and I was becoming decidedly hot and bothered. I looked for the shortest possible route to get back to the road, but even that was still quite long way in that kind of terrain. Fortunately the road only carries light traffice, but motor bikes whizz past at alarming speed.

I would not recommend anybody to use any of that network of paths between Beck side and The Moorcock. Today I had at least the bonus of everything being dry but if wet at all I reckon it would be even more of a nightmare.

I may consider walking other sections of Lady Anne's Way if circular routes cn be plotted without  reed and tussock thrashing in the lowlands.

Just leaving the road from the Moorcock

The old and the new bridges (see next photo)

The infant River Ure - typical limestone streamery

Red Admiral? Admirably still!

Dandrymire Viaduct, built 1869/1875.
OK, it's a great achivement, but 6 years to build!

d

Back down to The Moorcock

Now on the High Waay

Blades. A solitary existence at over 300m.

My earlier viewing of black grouse seems to indicate they are having some success

Unusual limekiln, somebody wanted to try their skills at arch building?

No need for the bridge today. We are in the midst of heat waves - the shape of things to come, all a bit worrying

Reluctantly leaving the High Way for the descent and then Part 2 of the curate's egg

The steps down through the garden at Shaws.

Beck Side. Turn left for reeds and tussocks

Back to the Moorcock

Anti clockwise from the Moorcock. The red lines are diversions from thr plotted blue route

Patton Bridge circuit

Friday 17th July 2026

This had been a wholly enjoyable walk but when I arrived back at the car I realised that, good as it had been overall, its quality improved consistently bit by bit as I progressed. Is that a rare occurence? Perhaps not, but it was something that stood out for me on this occasion.

I had researched the parking spot on Google Earth close to Whinfell Tarn but I was disappointed not to be able to see this feature because of a high hedge and the general lie of the land, ah well!

A few yards down the road a footpath lead off downhill hill on rough pasture followed by a steep climb to  Moorbank Farm. In line with my assessment this turned out to be the most arduous section of the walk. The bonus was the backdrop of Whinfell Beacon which dominated a large part of the walk as it stands proudly claiming full mountain status. The northern side overlooks that other Borrowdale and forms part of its horseshoe circuit, a classic outing and adding nostalgia for me from previous visits over the years.

At Moorbank I mistakenly turned right instead of left and walked two hundred yards down that track and then back. I was cross with myself having vowed that my navigation would be impeccable on this trip and so my ambition of zero errors had come to nought.

A short section of downhill tarmac passed the superbly situated Deepslack farms,  “High” and “Low”  with Whinfell Beacon towering above like a protective giant.

I now turned south on easy country paths trending gently downhill  with Whinfell Fell’s attraction now replaced by distant Docker and Lambrigg Fells. 

Whinhowe Gilll was reached and followed with delight with its dried up limestone rocky bed exposed on account of our current heatwave. Further on its thirst was quenched by a feeder gill coming in from the east and it continued now more at one with its status as a river.

When I plotted this route I had a slight worry because the track from Thursgill Farm dropping down to link with the Dalesway was not marked as a public right of way. The farmer’s wife appeared, permission was granted along with pleasant chat.She had found me looking at my map on my phone, and as always asked if I was lost. I suppose that is understandable, but conscious of my lifetime’s walking history I find myself over eager to try and and overcome my interlocutors perception.

The view from Thursgill is stunning down into the valley and enhanced by the link up with the Dalesway in the bottom. I have a special respect for the Dalesway, but never walked it continuously, only in bits and pieces, but it  is always a pleasure and so it was today. This short stretch was pleasantly unspoiled nor over-trodden all adding to that progressive enjoyment. 

I crossed the River Mint by footbridge and then climbed up to the two country houses at Shaw End dating from 1796 and now offered as luxury holiday accommodation. The history of its development by a local family is quite interesting if you look at the “About” section on their website.

https://www.shawend.co.uk/

I stopped there for my sandwich and coffee before following an old lane back to Patton Bridge. I had plotted my return from here by the red dots on the map below which irritatingly had to retrace a small section of the outgoing route awhich had been the  least attractive part of the whole walk. Looking now again at the map I couldn’t believe how I had missed the alternative running up the western side of Whinfell Tarn (see map). That route gave superb views of this attractive water which I had been denied of at the start of the walk and which now provided a fitting finale to this enjoyable trip.

Top of the steep climb up to Moorbank Farm

Now more pleasant walking

Zoom shot. I had heard loud shouting then spotted the farmer on his quad. The cow had been in the orther field and he has just managed to get it back on this side. 

Deepslack farms , Whinfell Beacon looking over

I like a bit of well patinated ancient ironmongery

Heatwave. lots of limestone, no water, but...

...relief from an eastern feeder 

Bye Mill. Now converted to residence

The view from Tursgood. The Dalesway runs across to the right from the end of the tarmac. Lambrigg and Docker fells on the horizon

Zoom to Shaw End from the Dalesway

This and below, the two houses ast Shaw End. I sat on the wall just off the bottom of the photo for my sandwich break

Patton Bridge and Whinfell Beacon. Pity about the telegraph pole

Whinfell Tarn. My car is behind the first field boundary above the tarn edge

Enviously positioned farm/residence at the head of the tarn

Hyring farm at top end of Whinfell Tarn

Red arrow is location of my car

Clockwise