High Rigg

High Rigg

Route: High Rigg

Area: Central Lake District

Date of walk: 18th July 2018

Walkers: Andrew and Gilly

Distance: 5.8 miles

Ascent: 1,300 feet

Weather: Cloudy with sunny spells, very warm

This is a walk we’ve followed many times and is one of our favourites. We parked as usual in one of the roadside spaces on the A591 near Legburthwaite and after crossing the nearby ladder stile made our way up Wren Crag towards the ridge. The flanks of the crag are adorned by some fine old pine trees and it was a great shame to see that a number of these – perhaps 20 or 30 – had fallen victim to the gales earlier in the year. The so-called ‘Beast from the East’, which was followed by a couple of other gales from the same direction, was the obvious culprit, since the trees were all lying on an east/west axis. This wind direction is highly unusual for the Lake District, and so the root systems of the trees had not grown to cope with it

When we reached the knobbly summit ridge we followed the undulating path up and down and after about 1.5 miles we arrived at the summit of High Rigg, from where there are lovely views, particularly those looking towards Blencathra

We then descended in the same direction as the ridge to reach the hause between High Rigg and Low Rigg. From here we followed a narrow lane for a few yards, passing by tiny St John’s Church, before joining a recently repaired path which hugs the lower flanks of High Rigg, and from which there are good views across St John’s in the Vale 

Near the end of the vale we treated ourselves to tea and delicious home made scones at Low Bridge End Farm before continuing along the valley path, which rises above St John’s Beck before descending back to the start of a walk which never fails to please

For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box

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