Map reproduced from OpenStreetMap.org
Click here to download a pdf of this walk
Distance: 8.5 km (5.1 miles) Ascent: 280m (920ft)
Time: 2.5hrs – 3 hrs
Moderate walking, some uphill, good birdlife. Not suitable for prams, buggies or wheelchairs. Boots or trail shoes needed. Can be muddy after rainfall.
Starting from Sedbergh Information Centre, 72 Main Street (1), go down the small alley immediately opposite and to the right of Rycroft’s hardware shop. On meeting the main road at the bottom turn left and cross the road by the zebra crossing. Within 20 paces turn right down Vicarage Lane. At the, as the lane swings left proceed in the same direction as before through a kissing gate and uphill. Cross a small lane through two more kissing gates and to the top of the hill. On cresting the hill continue half right downhill through a narrow squeeze stile and on diagonally downhill until you come to a gate which leads out onto the Sedbergh to Dent road (2).
Carefully cross the road, turn left and walk 250m down the road to Millthrop Bridge. Here you meet the first of our two rivers: the Rawthey. Cross the bridge and follow the pavement for 150m. Now cross the road and pass through a gap in the wall and follow the path up into the hamlet of Millthrop. On reaching the road, turn left and walk uphill for 80m until you reach a track heading sharp right uphill (3).
Take this track. You are now joining the Dales Way. Follow the track uphill, through a metal gate and out onto the moorlands. You may well now see the remains of tee boxes and greens of the original Sedbergh Golf Club set up by the masters at Sedbergh School in 1896. After crossing a beck there is a fork in the path; take the left-hand track uphill to meet a wall with two gates. Pass through the right hand gate and continue with the wall on your left. After the next gate there is an area of woodland on the right (4).
A shorter walk (blue route on map). At the end of the woodland turn right before the wall and cross a stile into the field. Walk diagonally left down the field, passing the corners of two walls. Swing straight downhill with a wall on your right, over a stile then down the next field to arrive at the road through a metal field gate by a footpath sign. Turn right along the road then take the first left to Rash Bridge and turn right to rejoin the main route (7).
Continue along a narrow track beside gorse bushes, then through some woodland. Cross the next field and pass to the right of Gap Cottage. Again continue along the walled-in track ignoring the fingerpost to the left shortly after the farm. When meeting another track turn right downhill and walk until you meet the road (5). Carefully cross the road and dogleg left / right to then a track signposted “Brackensgill – deep ford”. Don’t worry, there is now a footbridge there! This track can often be boggy and even have a small stream running down it. We now meet our second river, the Dee. Cross via Brackensgill bridge, follow the track left then over a small plank bridge and then turn right up to the road (6).
At the road turn right. We will now follow this little-used road for approximately 2 km. Half way along you will see Rash Bridge (7) on the right but continue straight on, passing the small Dent Foot Chapel and the old Rash Mill also on your right. When the road starts to climb away from the river look out for a small stile on your right and a fingerpost to Abbot Holme (8). Cross here and continue uphill for 0.5km with the wall on your left. As you crest the hill pause to admire Sedbergh nestled under Winder.
The path will now take you downhill. Be careful as the terrain slopes away from you and can be muddy after rain. Pass over stiles and through gates until you emerge at the impressive Abbot Holme bridge (9). There has been a crossing here since Roman times. Cross the bridge and after 50m climb over a style on the left and follow the path across a field then the fairways of Sedbergh Golf Club watching out for golfers teeing off from your left. At the far side of the golf course pass through a gate and then proceed with the wall on your left to another gate. Once through, follow the path half-right downhill where we again meet the river Rawthey now on our left. Cross the Rawthey via the recently re-constructed wooden bridge, the original having been washed away by Storm Desmond in 2015. Now turn right and walk up the road through the hamlet of Birks.
After passing the last of the cottages turn right through a kissing gate (10). Keeping Birks House on your left follow the path round to the left, through a large kissing gate and walk up to the track passing the Hirst Centre sports hall on your right until you meet the road (11).
Carefully cross the road, pass through a kissing gate, walk up the hill, continue straight ahead then swing right with the splendid Sedbergh School cricket ground on your right, the venue for recent county cricket matches. Turn left immediately before St Andrew’s Church emerging at the road opposite The Dalesman public house. Now turn right and continue up Main Street back to your starting point.
