High and Low Borrowdale
Walk date – 28th January 2026
Distance – 5 miles
Weather – light cloud at start, very sunny after that, no wind, mild
Only a short valley walk this morning, the result of a delayed delivery and a total about face in terms of the weather forecast.
The nuts and bolts of it are:
Sunday – ordering an item online and the order being acknowledged same day.
Monday – email informing that item had been despatched by supplier.
Monday – Two emails from delivery company informing us that:
a) they were expecting to receive the parcel and would email when it was out for delivery – email 1
b) parcel had been delayed by ‘unexpected issue’ and would email when out for delivery – email 2
About 6 pm checked weather forecast for Wednesday – more cloud, rain and strong winds – awful as usual so no planning for walking and likely to be at home if delivery takes place
11.30 pm completely different weather forecast by same website used at 6 pm
Walk not planned, batteries not charged up etc etc and delivery of item in the offing.
Wednesday 9.15 am Final check of email inbox – nothing from delivery company
9.20 am (ish) Leave for hastily planned walk with intention of being back home in case of afternoon delivery
We opted for a walk along the Borrowdale valley since it is rare to find the Huck’s Bridge lay-by on the A6 overflowing with cars.
When we got home at 1.30 pm there was a parcel by the front door. I checked the inbox and an email from DPD, sent at 9.41 am, was sitting there which informed me that the parcel would be delivered today between 12.08 and 13.08.
Route
Out and back to Low Borrowdale.
We parked the car in the deserted lay-by just beyond Huck’s Bridge. From there we crossed the A6, carefully as there is a blind bend up ahead, then made the short walk up the hill to the track leading down into Borrowdale. From the track we could see Borrow beck winding its way through the valley which bears its name and Whinash, the fell on the skyline. Everything was looking a little sombre under the cloudy sky despite the positive forecast.
In the upper left corner of the shot a white vehicle was travelling along the A6 down to Huck’s Bridge as we made our way down into the valley. The northern banks of Greenside Crag have been badly eroded by the beck in recent years and the path across them has been washed away, although a new path has started to appear as walkers cross over to or from the bridge.
Almost down in the valley bottom now with a view of the Breasthigh Road making its way over the southern flanks of Greenside Crag.
The stepping stones across Borrow beck. Once across the beck and through the gate the path to the right leads up the Breasthigh Road and the one to the left leads back to the bridge. The left hand path is the one where the path has been washed away. Having no need of them today we turned to the right at this point and followed the track through the valley.
A mini weir in the beck as we walked along the path beside Borrow beck. The water level was a little higher today and covered more of the boulders, rocks and stones in the bed of the beck. We have walked along here when the beck has been reduced to little more than a trickle.
The path was full of puddles as usual but the cloud reflections in them contained hints of blue sky so we hoped that the weather would eventually brighten up a little. The fell on the skyline now is Winterscleugh.
As we walked along blue skies gradually began appearing and ever so slowly the sun started to shine on us through the gaps in the clouds.
The gullies below Winterscleugh became more visible and …..
….. eventually the old barn was fully in view, and with it all the beckside erosion.
These gullies, if that’s what they are called, always seem unusual to me. They don’t seem to be like the steep sided gullies in the Howgills which have been created by water which these don’t have. Caused by landslip perhaps?
The old barn below the ‘gullies’ as we approach the bridge across the beck.
We paused at the bridge to take in the view upstream and to marvel at the sunshine and blue sky above us. Anyone would have thought that we had never seen a blue sky before!
Still on the bridge and still marvelling at the sudden change in the weather. Days like this have been few and far between these last few weeks. The cloud hasn’t entirely cleared off but it is so sparse and wispy that it doesn’t have any real effect.
This is what used to be the farmhouse at High Borrowdale farm. When we were last here, in 2023 I think, the ground was saturated so we didn’t explore the back of the house but …..
….. today we did and here’s the rear view of the farmhouse complete with the rugged backdrop of Mabbin Crag.
A peep through one of the rear window openings towards the ‘front’ door of the farmhouse. In the foreground what appears to be a set of steps is the left hand side of the former fireplace, the right hand side is opposite it and the open space between the two is where the hearth would have been. It was still possible to see where the fire smoke would have been funnelled upwards and out through the chimney.
One of the farm’s outbuildings catching the morning sunlight …..
….. and finally the front view of the farmhouse and outbuildings with Winterscleugh behind it.
As we continued on towards Low Borrowdale farm we were being watched!
Mabbin Crag, Ashstead Fell and Borrow beck sparkling in the morning sun. No grey blanket of cloud, no gale force winds, just dazzling sunshine and not even the slightest movement of air. Absolutely fantastic conditions.
The farmhouse at Low Borrowdale. I don’t think its a working farm any more but it is home to someone who I think ‘keeps an eye’ on the valley for the Friends of the Lake District charity who saved both this farm and the previous one we visited from complete dereliction.
An old whetstone by the farm’s sheep pens. The wheel still turns although it needed someone with a bit more heft than me to keep it going for the couple of turns I managed. The wooden handle is missing so only the metal part from inside the handle remains.
A few hens came out of the adjoining barn to have a look at us as we walked up the path beside the house to begin our return leg. The path leads to the gate at the top of the slope …..
….. from where there is a view of the path leading up to the small col between Roundthwaite Common and Belt Howe. The bit between that path and this gate is always wet, muddy and messy.
The path leads us back towards High Borrowdale farm along a slightly more elevated route above the valley. When the trees lining the path are in leaf during the summer they provide a nice bit of shade as you walk along during a blisteringly sunny summer’s day. Shade wasn’t needed today although we were both beginning to feel quite warm by now. Our gloves had been off for quite some time at this point and we were both warm enough to unzip our jackets and mid-layers just to let some of the heat out.
Looking ahead at the lovely path above the valley floor on the lower slopes of Roundthwaite Common towards the end of which …..
….. we came across a group of sheep busily tucking into a delivery of fresh hay. A couple of latecomers to the party were trying to muscle in but didn’t succeed in dislodging those who were already at the table.
We waited a few minutes but the sheep were still busily tucking in and showed no inclination to move so we had no choice but to move forward. As soon as we did the party broke up and, although they kept a watchful eye on us, the sheep moved away. Once we were beyond the feeder we waited to see what would happen …..
….. the ones who had been late to the party moved in first, no doubt to get their fair share of the goodies, and most of the rest just wandered away. The one on the left maintained its watchful gaze until we were out of its sight.
Back to High Borrowdale farm ….
….. and then onwards across the flower meadows, or they will be in the late spring and summer months when the grass isn’t cut, the wild flowers are left to bloom and set seed for the following year. Even without the flowers its a lovely walk through here.
Back on the track alongside Borrow beck with Greenside Crag and High House Bank in view and …..
….. almost before we realise it, we are climbing the slope back up to the A6, from where I took the last shot of the walk, which is of High House Bank and the house below it which stands alongside the A6. I could do nothing about the electricity pylon I’m afraid. As we got in the car all the windows immediately misted up, not helped by the fact that we got the flask out and had a cup of coffee each. By the time we set off for home we became aware of a build up of cloud behind us and which seemed to follow us all the way home. As we got nearer to Hackthorpe and our turn off point we were brought to a halt by a blue and white tape stretching from one side of the A6 to the other and two police officers standing behind it. One of them came towards us and when asked by J what the problem was he said that a serious accident had taken place which explained why the road was taped off. Nothing for it then but for us to turn the car around and go home via another route. I learned later that the accident had involved an HGV and a local cyclist during the late morning. The cyclist suffered serious injuries and died at the scene of the accident, despite the best efforts of the emergency services and air ambulance crew. Imagine being the person who had to bring such awful news to the family of the cyclist. A sobering thought and one which puts into perspective the delivery delay and the volte face weather forecast.