Explore The Trails
Street Farm is situated right on the fellside with numerous splendid walking routes straight from our gate, offering a fantastic choice of routes for all abilities. There is a fascinating history to the area and the wildlife is amazing. The area is still one of those rare places where you can walk, cycle and horse ride in almost complete seclusion whilst offering some of the best off road bridleways and walking routes in the North of England. Free walking maps of the routes described below are available from Street Farm.
Favourite routes from our gate
The Pennine Bridleway - Undulating path with gentle short uphill sections
The Pennine Bridleway is just minutes from our gate and offers a safe and easy-to-follow, well-made path up towards Wild Boar Fell, with the option to turn around whenever you like. It rises quite quickly in the first 15 minutes but that means you quickly reach some fantastic views. After a mile or so, there are some little streams which need crossing, which is fun for children.
The Clouds ( 2 -3 miles ) - An up and down hill walk
Stennerskeugh Clouds is the hillside behind Street Farm which forms the lower flanks of Wild Boar Fell. It's a fairly steep, but short uphill walk on grass to get to the top, but once on the Clouds, it really is a wonderful place to wander along and enjoy the peace and tranquillity. There are limestone pavements and grassy runways to explore and fine views of the Howgill Fells from an aspect you would never otherwise see.
Ravenstonedale Village - 2 miles each way low level walking
The walk to our local village Ravenstonedale is an easy walk and ideal for the whole family. The footpath criss-crosses a patchwork of fields which in the summer are a wonderful display of old-fashioned English hay meadows. There is even a stream with a little wooden bridge. The beautiful village has a river, two pubs, a children's park and there is another pub on the way home. It could almost qualify as a "pub crawl"!
Wild Boar Fell - 5 miles - High level walking
The path to the top of Wild Boar Fell starts minutes from our gate and is officially part of a National Trail called the Pennine Bridleway (not to be confused with the Pennine Way). It is a good, purpose-made, stone track and will lead you steadily uphill into the open wilderness that is Wild Boar Fell, to its top, a towering summit of 2323ft, the 4th highest peak in the Yorkshire Dales. Your reward on a clear day is fine views across to the Lake District Hills and to Morecambe Bay. Make sure you make it all the way to the impressive stone cairns which mark the highest point. An extra treat is a short detour and a scramble down a grassy bank to a small, 'secret' lake marked on the OS map as the "Sand Tarn" due to its amazing fine, sandy beach. Take a picnic and even plan a quick dip. Swallows and Amazons fans will not be disappointed!
Wild Boar Fell & Mallerstang - 10 miles - High level walking
If you fancy a longer walk, carry on along the Pennine Bridleway which will lead you downhill (views galore) into the Mallerstang Valley. When you reach Hazelgill Farm there is a lovely footpath which winds its way through the valley bottom all the way to Pendragon Castle. Reputed to be the home of Uther, King Arthur's father, this enchanting little ruined castle sits beautifully beside the River Eden and is another worthy place for a picnic stop. From there, you have a choice to head back across Kirkby Stephen Common via a quiet unfenced lane called the "Tommy Road" or add on a detour taking in the Lady Anne Way, an old green lane which runs along the River Eden. A shorter, but more rugged option of this route is to descend from Wild Boar Fell on its northern side and arrive midway along the Tommy Road.
The Howgill Fells - ( 7 miles ) Fairly low level with one steady uphill climb
This is a great, full-day walk, which follows a historic and remote bridleway between Harter fell and Wandale Fell, leading from Murthwaite to Adamthwaite. The route passes through Ravenstonedale which means you can plan a stop at one of the pubs!
Cautley Spout from the Cross Keys Inn - 5 min drive away
This short walk provides a grandstand view of one of the area's outstanding natural features, the waterfall of Cautley Spout. The path is clear and easy to follow and there is no uphill walking. The start is the small parking area on the north side of the A683 Sedbergh to Kirkby Stephen road just east of the Cross Keys Inn. The Cross Keys is open most days for refreshments. After parking, descend and cross the River Rawthey on the substantial footbridge. Bear left, and take the clear path that leads easily towards the fells. On your immediate right are the slopes of Ben End which lead steeply up to the summit of Yarlside. Ahead is the bulk of Great Dummacks Fell, with the rocky outcrop of Cautley Crag scarring the hillside. The path bears right and into a vast amphitheatre with the waterfall of Cautley Spout falling in dramatic fashion down a rocky scar. This is the highest cascade waterfall in England at over 650 feet in height. Obviously, it is at its best after heavy rain. You will pass an information board that details archaeologists' discoveries, with houses and fields of an Iron Age farming community unearthed in the valley. It is likely the inhabitants lived by grazing sheep and cattle and growing a few crops in the tiny enclosures, close to their simple stone and timber round houses. Walking towards the base of the falls is worth the effort. There is a path that climbs immediately to the right of the falls. This provides a much closer view, but is steep in places and can be slippery underfoot, so care is needed.
Smardale Gill Nature Reserve - Easy walking. Suitable for pushchairs
Smardale Gill is a stunning nature reserve under the care of Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The steep, wooded slopes of Smardale Gill contrasts with the views of open rolling countryside from the viaduct. A great place for flowers, butterflies and birds. A footpath has been created from the dis-used railway line which runs through the valley. At the centre of the valley, the footpath crosses the spectacular Smardale Gill viaduct which stands at 90ft on 14 stone arches. Just beyond the viaduct, you can see a limestone quarry and two huge lime kilns. The valley has been settled from prehistoric times. The footpath takes you on a 3.5 mile walk and if you wish to head back to your starting point there are various circular route options. The walk is flat and easy underfoot with grass on some sections and railway ballast/cinder on others.
The Poetry Path
This is an easy, flat walk along a tranquil, disused railway line, now managed by the Northern Railway Trust. Twelve short poems, written by the nationally-acclaimed poet Meg Peacocke, have been carved by lettering artist Pip Hall on blocks of stone installed at intervals along the route, either-side of the River Eden. The footpath crosses over two substantial viaducts which have been restored by the Viaduct Trust.