Of course Coniston Old Man is not the highest point in Lancashire - at least not since 1974. Leck Fell is. Leck where? Well Leck Fell is on a slither of Lancashire that is wedged between Cumbria and North Yorkshire to the north of the A65. Topographically it forms part of the Western Yorkshire Dales and indeed lies on the boundary of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. This walk will take you within metres of the border close by Gragareth, the highest point in Lancashire (as presently constituted!)
Distance: 14 Km or 8½ miles
Time: 4 - 5 hours
Terrain: To begin with there is a considerable ridge walk up to Gragareth summit. This is followed by a strenuous descent of the steep sided fell. Then you strike across boggy moors to reach Leck Beck. Finally you follow the stream back along paths that are not entirely clear. In short to undertake this walk you have to be fit, well equipped, well provisioned; and it would be best to wait for a spell of dry and settled weather.
Map by kind permission of the Blackpool Gazette
1. Car park to summit of Gragareth. (7 Km or 4½ miles: 2 - 2½ hours) From the car park turn left and walk past the church along the lane for 1000m. Pass the substantial Todgill Farm on your right. Just beyond it where the road bends to the right, take a footpath across fields to Ireby.
On reaching a lane turn right and then cross a bridge and turn left walking up to Over Hall.
Just by the entrance take a footpath on the right. This leads to Ireby Beck. After passing through one gate but before reaching another cross the beck.
You may question the wisdom of this when thigh high spike rushes and with no obvious path, but as you gain elevation a track of sorts can be picked out. The key to the route is the wall over to the right - the County Boundary Wall between
The higher you climb the nearer you come to it, so that by the time you attain the summit plateau you are right beside it. The final push to the trig. point necessitates a short diversion into that other place, recrossing into
A path breaks to the left and will bring you to
3. Summit to Ease Gill (3 Km or 2 miles: 45 - 60 mins)
A route rather easier to describe than to undertake. Take a faint path leading from the trig point down to the left so you begin a descent of the fellside. After 500m on the edge of a shelf the renowned Three Men of Gragareth appear.
These are
At the bottom turn left and after the second of two gates turn right. Now begins a very awkward traverse of moorland to gain the gill. With the wall to your right you should be able to discern something of a path through bog and marsh heading towards the depression before you.
When you reach it the first thing that will strike you will be the fact that the gill is dry. Then you will notice the remarkable geology of Ease Gill Kirk, an impressive dry waterfall cut into the limestone.
Finally you may be struck by the tranquillity of your surroundings. Compared with open moorland crossed in reaching it, this part of the walk will seem like an oasis.
4. Ease Gill to Car park (4 Km or 2½ miles: 1½ - 2 hours)
Again while the general principle is straightforward to describe, the actuality is less so. On reaching the gill turn left and pick up a path that takes you above a narrow defile and then the waterfalls of Leck Beck Head. With Leck Beck on your right follow the path back to the village.
Now "path" is a rather elastic term here. This is not one of your well worn, way marked routes found around Silverdale or Bowland. Adhering to it will take some concentration. Beyond a ruin (marked Anneside on the map) look for a wooden stile.
From here the path drops to the left of a small stream to arrive at another.
The path beyond will soon bring you close to the beck.
Keep to the track which is clear and unambiguous and will take you back to the village in about 25 minutes.