Around Askham and Bampton

© Automobile Association 2006. © Crown Copyright Licence Number 399221

Getting to the start

Askham is south of Penrith and the M6, junction 40. From there, take the A66 east. Turn right on the A6, go through Eamont Bridge, then turn right on the B5320. Go over a railway bridge,then turn left to reach Askham. There is a signposted car park on the left as you enter the village.

1 From the car park follow the main road south through the village, dog-legging past the The Queens Head pub, with the greens stretching off to left and right. Keep on along this road, enjoying the generally easy gradients and views down the valley ahead to the Shap Fells. Across the valley on the left is the sharp profile of Knipe Scar.

2 After just over 1 mile (1.6km), on the boundary of Helton, branch off right on a loop road through the village. The extra climb is worth it for the pretty cottages and flowery verges. Ease back down to rejoin the valley road and continue, with a network of limestone walls and small fields flanking the road on the right. As the road starts to descend, two lanes branch off to the right from a shared junction.

3 Take the left-hand lane and follow it for 400yds (366m) to a cattle grid, for a look at the old mill, with an overgrown watercourse, on Heltondale Beck. Continue a little further until the lane reaches open fell. There are good views here and you may sometimes find fell ponies grazing. Retrace to the road at Point 3 and turn right to continue, now descending. At the bottom swing right over Beckfoot Bridge and continue along the level valley floor, passing another collection of pretty cottages at Butterwick. Note that the walls here have changed from silvery limestone to greyer Lakeland rock. Climb a little before reaching the outskirts of Bampton, then go down into the village.

4 The post office and village shop (open long hours) has a café attached, information panels on the wall and more information inside. Over the bridge opposite the shop, it's just a short way up the lane to the pretty Mardale Inn. (Those looking for a longer ride could continue up this lane for 2 miles/3.2km to Naddle Bridge and Haweswater.) Continue along the main valley road towards Bampton Grange, swinging left into the village over a bridge crossing the River Lowther, and past the Crown and Mitre pub.

5 On the edge of the village, turn left, signposted 'Knipe, Whale'. Look back to the left over Bampton Grange, with the fells behind rising to the great smooth ridges along which the Romans built their road now known as High Street. Cross a cattle grid on to open fell. Look up to the right to the low crags of Knipe Scar. The lane climbs gently, with great views of the valley and the fells to the west. Descend to a junction by a phone box and turn right through a gate. Climb quite steeply to another gate, beyond which the road continues to climb more gradually. The going levels off for a stretch before beginning to descend. Whizz back down into the valley, keeping straight on at a junction, and down to the river at Crookwath Bridge.

6 The climb away from the river is gentle but quite sustained, levelling off just before a T-junction. Emerge with care as some traffic moves quite fast here, and go right, almost immediately back into Askham.