Newton Fell South (Dixon Heights) (585’) Hampsfell (727’) Humphrey Head (127’)

Sun 28 Feb 2016

Newon Fell (south) from Lindale by-pass

Lindale: a lovely, well-kept village now by-passed by a dual carriageway to the north. It was unbearably busy and noisy for the inhabitants when the main road passed through here. Today we walked up the old road passing a lovely waterfall near where the old mill stood in bygone days. We then crossed the by-pass and ascended to the tower on Dixon Heights. The sun was quite warm out of the cool easterly wind. 

Waterfall in Lindale

The tarn near the fell top

Ruined tower on Dixon Heights

Low morning sun over the estuary

The Kent estuary from Dixon Heights

We had to descend a little and climb again through the beeches to try and get to the ruined archway.

The old archway

Andrew surveys the view north

The walk up Hampsfell was glorious because of the extensive views in all directions. It’s clearly a local favourite with Sunday strollers and dog-walkers. "The Hospice, provided by a pastor of Cartmel about 1880...is a well-built structure of dressed limestone with an outer flight of steps and a flat roof." (AW). 

Part of the limestone pavement on Hampsfell

For some inexplicable reason I omitted to photograph the Hospice from the ground! So the one below is a scan from a print dated from my last visit in 1987.

The Hospice

On the Hospice

Looking down from the tower

Cartmel and Priory

We then drove to Kents Bank railway station and started the walk along the bleak shore to reach Humphrey Head. What a trudge! The ground was muddy, tussocky, and slippery, and we somehow missed the point where the path moves up into a wood. Luckily we got on to it later just before we reached a deep tidal channel which would have been difficult and very dangerous to negotiate. 

Approaching Humphrey Head along the coast

An awkward section below the headland

The best part of the walk was where we went out on to the rocky promontory at Humphrey Head Point. We got some good photos.

Humphrey Head Point

Imagine this spot in rough weather and a high tide!

We reached the top of Humphrey Head where AW says there's  an OS column, but doesn't put it on his map.
On the way back even the hard concrete of the path below the railway felt really comfortable and secure compared to the uneven, muddy shore grass.
I can recall little about my first visit to Humphrey Head; my notes on it date it as on 14 May 1987 and record only that I walked from the car park along the road west of the headland.