Barton & Heughscar [Pooley Bridge]- National Park Guided Walk

Barton & Heughscar [Pooley Bridge]- National Park Guided Walk

A National Park Volunteer-led guided walk from Pooley Bridge to Heughscar, overlooking Ullswater.

By Lake District National Park Authority

Date and time

Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:00 - 14:30 GMT+1

Location

Pooley Bridge, Market Cross

Market Cross Pooley Bridge CA10 2NP United Kingdom

About this event

  • 4 hours 30 minutes

Start point: Market Cross, Pooley Bridge

Length: 8.8km (5.5 miles) with 222m (728ft) of ascent

Time: 4 hours (approx.)

Walk grade: Moderate (see grade description below)

A walk which begins with a visit to an historic church, followed by a steady climb to Heughscar Hill, featured in Alfred Wainwright's 'Outlying Fells of Lakeland'.

Beginning in Pooley Bridge, the walk joins a path through fields with the River Eamont on our left and continues along a section of the Eamont Way to reach the church of St. Michael at Barton. The church, with its Norman nave, goes back 800 years. After spending a little time exploring the church, the walk follows a steady, climbing path over fields to arrive at the limestone Heughscar Hill, with its superb view over Ullswater. With Ullswater still in view, a slow descent leads back to Pooley Bridge.

The route takes us on rough tracks, across open fell and over stiles and ladder stiles. The paths are generally good but there are some sections that are stony and others that will be muddy in poor weather.

Participants will need to dress appropriately for the terrain and weather and bring a packed lunch.

Your confirmation email will include full details - please read it carefully.

Organised by

Lake District National Park Authority

Grade descriptions

All our walks are graded as easy and accessible, easy or moderate, to ensure you can choose the walk that’s right for you. But what do these gradings actually mean? The grades are based on a combination of factors including: terrain, accessibility (gates, stiles, path width), gradient, length, duration, total ascent and highest point. Families are welcome on all of our walks, but not all are pushchair friendly so please read the route descriptions.

Grade: Easy and accessible

  • Walk length: 3 – 7 km (1.8 – 4.5 miles)
  • Approximate duration: 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours
  • Easy and accessible walks go at a leisurely pace and follow generally flat or rolling paths with gentle hills. The paths are wide, firm and have no barriers to access such as steep sections, steps or stiles. The walks are suitable for pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Grade: Easy

  • Walk length: 4 – 10 km (2.5 – 6 miles)
  • Approximate duration: 2.5 – 4 hours
  • Easy walks may include some short ascents and descents. The path surface might be earth, grass or stone and – while generally firm – it may have some loose or uneven sections, or be soft underfoot after rain. You may also encounter steps, gates and narrow sections. Most of our Easy walks are very suitable for families, and some are pushchair friendly (please check route descriptions).

Grade: Moderate

  • Walk length: 6 – 15 km (3.7 – 9 miles)
  • Approximate duration: 3 – 6 hours
  • Moderate walks include hilly ground and require a reasonable level of fitness. You might encounter climbs up some steeper sections. The surfaces may be rough and uneven, with rocky or muddy sections, and you may also find yourself walking up irregular steps, over stiles or through narrow gates and gaps.