Explore with Amie

This post is a companion, or a part two, to yesterdays post which discussed the things to do and see in Cartmel, a small village just outside of Grange-Over-Sands and the Lake District. If I was to plan a day out in Cartmel, I’d suggest heading out on this walk and then returning to the village for some lunch and a drink at the pub followed by some Sticky Toffee Pudding. Take a look at the first post here to learn more about the village and why you should visit before diving into this one.

I discussed how to get to Cartmel on that introductory post but, it is less than ten minutes drive from Grange Over Sands, 25 minutes from the M6 turn off and about 35 minutes from Windermere so you have good access across the region. You can also arrive to the nearby village of Cark by train. When events are hosted in Cartmel, a shuttle bus is in operation from the station. Now, the best place to park in Cartmel for this walk is the car park near the Racecourse. Unfortunately, this is a pay and display car park and you do have to pay 24 hours and 7 days a week. There is no getting away with it on this one.

The route that I have plotted takes you past Cartmel Village Shop because, before or after the walk, you have to treat yourself to a dessert from the shop. On this particular occasion, I bought a Sticky Toffee ice cream which was in collaboration with the Lakes ice cream company and the Cartmel Sticky Toffee pudding and I can say it was phenomenal. It literally tasted exactly like Sticky Toffee pudding – they got it bang on! As I said, it was quite a hot day so we cold treat to start the walk was very necessary.

To head out of Cartmel, you can pass through the Priory Gatehouse which is a stone archway leading out of the market square. There is a lot of history to the gatehouse as it used to be part of the original Cartmel Priory. To be honest, I wasn’t aware that it even was the gatehouse when we completed this walk but, in hindsight, it’s a great bit of history right from the offset.

The walk soon heads into the fields and through a farm/stables which, having seen the Cartmel Races in action a couple of months earlier, makes a lot of sense. I believe there are quite a few farms and stables in the area for that reason. It is quite a steep climb shortly after but it is only a short one as the total elevation on this walk is only around 200m. In the heat, it certainly wasn’t easy but overall, this is a very simple walk.

Once you reach the top, we opted to deviate slightly off our route and head to the right, instead of left. We only went to the highest point so that we could see the views and boy were we rewarded. This is probably the best views across the Lake District peninsula we have ever had. It is similar to the Hoad walk in Ulverston but, you can almost see even more. You’ve got Blackpool, Barrow, Morecambe Bay, the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales all within one viewpoint. It really was spectacular.

However, it was slightly off the route so, we headed back down and continued on the journey to Hampsfell Hospice. This was a really cool find! The rocky outcrop surrounding the hospice feels like a mini Malham Cove – and is certainly a hell of a lot less busy and popular. The hospice itself was originally a kind of refuge, similar to a bothy but much less substantial. It was built in 1846 by the vicar of Cartmel and you can climb the slightly worn steps onto the roof. On top, you get another fabulous viewpoint across the peninsula and the national parks. It also has a board with key features of the landscape surrounding you and each was numbered which reflected the position on the compass-like structure on the top. We spent a good period of time trying to point it in the right direction without consulting the board. I was pretty terrible at this, unsurprisingly.

Never one to retrace our steps, we made this a circular walk which included heading back down into the valley by an alternative route. We passed through Hampsfield Hall farm and had some variation to the route, passing along farm tracks and into a small woodland area before circling back into Cartmel.

I really enjoyed this day out and it proved yet again that you don’t have to be on a mountain to get a good view (not that that’s going to stop us from doing it again and again!). Take a look at the map for yourself of Maps Pedometer and follow the step by step below.

Start Point: Cartmel Racecourse Car Park

1. Head back out of the car park the same way that you drove in. In the village centre, check out the Village Shop to the left.
2. Go around the Market Cross and turn left to pass through the Priory Gatehouse – a stone arch next to the old bookshop.
3. Continue down this road as it bends to the right.
4. Once you reach the junction, turn left and take the footpath on the right. This should be signposted.
5. Follow the footpath through the stableyard, turning left through the farm and then right, continuing upwards.
6. Continue to follow the path as it crests the hill. You should meet a grassy crossroad of paths. Turn right to get a great view across the area.
7. However, the path to continue to the route is the one on the left. Follow this path upwards towards the Hampsfell Hospice.
8. Once you’ve reached the Hospice, take the path on the left as you come down the stairs from the roof. This is essentially opposite the approach path.
9. Keep left at the next junction and then right. You should be heading towards a clump of trees through a gap in the wall.
10. Follow this path as it heads down into the valley.
11. Eventually, the path meets more of a track. Follow this to the left as it passes through Hampsfell Hall farm.
12. Pass through the farm, turning right to head to the road.
13. Complete a small dog-leg, going left and then right to a new footpath across the road. This is next to the driveway of the large manor.
14. Follow the path across the field, following the boundary wall on the right.
15. Continue straight across the road, following the footpath straight ahead.
16. Once in the woodland, follow the path to the left and you will meet another road.
17. Turn left and head down the road until you see two footpaths running almost parallel on the right. Take the second of these, passing through the gate (both paths do join).
18. Follow this footpath until you meet Greenbank Lane. Then, turn left and follow this road back into Cartmel.
19. At the junction, turn left to follow the road alongside the racecourse and back into the village centre.

End Point: Cartmel Racecourse Car Park

That brings me to end of this route! I hope you enjoyed these two Cartmel companion posts. If you haven’t read the first one, you can check it out here!

Amie x