Duddon Bridge, Frith Hall, Ulpha, Hare Hall, Stickle House Barn, Cumbria.
[ 18.1 km] Thu 03 Feb 2011

SD 1989 8855
The forecast was for a windy day so I decided on a low-level walk around the lower reached of the Duddon Valley, Cumbria. I parked on Smithy Lane and walked across the busy Duddon Bridge. My first call was to the ruins of the Duddon Iron Furnace. There is a car park adjacent and good information board. It says the works were started in 1736 and continued until 1867. The iron smelting needed vast quantities of charcoal. This furnace consumed 10acres (4 hectares or 40,470 sq metres or 5.5 football pitches) of woodland every week.

Thankfully by the 19th century furnaces began to use coke so this one went out of use enabling some trees to remain in Cumbria. I continued up the lane which had a surprisingly large number of cars whizzing by. I assume they’re commuters heading for the coast. Over the cattle grid I took the minor road to Logan Beck Bridge. Through a gate to the right I followed a wet track through Ulpha Park. It was plantation to the left and open fell of Penn to the right. For a while I went through woodland on both sides then emerged into open ground and a good view of my next objective, Frith Hall. The main hall stood as a relatively large ruin but next to it was large barn which was being extensively renovated. Lots of scaffolding was up to enable a new roof to be put on. It appears that the main hall was build in the 16th century and there are some references to it in history. One I like is “Frith Hall, now a farm house, was formerly an inn, at which the minister married seventeen couples by the fire side in 1730.” The fireside and large part of the stack is still intact.

Two views of Frith Hall

The photo on the right is where:
"the minister married seventeen couples by the fire side in 1730"

The continuing track down was now rough and wet as far as Bleabeck Bridge but then it emerges into a wonderful pasture and green track by Castle How and Millbrow. I rejoined the tarmac road and descended to Ulpha and over Ulpha Bridge.

I took the left track up to Birks where the tarmac stops and I entered Birks Wood. As I emerged I made the mistake of continuing straight on towards New Close but soon realised my mistake and returned to find the correct rough track to the right. Ahead was a clump of trees and a walled enclosure. This was my next objective and is a Friends Burial Ground (Quakers).

There was no sign or any indication of what it was. Only the large scale OS map (1:10k) names it as a burial ground. There was enough shelter behind the wall to make it pleasant in the sun so I stopped to have my lunch. The track continued NE with lovely views up and across Dunnerdale. Through Far Kiln Bank Farm I reached the road again and tuned right up to the summit and small car park. Not far down the other side I saw a narrow miners track climbing up to the right. I followed it towards Stickle Quarries but soon descended again to the main path above Hoses. The path follows the wall, passing Hare Hall then more open ground towards Scrithwaite.

I joined another green track where a party of walkers were just ahead of me. Soon I was at my next objective, Stickle House Barn. It looks like a fairly inconspicuous barn but inside reveals an excellent example of 17th century cruck-framed construction.

It was grade 2 listed in March 1990. The listing describes it as:
Cruck-framed field barn. Date uncertain but probably C17. Stone rubble with slate roof. Built on ground sloping south. East elevation has 2 entrances and blocked square ventilation holes. West elevation has blocked large entrance, end ventilation slot. North gable end has projecting base; south gable end has owl hole. Interior has 2 full cruck trusses an stone bases, with tie beams, collars, yokes and cruck spurs; through purlins. South gable end wall has internal projecting base.

Stickle House Barn interior.

I stopped for a while to take a few photos then continued on then left to follow the path to the buildings of Hawes. I was now on a minor road which I followed all the way to Lower Beansley. A lovely track continued through the woods below Beansley Bank. At Bank End the track took a steep series of ziz zags down to the road and buildings at bank End. I was soon back at the car.