Lakes and Dales Horseback Rambler

Scout Hill (also known locally as bog mountain) is dry enough to ride! This ride should only be done after a spell of very dry weather as the bridleway over Scout Hill can be very treacherous having a number of bogs to cross . If we have a wet year where the window of opportunity is missed another year will pass by before I get another chance to ride this route. This is one of my favourite bridleways that transport you into a wild and ancient landscape with Scots pine trees and Cotton grass and in spring and early summer Cuckoos can be heard. Drovers and packhorse trains from Scotland use to carry Scots pine seeds in the their pockets and would plant the pinecones to mark the route especially in remote places. I have not looked into the history of this route, but as there are Scots pines, which are located in the 'middle of know where' close to a bridleway I like to think this could of been a drovers route from Scotland! Starting from the parking by the canal at Farleton, cross...

           The 19 30’s saw the start of the campaign for the ‘Right to Roam’ on foot, but to have the freedom to do the same on horseback or by bike is a very rare thing indeed. You could almost say in England and Wales if you have a place like this it is unique and to those that use such an area it becomes very special. I am fortunate enough to live near one of these rare areas and it’s safe to say that Farleton Knott has over the years become a cherished place to all who have visited. Most people drive past this unknown fell as they speed along the M6 and turn off at J36 for the Lake District.   A week ago now I was walking up on Farleton and came across this new sign put up by one of the landowners - ‘ Farleton Knott is open access land. Everyone is entitled to explore it on foot. There are no bridlepaths on Farleton Knott. It is a civil offence to ride horses or bikes on this site.’ For some history to this, the area is mostly common land an...