Dales Way - Day 5: Sedbergh to Oxenholme

Sunday 23rd February 2014 

A wet walk from Sedbergh to Oxenholme via the Crook of Lune  

Distance 22km; Ascent: 400m; Very wet and windy; Solo

See tracked route in new window

I set off walking in drizzle shortly before 9am, but it wasn't long before the rain became heavier and I had to don waterproofs.  Due to the weather I opted to skip the first section of Dales Way today and instead followed the A684 to Lincoln's Inn Bridge, where I rejoined my planned route.

Lune Viaduct

The route north alongside the River Lune was pleasant, and I crossed underneath the disused Lune Viaduct before spending a couple of kilometres away from the river.  I then returned to the river, following a path through the riverside woods, past a number of kayakers paddling downstream.

In the Lune Gorge

Shortly before 11:30am I reached the Crook of Lune bridge, where I stopped for a quick break.  By now the forecast heavy rain and strong winds had well and truly set-in, and I decided to abandon my original plans to continue across the, almost certainly, very muddy fields to Burneside.  Instead I opted to walk along the minor roads to Oxenholme station, from where I'd have a greater choice of trains to catch home.

Crook of Lune Bridge

The River Lune at Crook of Lune

I walked into driving rain and wind for much of the next couple of hours as I made my way SW to reach Oxenholme station shortly after 2pm.  I shall return at some point to walk from Oxenholme to Burneside, where I'll pick up the Dales Way and follow it to the finish in Windermere - probably later in the year.