Cunswick Scar, Lake District, Summer
After a wet week, it was nice to get up on the fells above Kendal.
On the Sunday, Lisabet had a series of obligations to attend to, so I took the opportunity for a solo hike. As Kendal sits in a valley (Kent + Dale, that is, “the valley of the river Kent”), it is flanked east and west by small fells. On the western side of the valley the ground gently rises up before terminating in a series of limestone cliffs plunging down to the Lyth Valley. The main fell here is Scout Scar, a local favourite, but a smaller sibling can be found further north: Cunswick Scar.
On this occasion my route to the summit was a fairly standard one: head up through the winding paths and roads through Kendal to the Helsfell Nab path. Follow the path all the way up and around Helsfell Nab, cross the bridge over the A591, and continue on the gently rising trail all the way to the summit cairn of Cunswick Scar.
A beautiful summer’s day.
All photos taken on my Fujifilm X-T2 using my Vivitar “Series 1” 28–105mm f2.8–f3.8 lens. RAWs converted in Capture One for iPad, developed in RNI Films, finished in Affinity Photo for iPad.
Cunswick Scar, Lake District, Summer by Ian Cylkowski is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
A glorious day in Kendal, full of promise.
Up on Queen’s Road. The views over Kendal here are already beautiful.
On the Helsfell Nab path you round an allotment above Windermere Road. Gardening here must be lovely with views like this.
I can never resist these two compositions when walking the Helsfell Nab path.
It all just lines up in such a pleasing way.
Even the local sheep like to pause from grazing to enjoy the views every now and then.
At these disused barns the path rounds Helsfell Nab and climbs sharply up. You’re then above the A591, where you cross the bridge over the road to continue on towards Cunswick Scar.
The route is clear all the way up to the summit. Sheep peacefully graze and wander the fell.
The summit cairn and the crackin’ views all the way towards the Kentmere fells.
A zoomed in composition shows off the Kentmere fells with light and shadow dancing across their features.
Directly west from the summit, the rolling Lyth Valley is capped by the distance Lake District fells.
Time to navigate off Cunswick Scar’s shoulder. Like Scout Scar, the fell is primarily composed of limestone, so different flora flourishes on the fell compared to the Kendal valley.
The views heading back east ain’t too bad either. Nearest, to the right, is Benson Knott, and in the distance are the beautiful Howgills.
Oh! A winding drystone wall? Time for a photo then.
For the returning route, I chose the path over Kendal Fell Golf Course. Across the field is the back of Helsfell Nab.
A herd of cows rest in the afternoon sun.
Not a bad place for a golf course, eh?
Back down Beast Banks into town.