A Wintery Wander over Wild Boar Fell
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Let's burn off those festive calories and join OutdoorLads for an New Year hike in the wild fells of East Cumbria.
Important Information: This is a linear walk, starting and finishing in different places. Please read location section carefully so you're aware of where we'll start and finish.
Points of interest on the route:
Wild Boar Fell Summit: At 708m, our highest point towers above the Mallerstang valley below, giving great views to the North Pennines, Lake District and Yorkshire Dales. The fell is named after the boar that used to live there and were hunted by the locals. The hill was also used for testing tanks to be used in World War II.
Wild Boar Fell Cairns : The most interesting part of the fell are the mysterious cairns that sit on the eastern side of the summit plateau. Who built them and why isn't fully known; however many think they we there built to make raiders and enemy soldiers think they we're being watched from the mountain tops, with them appearing like sentinels when viewed from below.
Swarth Fell: At 681m, our second and seldom visited hill will give us great views back to Wild Boar Fell, as well as the Howgills, Morecambe Bay, The Yorkshire Three Peaks and even Pendel Hill, should the visibility be clear enough.
Other Information:
Dog Suitability:
Dogs are always welcome on my walks, though their behaviour and safety is their owner's responsibility. This includes cleaning up after them, controlling their behaviour around other animals or people, and assisting them over any stiles or streams we may cross.
New Members
Please feel free to sign up as your first OutdoorLads event. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to message me, or go to the "My First Event" section under "About Us".
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
Image/photo credits: All leader's own images - with permission for OutdoorLads to use and reuse.
What to bring
Head Torch: due to the limited daylight this time of year, a head torch is essential, please make sure you bring one with you.
Water: bring plenty of water (~2 Litres)
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Footware: ideally designed for hiking, sturdy trail runners are OK too.
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproofs: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch
Food & drink
Please bring lunch, snacks and plenty of water. As the weather may be cold, you may want to bring a flask with a hot drink or soup too. After the walk, there'll be the opportunity to visit the local pub for refreshments.