Height: 207 metres / 679 feet Grid reference: SD 49153 94309 Category: The Outlying Fells
The cairn on Cunswick Scar, looking to Kentmere
Connie (11) adopts the classic Wainwright pose on the Cunswick Scar cairn
Cunswick Scar
Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar
Start point: Serpentine Woods car park (SD 511 092)
Serpentine Woods, Kendal – Kendal Fell – Cunswick Fell – Cunswick Scar (OF) – Scout Scar (OF) – Serpentine Woods, Kendal
Distance: 6.6 miles Total Ascent: 296 metres Time Taken: 4 hours Start Time: 11:25
Weather: (Eventually) hot and sunny. 22°C
We took a walk from Kendal to Scout Scar via Cunswick Scar today, following the Wainwright walk in the Outlying Fells book. The starting point is better nowadays for those with cars than the original as there is a free and convenient car park adjacent to Serpentine Woods. The weather started off really dull but soon turned into a rare beautiful summer’s day. As Wainwright said ‘This is a walk above others : a pleasure every step of the way’…and we did indeed ‘…take sandwiches and make a day of it’.
The old quarry tramway at the start of the walk and the weather wasn't looking so promising so we (for 'we' read 'I') carried all our waterproof gear today.
Benson Knott across Kendal rooftops.
...and from further along the track.
Passing beneath Kettlewell Crag.
At the wall end and the crossing of Kendal golf course. At the end of the green is Hellsfell Nab.
Crossing the footbridge to Cunswick Fell.
Lo and behold, it seems to be brightening up now, Cunswick Scar top ahead.
The cairn on Cunswick Scar, looking to Kentmere.
Dougal (looking ready to pounce) and Casper on Cunswick Scar. There is now water for them to drink or swim in up here.
Same place, different era - Connie adopts the classic Wainwright pose on the Cunswick Scar cairn.
The Coniston fells.
Red Screes and Kentmere, clearing by the minute.
Looking back to Cunswick Scar from the walk to Scout Scar.
The view across to Whinfell.
The view from the climb to Scout Scar.
Kentmere.
The panorama is distant from here - from Coniston to Bowfell to the Langdales.
Scout Scar, the Mushroom to the left.
The Mushroom shelter, a great place for our lunch stop.
Plaque in the shelter.
The Lyth Valley, looking along it to Arnside Knott with Whitbarrow Scar to the right.
The big cairn at the end of the scar and the turning point of this walk.
It was boiling now and there were more frequent rest stops - lovely amongst the sweet smelling heather.
A new friend across the road from the old racecourse.
The old summerhouse in Serpentine Woods.
The info board inside although you can't get near enough to read it, the summerhouse is under lock and key.
Scout Scar
Start point: Kendal Town Hall (SD 515 926)
Kendal Town Hall – Kendal Fell – Cunswick Fell – Cunswick Scar (OF) – Scout Scar (OF) – Kendal Town Hall
Weather: Overcast.
Today’s walk follows Wainwright’s Scout Scar chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 2.
‘This is a walk above others : a pleasure every step of the way.’ – AW
Kendal Town Hall...
and the old summerhouse in Serpentine Woods
Memorial tablet to 'DARWIN LEIGHTON - friend of all living creatures in this wood'. A member of the Fell and Rock Club, his daily ritual was to feed the birds and squirrels in Serpentine Wood.
Kendal from Kendal Fell.
Cunswick Fell from Kendal Fell.
Kendal Western bypass as seen from the footbridge - 'a credit to the road engineers'.
Scout Scar from the large summit cairn of Cunswick Scar.
The shelter, Scout Scar - built in 1912 as a memorial to King George V and recently restored.
Looking along the Lyth Valley from Scout Scar. Arnside Knott is in the distance, Whitbarrow Scar to the right.
The Whinfell range in the distance with Benson Knott to the right from the descent of Scout Scar. This view is across the old racecourse and Kendal beyond.