The Calf & Winder loop from Sedbergh — The Howgills

Tour overview: ‘Brant’ means ‘steep’ in Anglo-Saxon which gives you a good idea of the nature of this walk. But you will be rewarded for your efforts on a clear day with spectacular views – stretching towards Yorkshire’s Three Peaks, Blackpool and the coast, the Lake District, and Upper Wensleydale.

The area you are about to walk on, is managed carefully by Commoners who collectively graze their livestock (sheep and cows) on Commons. Each flock has a heaf where they stay without fencing. This use of land for pasture has protected landscapes for over 1,000 years. Grazing maintains the balance of the delicate upland ecosystems, ensuring the survival of thousands of ancient monuments and enabling wildlife (such as rare birds and butterflies) to thrive. Commoning is an ancient part of our cultural heritage. Commoning families preserve traditions and practices upheld since the Magna Carta, unchanged for centuries (see James Rebanks’ ‘The Shepherd’s Life’). The animals belong on their heaf, the commoners belong on their family farms, and the commoners’ rights belong with the farm. If Commoners leave the land, ancient knowledge is lost, and the intricate equilibrium of these landscapes, ecosystems and breeds breaks down. In turn a way of life, and a living part of our history, will be lost. ‘Brant’ means ‘steep’ in Anglo-Saxon which gives you a good idea of the nature of this walk. But you will be rewarded for your efforts on a clear day with spectacular views – stretching towards Yorkshire’s Three Peaks, Blackpool and the coast, the Lake District, and Upper Wensleydale.