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We were down in Lancaster on a visit and headed back north on this nice day to take the opportunity to walk Scout Scar

in the limestone country of the southern Lake District. 

We looked at the calendar and realised it has been six whole years since we walked this particular fell.

Doesn't time fly !

Across the road from the car park and the gate to a neat grassy field hold the prospect of a different kind of walk.

A gently rising path takes us up a couple of hundred feet

with the promise of great views glimpsed through the ever thinning trees.

The first viewpoint and a well-placed seat . . . looking north to the high Lakeland Fells.

Another seat as we top the rise and emerge onto the limestone escarpment.

The weather is fine and the visibility superb . . . we're looking west to Black Combe and then round

increasingly north past the Coniston Fells to the shapely Langdale Pikes above the chair.

A large grey-ish cloud makes me wonder whether my decision to leave my warmer jacket in the car was a wise one . . . time will tell.

The cloud casts a deep shadow over us but serves to highlight Arnside Knott down at the coast which is in the clearer sunshine.

Good Day.  Just looking at above captioned walk and viewing your photo's specifically the one you refer to as Juniper is in my opinion Yew. The seeds and needles are highly toxic and can kill if ingested. Regards Paul.   Hi Paul, Many thanks for the update, I can only blame the pressure of an impending holiday for not checking properly. I've dug out two photos just to refresh my memory.  Cheers . . . Roger

Yew Juniper

We soon draw level with the summit viewpoint, The Mushroom, but we'll defer a close visit

in favour of a walk out and back along the ridge.  It will be a good place for lunch later.

Zooming in on  the classic Lakeland skyline of the Langdales with Great and Green Gable over the back.

They were the starting point for our subsequent identification of all the fells to the left and right.

Looking south along the escarpment above Barrowfield Farm in the trees below.

Zooming in on the Kent Estuary and Arnside Knott.

To the extreme left are the square buildings of Heysham Power Station close to Lancaster.

. . . and if you look carefully you can also see Blackpool Tower . . . Best wishes, Bob and Glenis.

- - - o o o - - -

We are opposite the high point of the ridge walk so turn for a short walk up the slope to the top.

The cairn on the top turned out to be a circular wind shelter.

The limestone rock is friable and so the shelter stone is small by nature . . . difficult to stack well.

. However it is still solid enough to carry a little weight.

Chance to look around at the view . . . perhaps we could share it with you here.

Click here or on the photo above for a 360 degree annotated panorama.

We walk back along the higher ground with the tinkling stones under our feet.

Even though we are on dry limestone there's still enough moisture around to support these rich clumps of moss.

We walk along to the true summit where there is a fine trig point.

In the shallow light of the cloud the trig point cement matches the colour of the limestone it sits on.

In the background are the people of Kendal and between them and us are a quiet herd of black cows.

They are important to keep the vegetation in check here and to maintain the upland grass land in its classic form.

Over the wall there's more grass.

Due to the lack of water in the soil the ash trees have already lost their leaves.

The same applies to a lot of the trees that cling to the sparse soil on the top of the ridge.

It makes it look like a petrified woodland.

Over the brow a fell runner appears . . .  Dylan stands to one side to let him pass.

The sunshine has brightened up the grassland at Hodgson's Leap.

It is a short walk back to The Mushroom.

We revert to the top path to enjoy the limestone once more.

At the northern summit of the ridge is a shelter with a domed roof

built to commemorate the Coronation of King George the Fifth.

It is now 105 years old . . . with only one major refurbishment 15 years ago.

Inside the shelter is a mural outlining the shapes and names of the fells that can be seen from the shelter.

Click here or on the photo above for a 360 degree annotated panorama.

Time to relax . . . and time for lunch.

Dylan finds a friend and together they enjoy an extra run around.

He and his owner are up in the Lakes from Kent I believe.

The lunchtime view over to Kendal and the Howgill Fells was a delight.

- - - o o o - - -   Time to be heading back.   Navigation is easy but if there's any doubt just look for the communication mast which is just above the car park where we left the car.   Head in that direction.   - - - o o o - - -

Same lady, same dog . . . different side of the same gate that we used at the start of the walk.

The car park is in the old quarry  . . . and there's the communication mast we saw earlier.