TO START a walk from Orton is a delight. There is the chocolate factory, its excellent café, and - it also sells delicious ice creams.

Sit on the bench seats opposite and enjoy one and notice the 17th and 18th Century cottages that stand around the market square. Standing aloof but towering above the village is the fine All Saints Church. There is a small parking place and good toilets.

This walk takes you over fine fields and sheep pastures. It crosses many stiles set in the limestone walls, all reasonably easy to negotiate, but care is needed because the limestone can be very sharp. It takes you below the grassy slopes of the Knott and then out into vast areas of clints and grykes, where cowslips and purple orchids grow. The return is all downhill, with new stiles, gates and signposts of easy-to-spot pale wood. You may also see, in late May, hares boxing between the grykes.

Park in the market square in the centre of Orton, grid ref 623082. Access this from Tebay or Appleby.

1 From the small parking area in the centre of the Orton, cross the Appleby road and turn left for a few steps to reach a small green area beside a narrow stream. Turn right to walk a good track to pass the children’s playground on your right and continue to a road. Cross and take an easy-to-miss ginnel, between houses. This leads to steps and a gated stile into a very large pasture. Walk ahead, keeping parallel with the wall on your left, go over a tiny stream and climb gently to another gated step stile on to Street Lane. Beyond, walk right for a short way along the walled way to climb a stile just before some trees on your left.

2 Descend a little, heading for the next stile, slightly right. Beyond, the path on the map slants diagonally right to the far corner of the field to a stile on to the road.

As this is a large crop field and has no path, walk right here and then left alongside the wall beside the road on your right. Join the road and stroll on to pass a house and then turn left at the next narrow road.

Here, immediately follow the signpost directing you diagonally across a sheep pasture towards the top right corner. Climb the first stile you come to, over the wall, which gives access to a wide track.

Peep over the wall opposite to see a large stone circle, one of the largest in Cumbria. Sadly all the stones have tumbled and none is higher than a yard – but they do provide a fun area for adventurous lambs.

3 Continue along the track, ignoring any left or right signs, and go on up keeping parallel with the wall to your left. This soon becomes a fine grassy bridleway. Carry on steadily climbing, with the Knott to your right, to reach a gate and, beyond, a large four-armed signpost.

Turn right along the signed bridleway, a wide grassy track between outcrops of limestone. Follow it as it descends to a gate into the nature reserve where there is an informative plaque.

Go as far as you wish through the vast expanses of limestone pavement and then return by the same grassy trod. Pass through the gate again and go on to the four-armed signpost. Ignore your earlier approach, and the path to the monument. Walk ahead to descend through a gate and pause. Enjoy the view across the splendid walled pastures and look for the gates and stiles ahead that you need to return to Orton. All these gates and signposts have been renewed and the pale wood used shows up well and keeps you in the right direction even if there is not a visible path.

4 The way descends steadily through sheep pastures and grassy pastures and eventually brings you to Scar Side farm (not Scarside farm which is further along the lane) on Street Lane.

Just before the farmhouse is another dwelling advertising some pleasing refreshments, where you might be tempted to pause. If not, go right along the lane, follow it around the bend and continue for half a mile along the charming way until you reach the gated stile taken earlier.

Beyond, follow the wall, now on your right, until you reach the gated stile to the narrow ginnel. Descend this, cross the road and continue along the track to return to the centre of the village.

Information

Distance: 6 miles

Time: 3-4 hours

Terrain: Good paths, tracks and narrow walled lanes. Eight stiles

Map: OS Explorer OL 19

NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.