Long Meg and Her Daughters Dog Walk
Walk Stats
| Start/finish: Long Meg and Her Daughters free car park, ½ mile (800m) north-east of Little Salkeld, CA10 1NW (grid reference NY 570 367) | |||
| Terrain: Quiet lanes and tracks; woodland paths; fields, potentially muddy in places | |||
| Dog-friendly refreshments: The Shepherds Inn, in Langwathby, is the nearest pub but dogs are allowed only in the beer garden | |||
| Notes for dog owners: No stiles; the area around the stones is often grazed by cattle |
Overview
It’s easy to forget that Cumbria has so much more to offer than just the Lake District National Park. This extraordinary county takes in a huge chunk of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and parts of three National Landscapes – the Solway Coast, Arnside & Silverdale and the North Pennines. And there’s more… The sublime walk described here doesn’t even enter any of these protected landscapes, yet it passes through some of the Eden Valley’s prettiest countryside and visits one of the most impressive and mysterious stone circles in the whole of the UK.
The Walk
From the car park’s pedestrian exit, turn right along the track and immediately keep straight ahead at the junction of lanes. The route later crosses a cattle grid – with a gate beside it for dogs – and then reaches Long Meg and Her Daughters.
When medieval wizard Michael Scott stumbled across a gathering of witches close to the foot of the Pennines, he immediately turned them to stone. To this day, so the local legend goes, their petrified remains stand in this field near the banks of the River Eden. It’s an interesting tale and, although the truth behind Long Meg and Her Daughters is probably more prosaic, we’ll probably never know why this stone circle was created. What we do know though, is that it probably dates from the early Bronze Age. The largest of the stones is Long Meg herself, a megalith standing aloof from the main circle.
Having had a look around, continue along the lane through the middle of the stones. About 270 yards (250m) beyond the farm buildings, pass through a pedestrian gate to access a shadier path. After a few more hundred yards, the path swings slightly right and reaches a junction of routes. Ignoring the gate into the field (sharp left), turn left along a broad path signposted for Daleraven Bridge. Almost 0.5 miles (800m) beyond this junction, just before the path suddenly narrows, take another track to the right.
Views of the gorgeous Eden Valley come and go through gaps in the hedgerow on the left. Later, you’re able to look across to the North Pennines too.
Turn right on reaching the road, soon entering Glassonby. Follow the road round to the right through the red sandstone village – signposted Penrith and Langwathby. Take the next surfaced lane on the right (a few yards short of the national speed limit sign). The asphalt ends at the entrance to St Michael and All Angels’ Church. Go through the iron gates to enter the churchyard.
The church was built on its current site in the early 16th century after the village of Addingham, where it was originally located, was washed away when the nearby River Eden changed course in about 1350. Among the many ancient artefacts within its grounds are a Norse hogback tombstone and the remains of a carved, hammerhead cross that dates back to the 10th century.
A paved path leads round to the front of the building – where the hammerhead cross stands – and out through a wall on the other side of the churchyard. Keep straight ahead through the middle of a small field. After a gate, go straight over the surfaced lane and through the large metal gate opposite – signposted Long Meg. You’re on a stony track for a few yards but then pass to the right of a metal gate – usually left open – to access a strip of land between a fence on the left and a wall on the right.
Keep straight ahead when the wall ends, now walking with a fence on your right and enjoying views across to the fells lining the eastern edge of the Lake District National Park. Passing through small wooden gates along the way, keep straight ahead through potentially long vegetation.
A larger metal gate then leads into a field. Maintain a straight line, keeping to the left-hand edge of the field. After a wooden gate, walk beside the hedgerow on the left to return to the lane that runs through the middle of Long Meg and Her Daughters. Retrace your steps to the car park where the walk started.
Vivienne Crow has written several guides to Cumbria including Walking in Cumbria’s Eden Valley, published by Cicerone.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Long Meg and Her Daughters is a great walk for dogs, with no stiles on the entire route. They'll enjoy the quiet lanes, woodland paths and open fields of the Eden Valley. Keep them on the lead around the stone circle itself, as the area is often grazed by cattle.
Yes, there is a free car park at the start of the walk, approximately half a mile north-east of Little Salkeld. Satnav postcode: CA10 1NW. The car park is relatively small, so an early arrival is recommended on busy weekends and during the summer months.
The nearest option is The Shepherds Inn in the village of Langwathby, a short drive from the walk. Dogs are welcome in the beer garden, making it a pleasant spot for a post-walk drink on a fine day.
This is an easy to moderate walk of 3.5 miles, taking approximately 1¾ hours. The route follows quiet lanes, tracks and field paths, which can be muddy in places, but there are no significant climbs and the terrain is generally straightforward.
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