Bampton lies on the eastern edge of the Lake District, near Shap and Penrith. The village is in the Lowther Valley and surrounded by hills; near Bampton, Haweswater Beck flows into the River Lowther. The landscape and early history shape the character of the place: on Bampton Common, prehistoric cairns and settlements stand alongside traces of later routes.
Valley and Landscape
Around Bampton, Wild Haweswater encompasses a landscape shaped by the Ice Age, with mossy temperate rainforests, woods, rocky cliffs, moorland, mountain lakes and rushing streams. The trails at Wild Haweswater are accessible at all times throughout the year. In the area around Bampton, there is no visitor centre, public toilets, public viewing hides or café there. These differences are helpful when planning a day out: the trails are accessible, but the facilities mentioned are not available there.
The site of the two standing stones northwest of Four Stones Hill offers a dramatic view across the valley, now occupied by Haweswater Reservoir. The two stones form a rare surviving pair of this type of monument in Cumbria. A Romano-British farmstead lies 800 metres northeast of High House; it is currently submerged beneath Haweswater Reservoir.
Walking Around Bampton
The circular walking route near Drybarrows leads to the edge of Bampton Common. Check the trail conditions before setting out. Knipe Scar, a landform above the valley, is mentioned in Wainwright’s book “Outlying Fells”. These references appeal to different interests: the Drybarrows trail has a clearly named route and endpoint, while Knipe Scar features as a landscape feature in walking literature.
Early Routes and Settlements
The Roman road studied at Bampton Common has been described as the highest Roman route in Britain. It follows a more or less direct connection between Penrith and Ambleside over a ridge. There are also deep trackways: some point to medieval packhorse routes and possibly even older paths. These tracks should not be equated with the Roman route; they tell of further stages in the area's use.
The lightly fortified, single-rampart hillfort in Scarside Plantation is also reasonably well preserved, despite some tree planting and vegetation inside. It preserves evidence of the settlement layout and the construction of the defensive rampart. Towtop Kirk is a rare example of an early Christian enclosure in Cumbria and is well preserved. The different monuments offer concrete starting points for distinguishing between settlement forms and defensive construction.
Food and Local Options
The Mardale Inn serves freshly prepared pub food and locally brewed real ales. The food and drink selection may change; check the current selection when planning your visit.
Discover more destinations: Crook, Hawkshead, Barbon, Underbarrow, Patterdale, Kirkby-In-Furness, Seascale, Farlam.
For the main travel overview: Cumbria.
