Path Problems on the Cistercian Way:
This page documents various problems found when the Cistercian Way route between Ulverston and Dalton-in-Furness way surveyed as part of the Furness PathFix project.
From Ulverston centre, the Cistercian Way goes past Ulverston station and then turns right off Springfield Road onto a footpath that leads to Swartmoor Hall, an important place in the history of the Quakers). There are some gates on this section and all of them are in good or reasonable condition, so no problems so far.
The Way then follows Swarthmoor Hall Road (no pavement, but only light traffic) and then Urswick Road to its junction with Red Lane. The first half of this Urswick Road section is busy but has pavement on one side; the second half is a quieter lane without pavement.
From Red Lane the Way enters farmland via a short length of walled track that then leads into a field, and this is where the problems start: –
P1: Gate off Red Lane into Walled Track (SD 2761 7590):
The original gap stile, on the right in this photo , is no longer passable – too narrow and blocked by stones and barbed wire. But the adjacent gate opens fairly easily, so no problem entering the track, provided that gate is never locked.
P2: Awkward exit from walled track (SD 2762 7585):
However the exit from other (south) end of the track into the field is poor. It used to be closed off by a fence with an adjacent wooden stile (S2, SD 2760 7585), but the metal fence sections now lie across the exit and are awkward to cross, and not possible if they were re-erected and secured. And to avoid them means climbing over the stile, which moves worryingly since one its posts is very loose in the ground.
P3: Dangerous stile between fields (SD 2760 7560):
This ‘stile’ is more just a jumble of awkward to negotiate stones that is crossable but dangerous.
P4: Difficult for all but most agile (SD 2758 7558):
There’s a good firm flat bottom slab to stand on, but it’s hard to step onto anything higher and a long way up that requires very flexible knees and hips to lift your foot over the upper metal bar.
P5: Footbridge by Urswick Tarn:
Ok but could do with a makeover.
P6: Overgrown kissing gate by Urswick Church (SD 2670 7350):
Just needs the foliage cut back.
P7: Kissing gate hidden in bushes (SD 2640 7352):
There is actually a kissing gate hidden in the bushes, but farm is derelict and gate seems to be permanently open so RofW is open.
However farm is up for sale with planning permission for estate of houses, so no doubt the RofW will be taken into account as part of the building project and suggest no action needed by us at this stage.
P8: Very narrow gap stile (SD 2600 7383):
Just passable but a large person will struggle.
P9: Approach difficult from both sides (SD 2542 7392):
Passable but the approach from both sides difficult due to stones.
P10: Impassable gap stile (SD 2510 7396):
Impassable, 4″ gap at narrowest point. Can climb over the adjacent wall reasonably safely heading west but heading east the drop is dangerous. Note the next stile across the road which is also very narrow but just passable and the gate has been openable over the last couple of years.
P11: Collapsing stile (SD 2458 7412):
The step is not attached and the posts it sits on are rotten.
From here, the Cistercian Way route follows footpaths past Standing Tarn to Dalton and then follows the road through Dalton centre to Dalton Castle.