1. Exit the car park using the gate to the left of the cattle grid. Turn right onto the road and then straight through the gate next to another cattle grid. Continue along this road, over the wide river bridge and into Askham Village. Ride through the village, continuing straight on at the cross roads by the village shop. Continue along this road past cottages on your right until the cottages end and you arrive at a gate and the fells.

2. Continue straight on across the fells, through an initially narrow stone walled line chicane section that slowly widens. Go through the gate at the top of a small hill and onto Askham Fell itself. Continue straight along the well defined track until you arrive at the Cockpit, a crossroads and ancient stone circle. Shortly after the Cockpit, turn left and head off the stony track onto the fells. This path isn’t well defined and it’s hard to see the start of the bridleway. Take the most obvious track and combine this with a GPS to keep you on the right bearing. The path soon becomes more eroded and more obvious as you climb.

3. You will see Loadpot Hill from a long way away, continue riding straight to the stone cairn. The bridleway curves round to the right but horses have rights over the entire of Askham Fell and so ride straight up the steep mound onto the summit. Enjoy panoramic views of the fells!

CAUTION: Loadpot Hill is a serious mountain, sat at 672m above sea level, and is very exposed. Ensure you have packed layers and waterproofs because the weather can turn quickly. Even on a sunny summers dale, the wind chill alone can be enough to turn a lovely day into an emergency very quickly. If you get into trouble you can call mountain rescue by calling 999, asking for Police then Mountain Rescue.

4. The bridleway shows that it continues down from Loadpot and then takes a left nearly at the sump, ignore this and turn left at Loadpot summit, following a well defined track heading east. This track will slowly head downwards to meet the ‘bridleway’ which doesn’t exist and cross this. Continue following this track downhill heading east, being careful of the bogs until this narrow track becomes a much more well defined farm track. Follow this farm track down to the corner of High How Farm, defined by a stone wall and small coppice. The land will flatten out here.

5. Follow the gravel track around the lefthand side of the farm, keeping the stone wall on your right until it joins up with a single track and unfenced tarmac road over the moors. This moors usually has sheep but no loose horses. Turn left and follow the tarmac road over Cockle Hill, passing a cattle grid until the track ends and you reach a road. Before joining this road, there is another minor road/track to your left. Take this and head back up hill.

6. This road turns into a narrow bridleway that then passes through a gate back onto Askham Fell. Continue across the road on the fells onto the gravel track on the other side. This next section has wide grassy verges and is great for a canter. You will soon recognise where you are – you were here at the start of the ride! Just before the junction of paths, turn right and take the obvious track back to the chicane section. Retrace your steps through Askham village back to Lowther.