easy
Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve
Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria ·
Quick answer
Smardale Gill National Nature Reserve near Kirkby Stephen in Cumbria is a flat dog-friendly former-railway walk that requires leads to protect nesting birds and butterflies.
📏
Distance
5.5 miles
Easy
Difficulty
🐾
Off-lead
No
🚧
Stiles
None
🅿️
Parking
Available
About this walk
A dead-flat walk along a former Stainmore Railway trackbed through a limestone gorge alive with wildflowers, red squirrels and Scotch argus butterflies in July. The 90-foot Smardale Gill Viaduct is the centrepiece. Excellent for older dogs, buggies or a rest day.
Terrain
Former railwayViaductLimestone grassland🌳Woodland
🅿️ Parking
Small free reserve car park at Smardale near Newbiggin-on-Lune; can fill on butterfly-season weekends.
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