Scout Scar

An out-and-back walk of 900 m each way, 1.8 km (1.12 mi) round trip, with about half an hour of walking. Short, but rated challenging for the climb.

From Scout Scar Car Park, take the path right and down to the road, then cross carefully and go through the wooden gate. A rough path rises steeply at roughly 1:5 for over 100 m, with two resting places along the way. The gradient eases where a surfaced path bends left, and a natural surface carries on for about 300 m past and below the Mushroom viewpoint. Turn around there and retrace the same route.

This is a limestone escarpment with open grassland and limestone pavement, so expect limestone footing and some uneven natural surface beyond the surfaced section. The western edge is steep and unprotected, so keep children and dogs well back from the drop.

Dogs are welcome. Under open access rules, keep them on a lead of 2 m or less from 1 March to 31 July to protect ground-nesting birds, and under close control around livestock. It is a popular route with local walkers and dog walkers.

Park at Scout Scar Car Park (LA8 8HB, grid SD 488924). There are no facilities and no direct public transport. Mobility scooters must be class 2 or 3, and the two rest places are not accessible to wheelchairs or mobility scooters. The steep initial rise is the main barrier.

Longer walks over Scout Scar and Cunswick Scar start from the same area and are separate routes with their own distances and effort, rather than extensions of this one.