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Sedbergh

Rough Fell Sheep and Historic Sheep Pen

Discover

Places to see

United Kingdom

England

North West England

Cumbria

South Lakeland

Sedbergh

Rough Fell Sheep and Historic Sheep Pen

Recommended by 15 hikers out of 16

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Location: Sedbergh, South Lakeland, Cumbria, North West England, England, United Kingdom

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Best Hikes to Rough Fell Sheep and Historic Sheep Pen

4.8

(21)

246

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1. Cautley Spout Waterfall – Sedbergh Town Centre loop from Sedbergh

16.6km

05:19

680m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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4.8

(16)

196

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2. Cautley Spout Waterfall – Calders Summit loop from Sedbergh

17.8km

05:40

680m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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5.0

(2)

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3. Calders Summit – Sedbergh Town Centre loop from Sedbergh

16.3km

05:27

780m

Expert hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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Tips

Foundation for Common Land

May 23, 2023

Native to Cumbria, the Rough Fell breed is one of three you will find on the common. They are one of the largest and hardiest, able to be outside in all weathers owing to their thick wool. The tups (males) have majestic horns and black and white marked faces. The sheep feed on upland grasses and heathers found on native moorland and are mainly bred for meat. The other two are the famous Swaledale or more ‘pretty’, grey Herdwick.

The flock of sheep know exactly where they are allowed to graze on the fell without going into another farmer’s ‘patch’. The mothers take the daughters up the fell and show them where they can graze through generational ‘flock memory’. There are no fences and they can roam wherever they want but they stay within their heft. The sheep belong on their heft. In the south of the country a heft is called a lear.

Look west and you will see an old sheep pen. This sheep pen will be brought back to working use by a lottery funded heritage project Our Common Cause: Our Uplands Common. Sheep pens such as this are used to sort farmers’ flocks after they have brought them down from the common during gathers which happen up to five/six times a year. Farmers work together to sort and mark sheep ready for shearing or ‘tupping’ (breeding season). Sheep on uplands commons are out all year, even during lambing season.

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Elevation 560 m

Weather

Today

Wednesday 17 September

16°C

11°C

100 %

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Max wind speed: 21.0 km/h

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See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Sedbergh, South Lakeland, Cumbria, North West England, England, United Kingdom

Rough Fell Sheep and Historic Sheep Pen

1. Cautley Spout Waterfall – Sedbergh Town Centre loop from Sedbergh

2. Cautley Spout Waterfall – Calders Summit loop from Sedbergh

3. Calders Summit – Sedbergh Town Centre loop from Sedbergh

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