Low Hall Garth (affectionately known as LHG) is a Grade II listed 18th Century farmstead cottage owned by the National Trust and leased to the Yorkshire Ramblers’ Club. Traditional exposed beams, slate floors and an open fire add to its historic charm. It is situated above Little Langdale Tarn in a delightful and secluded position, with views up the valley to the Wrynose Pass.
Hillwalking The Coniston fells can easily be reached directly from the cottage, as can those around Great Langdale by a rather longer walk across Wrynose Pass. Lower level walks around Tilberthwaite and Tarn Hows, and the exploration of the nearby Cathedral Cavern (torches essential) may be undertaken on the rare occasions it rains in the Lake District!
Climbing As the closest climbing hut, Low Hall Garth is ideal accommodation for those wanting to access some of the best sport climbing in the Lake District at Runestone Quarry – just a short walk away. This slate quarry offers routes across a wide range of grades from 4’s right up to 7’s. It’s ideal for beginners and medium-grade climbers alike, but like all quarries take care in case of loose rock. The FRCC have made the October 2023 update to their mini-guide to Runestone freely available here. The guide has 29 pages with topos showing the current crop of 33 routes in the Lower Quarry, 38 in the Middle Quarry and 8 in the Upper Quarry. Some of these routes were put up by YRC members as reported in YRC Journals 2021 and 2022.
Location and Access
Download Low Hall Garth Location Map and Directions
Grid reference: NY 3096 0289
Post Code: LA22 9NT
Lat/Lon: N 54.41665° W 3.06543°
Directions
Approaching from Ambleside by the A593 road to Coniston, cross Skelwith Bridge and continue for a mile to a junction marked Wrynose, Elterwater & Langdales. Do not turn right. Continue south towards Coniston for 0.4 mile past a wood and take a narrow lane on the right-hand side which almost immediately forks. Take the right-hand fork, where a National Trust sign points to High Park and Hallgarth. Follow this lane for 1.6 miles over two cattle grids, negotiating a very tight zig-zag past farm buildings down to the ford. Continue for 750 yards along the rough and narrow lane to the left of the ford, passing through a gate to Low Hall Garth. Please close the gate.
Warning: Do not try to use the ford from Little Langdale with vehicles.
Caution: The unmetalled section of the lane beyond the ford is narrow, uneven and sometimes in poor condition. Low slung vehicles may have difficulty in travelling along this track, especially after rainfall. Please take great care so as not to damage your vehicle. Please note that the parking spaces near the ford are currently unusable as the NT have blocked them with boulders because of problems with raves in Cathedral Cavern. Please also note that responsibility for the upkeep of this track lies with South Lakeland District Council and not the YRC or the National Trust.
The cottage can also be accessed by cycle and by walking from Chapel Stile or Elterwater, which are both accessible by bus from Ambleside or Kendal.
Parking
The NT farmhouse below the LHG cottage is occupied by a family and the NT have two cottages: one is physically part of the same building as our cottage and High Hallgarth which is further up the track. There is a shared car park for joint YRC and NT use.
It is therefore essential that all visitors follow the rules regarding car parking to facilitate access by the NT tenants at all times. Our lease restricts us to only having four vehicles in the shared parking area. Visitors are therefore recommended to car share to bring as few vehicles as possible.
- The only parking available to visitors at LHG is the small NT car park up the steep hill (25% gradient) past the farm and our cottage.
- The lower end of the car park has two spaces reserved for visitors staying at the NT cottage above LHG and the upper end of the area forms two spaces for the High Hallgarth cottage. Visitors to LHG are welcome to park in the central area signed YRC Parking and marked by two lines of slates set into the ground, provided this is by no more than four vehicles.
- Cars must not be parked in the corner space below LHG or in front of the barn doors.
- The only other parking is in Little Langdale village near the Three Shires Inn (NY 3158 0338), at Hodge Close (NY 3158 0167) or at the turn in off the Coniston road (NY 3293 0220). Visitors should walk the rest of the way or use one of their four parked vehicles to operate a shuttle service.
All visitors are requested to help us maintain good relations with the National Trust tenants, visitors and staff and abide by these rules. Car park use is monitored regularly by NT staff.
Information for users
Download Low Hall Garth Hut Handbook
Facilities
- Well equipped kitchen with two electric cookers, microwave oven, refrigerator, freezer and full catering equipment – all visitors must bring their own tea towels.
- Dining room / lounge with open fire – all visitors must bring their own kindling and logs.
- Downstairs washroom with three washbasins, two toilets and a shower.
- Comfortable spacious sitting room with easy chairs and a wood burning stove in the converted barn opposite the cottage – all visitors must bring their own kindling and logs.
- One upstairs dormitory with three-tier bunks. The middle and top bunks are not suitable for children. Pillows are not provided.
- Drying room opposite the cottage.
Note: Water is supplied from the fell. During spells of dry weather the water may be in short supply or even, on rare occasions, dry up. The drinking water supply in the kitchen is additionally treated by UV irradiation and regularly checked to meet required standards, but you may prefer to boil the water before use.
Accommodation
Please bring your own sleeping bag or quilt, pillow, pillow case and towels.
- Capacity: 15 bunks with 12 mixed beds in the dormitory bookable by non-members.
- 3 bunks in the dormitory and the 4 bunks in the barn opposite are reserved for members of the YRC at all times.
Young Persons
Any young persons under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or an adult in loco parentis who has formal permission from the parents of the young person being supervised.
The parent or carer must be mindful of the need to safeguard children in their care by ensuring that the sleeping arrangements are appropriate for their children and for the needs of the other members and guests staying in the hut.
The YRC carries out regular risk assessments of its huts to highlight potential hazards and takes reasonable steps to minimise any such risks to users. However, Club huts are not designed with children in mind, therefore the parents or carer must read the respective Hut Handbook and in addition, make their own assessment of the possible risks, considering the age and capabilities of the child in their care, who should be always kept under close supervision at all times.
Refuse and Recycling
There is no refuse or recycling collection. It is essential that all food (except tea, coffee and sugar) and rubbish/recycling be taken away when you leave.
Restrictions
- No televisions or dogs (other than guide dogs and assistance dogs) may be brought into the building.
- Camping is not permitted.
- Visitors are expected to moderate any noise in the cottage between 22:30 and 07:00, especially in the kitchen and dormitory, so as not to disturb residents of the NT cottage immediately above.
- No charging of electric vehicles or camper vans using a ‘normal’ 13A socket.
Local Amenities
The Three Shires Inn in Little Langdale is about a 20 minute walk from the cottage. Restaurants, pubs, tea-rooms and shops can be found at Chapel Stile, Coniston, Hawkshead and Ambleside, just a short drive away.
Fees
| Category | Rate/Night |
|---|---|
| YRC Members or Members Family | £6.00 |
| YRC Prospective Members | £14.00 |
| Reciprocal Rights | £10.00 |
| Other Users | £14.00 |
| Children under 5 | Free |
| Children 5-15 | £5.00 |
| Children 16+ | Full adult fee |
Groups: For group weekend bookings there is a minimum charge and deposit of: £150.00 per weekend (Friday/Saturday nights).
Reciprocal Rights: The following clubs are eligible for the reciprocal rights rate.
- Ardal Turlag, Norway
- Bradford Pothole Club
- Cairngorm Club
- Climbers’ Club
- Craven Pothole Club
- Fell & Rock Climbing Club
- Grampian Club
- Gritstone Club
- Junior Mountaineering Club of Scotland
- Midland Association of Mountaineers
- Oread Club
- Rucksack Club
- Scottish Mountaineering Club
- Wayfarers’ Club
- Wolverhampton Mountaineering Club
- Yorkshire Mountaineering Club
LOW HALL GARTH – A SHORT HISTORY
Low Hallgarth Farm in Little Langdale, Cumbria, was given to the National Trust by Beatrix Potter in 1930 and this bequest included the cottage known as Low Hall Garth. In 1950, the YRC secured the tenancy of the cottage from the National Trust and it was formally opened as a climbing hut by the YRC President Charles Burrow.
A 50th anniversary Meet was held in 2000 as a special celebration organised by the leader George Spenceley, who was the first Warden of the hut.
It was extensively refurbished in 2007 after many months of hard work, with a redesigned washroom and improvements to the sleeping arrangements and kitchen. In 2009, following NT approval and planning permission, the small barn opposite the cottage was sympathetically converted into a comfortable sitting room warmed by a wood-burning stove.