Orton Scar, Orton, Coast to Coast
More Articles in the Haweswater to Orton subsection
The Coast to Coast path skirts the western edge of Orton Scar beneath Beacon Hill, where limestone pavement, pasture and dry stone walls mark the transition from upland fell to the quieter karst landscapes of eastern Cumbria.
Orton Scar, Limestone Edge - Coast to Coast
Orton Scar, together with neighbouring Great Asby Scar, forms one of the largest areas of upland limestone pavement in eastern Cumbria. The Coast to Coast path descends from the open moorland of Crosby Ravensworth Fell to follow the western edge of Orton Scar, where weathered limestone shelves, scattered erratics and wide pastoral views begin to replace the higher fell scenery of the Lakeland fringe. Near Beacon Hill, the route curves around the scar along the lower farmed versant of the hill, passing through a quieter limestone landscape of dry stone walls, pasture and exposed karst terrain on the approach to Orton Village.
Orton Scar Limestone Beacon Hill
Orton Scar forms the western extension of the extensive limestone pavement of Great Asby Scar, creating a broad karst landscape above the pastures east of Orton. Along its southern face, the scar descends more gently towards the cultivated lower slopes of Beacon Hill, where the Coast to Coast path skirts the foot of the limestone escarpment on its way past Broadfell Farm, Scar Side and Friar Biggins. Here, exposed clints, weathered pavement and dry stone walls combine to create one of the most distinctive limestone landscapes on the entire route.
Karst Geography at Orton Scar and Great Asby Scar
Limestone Pavement
The flat, blocky surface of Orton Scar is a classic limestone pavement formed on horizontally bedded Carboniferous limestone.
Clints and Grikes
The pavement is divided into blocks (clints) separated by deep fissures (grikes), created by chemical weathering along natural joints.
Glacial Stripping
Ice during the last glaciation removed soil and vegetation, exposing bare limestone and allowing solution processes to act directly on the rock surface.
Carbonation Weathering
Rainwater, slightly acidic from dissolved carbon dioxide, widened joints over thousands of years to form the distinctive fissure network.
Subterranean Drainage
The porous limestone encourages underground drainage, contributing to dry valleys and sink features in the wider landscape.
Ecological Microclimate
The grikes create sheltered microhabitats supporting rare limestone plants protected from grazing and wind.
Knott and Great Asby Limestone Reserve
Knott rises to 412 metres on the eastern side of Orton Scar, forming part of the extensive limestone pavement of Great Asby Scar National Nature Reserve. Approached from Knott Lane near the prehistoric Gamelands Stone Circle, the scar supports one of the most important limestone habitats in northern England, where rare flora thrives amongst the weathered clints and grikes. Species such as Solomon’s Seal, Bloody Crane’s-bill, Dark Red Helleborine and Rigid Buckler Fern flourish within the sheltered fissures of the pavement, while the remains of the ancient Castle Folds Settlement reveal evidence of long human occupation upon the scar.
Coast to Coast near Orton Scar
As the Coast to Coast path approaches Orton, the western extent of Orton Scar gradually recedes into the surrounding pastureland, while Beacon Hill remains visible to the north east above the limestone escarpment. Beyond Broadfell, the route leaves the exposed scar landscape behind and continues in an almost direct line towards Orton, little more than a mile from the foot of Beacon Hill. A small copse near Broadfell briefly interrupts the open pastoral scenery before the path descends fully towards the village and the quieter farmland of the Eden fringe.
Beacon Hill Jubilee Monument
The southern end of Orton Scar is known as Beacon Hill, crowned by a prominent stone monument erected to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. Standing above the limestone escarpment overlooking Orton and the surrounding Eden landscape, the memorial was constructed by the self-taught local sculptor John Bland. Visible from sections of the Coast to Coast path near Broadfell and Orton Scar, the monument forms a distinctive landmark upon the skyline and reflects the long association between the scar and the communities settled beneath its limestone slopes.
🪨 Insight - Geology
Orton Scar Limestone
Orton Scar forms the western and southern escarpment of the extensive limestone pavement of Great Asby Scar, one of the finest karst landscapes in England. During the last ice age, glacial erosion stripped away much of the overlying soil and softer rock, exposing the hard Carboniferous limestone beneath. Subsequent weathering widened natural joints within the limestone to create the characteristic clints and deep grikes that define limestone pavement. Rainwater collected within these fissures continues to dissolve the rock, gradually enlarging the parallel channels across the scar surface. Together, Orton Scar and Great Asby Scar are recognised as nationally important limestone pavements and support a rare ecological habitat.
Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte
The open limestone moorland surrounding Orton Scar was used as a filming location for the 1996 adaptation of Anne Brontë’s novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. In the story, Helen Huntington escapes her troubled marriage to Arthur Huntington and seeks refuge at the isolated Wildfell Hall. The bleak limestone scenery and exposed upland landscape around Great Asby Scar provided an atmospheric setting for the adaptation, reflecting the solitude and emotional isolation central to Anne Brontë’s celebrated Victorian novel.
Hiking the Coast to Coast trail guide
Hiking the Coast to Coast is a digitally enhanced eBook designed to accompany you on your journey along the Coast to Coast path. Available on Apple Books for iPhone, iPad and Mac, the guide includes:
• Mapping with interactive features
• Step-by-step route directions
• Hundreds of colour photographs
• Route conditions in different weather
• Historical and cultural points of interest
Whether you’re planning your trip or already on the trail, it’s a practical and beautifully illustrated resource to carry with you.
