Kendal's Western Scar

Sometimes a run along the limestone edge of the low hills immediately west of Kendal are just what is required. Unnecessarily, I often shun the area, mainly because of dog walkers blissfully unaware of where their hound is and how it’s behaving, and also due to the sheer number of other local runners there, but later last Saturday afternoon I found myself gradually going through the woods from Cunswick End to the northernmost point of the scar. Pausing at the summit cairn to catch my breath, whilst pretending to look for fossils, I noticed one of my personal atmospheric features, crepuscular rays, out to the Lake District proper.  From then on, I had no thoughts of shunning the edge, and just slowly enjoyed the view.  Towards the Helsington end the ground underfoot gradually becomes less grassy and more full of scree with little outcrops of limestone pavement, reminding me of the hills in the French Jura rather than the Yorkshire Dales.  Back towards town I immediately dropped out of the wind, became very sweaty, and danced (or stumbled, depending on your opinion) through the scree filled path that leads to the old race course that is just above the by-pass.