Arant Haw, Calders The Calf

Route Overview & Local Insights

This 11.3km fell running route offers a classic introduction to the Howgill Fells, delivering a stout 641m of vertical gain. Departing from the market town of Sedbergh, you'll immediately face the lung-busting ascent toward Arant Haw. The terrain is a quintessentially British mix of rugged stony tracks and soft, springy turf that demands both power and agility. Once you've crested Arant Haw, the route opens up into a spectacular ridge run over Calders to The Calf, the highest point in the range. It’s an undulating, high-altitude burner that rewards runners with fast, flowing sections between the peaks before the sweeping descent back into the valley.

Locally known as "The Sleeping Elephants," the Howgill Fells offer a unique landscape quite distinct from the craggy peaks of the nearby Lake District or the limestone plateaus of the Yorkshire Dales. Sedbergh itself is England’s renowned "Book Town," nestled at the foot of these velvety, steep-sided hills. Running here feels like stepping back in time; the fells are largely unfenced, allowing for a sense of true mountain freedom. Keep an eye out for the hardy Fell ponies that graze these slopes, and on a clear day, look westward to see the jagged skyline of the Scafells across the M6 corridor—a sharp contrast to the smooth, rolling ridges of the Calf.