Shap: A Living Landscape

Famous for its lofty and isolated position the village of Shap is surrounded by wild and dramatic scenery and vast swathes of wilderness where you can find solitude amongst the high peaty moors. You may encounter Fell ponies, a rare breed, that derive hardy characteristics from their semi-feral existence on the Cumbrian fells.

Wet Sleddale valley just 2 miles south of Shap village is a peaceful area to explore. The area is renowned for the setting of the cult film “Withnail and I”. The reservoir is populated by large flocks of wildfowl and wading birds. To the north the River Lowther gently flows between fells and farmland and curlew, oystercatcher and kingfisher can often be found.

To the east of Shap lies limestone country. There are rocky outcrops and areas of limestone pavement on Hardendale Nab and close to the small hamlet of Oddendale on Crosby Ravensworth Fell.