How: Walking, Aerial Yoga and Railway History

How offers different ways to plan a trip: a walk, Aerial Yoga at the TowTop studio in How Mill, and topics from railway and landscape history. This lets you shape your stay around specific interests rather than just a single attraction: you can give different weight to time outdoors, a class and historical connections to the area. When making your choice, consider whether you want to focus more on exercise, a scheduled class or questions about history.

Exercise and class schedules

YOGAh offers Aerial Yoga classes at the TowTop studio in How Mill on Fridays and Sundays. If you want to include a class in your trip, start by planning around these days of the week. The schedule may change, so check the current class time in advance.

The Heads Nook and Hayton walk passes through How and follows woodland tracks, paths across farmland, and quiet lanes and roads. These types of paths give the outing a varied character. If you enjoy walking when you travel and appreciate different surroundings along the way, the route is a specific option to consider.

How Hill and its possible interpretation

How Hill is almost cone-shaped, with a slightly flattened, uneven summit. It is considered a natural sand hill about 50 feet high; its upper section was probably built up artificially. Possible interpretations include a burial mound or a motte. This brings together a concrete description of the landform and a cautious historical interpretation. If you are interested in archaeology, you can distinguish the shape of the hill from its possible interpretation.

Railway history: station, route and structure

How Mill station was established to serve the small village of The How, which lay almost a mile west of the station. It closed to all traffic on 5 January 1959. The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway was routed a mile south of Hayton after a closer route past the village was rejected. Two different questions about railway history meet here: which village the station was intended to serve and how the main line was routed.

In Hayton, Gelt Bridge is a Grade II* listed railway bridge over the River Gelt. A print from 1837 depicting the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway shows the Cowran Cut. The bridge and the print offer different ways into railway history: a structure over the River Gelt and a visual depiction of the railway. Together with the history of the station and the route, they offer a view of different aspects of the railway.

Roads and local connections

The C1024 runs from Corby Hill through How Mill to Castle Carrock. How Street runs east from Toppin Castle, passing Street House. The first description gives the route of a road through several places; for How Street, the eastward direction and a named landmark are the main points. The two descriptions therefore offer different reference points for finding your way around.

Discover more destinations: Wheyrigg, Stapleton, Longtown, Coniston, Watermillock, Preston Patrick, Silloth, Gamblesby

For the broader travel overview: Cumbria.