The Smuggler of Low Hall Garth
Maurice F Wilson
In the middle of the nineteenth century the smuggling of whisky, rum and tobacco was rife. It was prevalent in the North and South of Britain. Remember ‘Jamaica Inn’? In Cumberland and Westmoreland, the main commodity was whisky. Moses Rigg was one of those very active in this trade and, probably, Moses trod which leads from Honister to Ennerdale was named after him. Certainly there was a small stone hut perched near the summit of Great Gable which I have twice, unsucessfully, tried to locate. Its remains are likely to be near the exit to Smugglers Chimney.
However, the most famous distiller in the Lakes was Lanty Slee. He had stills in several places, notably at Lingmoor Fell, Red Tarn, Tilberthwaite Gill and Low Fell . . . a flank of Wetherlam immediately above Low Hall Garth. Much of his produce was surreptitiously sold locally. Nevertheless, he did a lucrative trade transporting much of his whisky by ponies at night over the Wrynose Pass to Ravenglass, for export.
Of course, it was vital to avoid detection by any excise men who were on the prowl. So, Lanty devised his own form of radar . . . an effective but cheaper method than our present sophisticated Early Warning System. He employed a dog which clearly indicated to him the approach of strangers, but did not bark.
According to Harry Griffin, Lanty Slee had a still at Hall Garth, but exactly where is not known. I have, however, several times visited the site of his still on Low Fell and if you fancy looking for it, here’s how. On leaving our Club cottage, walk up past the car park and join the track over to Tilberthwaite. Follow this track for a while and, at around 800ft, turn west off the track and go up the hillside on your right. This is Low Fell. Look out for three deep quarries close together and in a line. At one end of the base of the middle one you will see what was once a cave hewn into the rock. I remember it when it was open, but it is now blocked up. This ingenious and almost impregnable hideaway is the site of Lanty Slee’s whisky still.