Lady Anne's Way - Langrigg to Appleby

Tuesday 18th August 2026

I am really fed up with Blogger. It now cuts off the text at the righthand margin and to view that half I have to use the slider at the bottom making editing onerous. Now it is underlining  captions text and I can't stop it or alter its colour. I have spent ages on the Internet reading of others with these problems and trying suggested solutions. Every now and then the guillotine effect reverts to normal but why I cannot tell. I have battled with Blogger over the years and solved many problems but I draw the line at editing HTML text. I have better things to do, but the effort of putting up a post is becoming much more of a toil than a pleasure and as I only have one or two commenters except for rare exceptions. I just wonder if it is worth bothering,  but I do value the blog as a reference for myself.

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I have said it is not a problem if only half my walk contributes to Lady Anne's Way because I have to retrace steps to get back to my car. Having said that I have to admit to frustration because of the overall length of time the project is going to take at that rate. I still have unfinished business from the start at Skipton as far as Grassington, and another section beyond Askrigg. Today I walked 7.6 miles on the route to get to Appleby and took a taxi back to Langrigg from where I had started. I think I can now get to the finish at Penrith in two more hits.

Progress to date: that now extends from north of Kirkby Stephen to Appleby

 In one way I have been fortunate with the dry heatwave conditions not having encountered  muddy paths of late, but there had now been heavy ahowers overnight. All walking today has been more or less level on well defined paths most of which have been cut back earlier in the season, but now becoming overgrown with long wet grass, but quite refreshing.

I have been suffering the boring development of a painful bunion at the base of my small toe for some time but after much guilt for an act of vandalism I resorted to cutting a slit in my trainers and the problem is compltely solved. Needs must. Guilt assuaged. A great relief. Not quite waterproof anymore but worth every bit of that inconvenience.

I had spoken to a taxi firm the day before but couldn't say what time I would arrive in Appleby, but he was amenable providing I wouldn't mind waiting if required. I arrived at 2.10 pm and he picked me up at 3.00pm. One problem with taxi owners is that they always ask for a destination post code but when I have parked somewhere in the wilderness that is not an easy possibility. I sat in the front and navigated for him with Ordnance Survey and GPS on my iPhone and all was well.

Good paths out of Langrigg but now, and more so further on, becoming overgrown with long wet grass

Massive multi-trunked beech tree. Note my poles giving some scale

The path is still there well defined but hidden by the long grass

Today walking gave a pleasant variety of paths, tracks, and quiet country roads

Flitholme

The now dissued railway just south of Warcop where the operating Eden Valley Railway terminates. I wonder what happened when it encountered that banking ahead

LA's Way skirts round the south of Warcop from here 

A rare Lady Anne's Way marker. From here the route more or less follows the River Eden all the way to Appleby although much of the river is out of sight passing through woodland

Skirting south of Warcop

This and below. Characteristic red sandstone in the Eden Valley

Sandford Bridge. River Eden flowing north west towards the the sea, and...

...upstream, and the distant Stainmore fells

I think this is a Massey. Would Alan disapprove at letting it get into this state, or perhaps he would be glad to see it working hard?

Not sure what is the contraption being towed.

Weidemann. Cute?

Northern Pennines across the Eden Valley

Ormside Lodge. Unoccupied and dominated by this massive tree, possibly a yew, all  gloomy

Great Ormside. Posh house. I sat on their garden wall for my refreshment stop

A long stretch of woodland path alongside the Eden. The path was dangerously erroded in places with the potential for a slip into the river

Footbridge over the Eden and a short lane up to the war memorial where I awaited my taxi

A good day of varied country walking with constant views and memories of Pennine hills.

Anglia for Martin

 Fellow blogger Postcard from Timporley posted something relevant and this is  the only way I could show him the photo and comment at the same rime as Blogger will not allow photos in Comments.

So this is  me doing Harweood Hill Climb, circa 1964 

Ford Anglia 1200 105E

Lady Anne's Way - Brough Sowerby to Langrigg

 Wednesday 12th August 2026

1. Extreme hot weather warnings are in place.

2. It is a once in most people's lifetimes opportunity to view of an eclipse.

3. It is the "Glorious" 12th - opening of the grouse shooting season.

4. It would have been my mother's birthday.

Quite a significant day

As for the hot weather it is something I can cope with better than many but this was seven miles,  more than my comfortable distance these days, so it was something of a challenge. Later, back home I was more dehydrated than normal, and even this morning I still have a mild feeling of unquenched thirst.

Again back at home there was much hype on the tele regarding the eclipse with commentators struggling to say something meaningful whilst waiting amongst the crowds at Jodrel Bank. I sat in my study which looks towards the east, but I had no proper viewing aid so couldn't look directly. Apart from a slight darkening,  less than many rain clouds might make, nothing much happened. I did see the one in 1999 when I went with a freind to France to view, and then being dropped off to do the the Tour of the Vanoise, the first of several of those tours that I walked in the Fench Alps. That eclipse was full-on with the eerie darkness and silence so at least I have that from the Memory Bank.

As for the grouse murderers their joy of killing will have been spoiled by the huge moorland wild fires that have  prevailed in these successive heatwaves. That is worrying as one wonders what they may turn their attention to in lieu.

Mother was very well read and literate writng profound poetry and a novel (umpublished) and it has always been a sadness that I wasn't a bit older before she died to have had more valuable interaction at a higher level than we did. It was also sad that she died on a Christmas Eve when my daughter, who would have been her first grandchild was born on 18th January following.

Back to my continuation of Lady Anne's Way in bits. There was a small section that I had not previuously walked to link my last section with today's and I felt honour bound to tick that off despite some irritating logistics. See the map below. By the time I had faffed about with this necessity I was in quite a bad temper at the delay at getting on with what I considered the proper walk for the day. That feeling did dissipate after a while and all in all this was an enjoyable country walk apart from a more thasn usual need to consult map and GPS resulting in a couple of minor diverions, and some annoyance at uncharacteristic Ordnance Survey incorrect postioning of paths.  For the rest captions to photos will replace a blow by blow account. here. 

The pale green at left edge is Lady Anne's Way. The short vertical bit was previuosly unwalked. My intended route for the day started where Lady A's turns sharp left where in retropsect I should have parked but at first sight I disdmissed this, why I know not, and pressed on to park at blue line, top of map and walk round anti-clockwise back to the car which I then drove back to the proper start of the day's walk. What a faff!

The first parking spot

The second parking by the footpath sign. In the forground is the point at swhich previuosly unwalked joins the start of today's walk proper.

On the very short, irritating bit of previously unwalked

Looking back to Brough Sowerby village

Pennine hills which were pleasingly visible during most of the walk

Down to cross for a short stretch on the A66 to enter Church Brough village

Church Brough Village. Where paths lead out at the northern end footpaths were not accurate on the OS map

The Roman fort at Church Brough, known as Verterae (or Verteris), was a 3-acre military installation established around AD 79–80 to guard the vital Stainmore Pass. Its earthworks were later reused in the 11th century to build Brough Castle, which is managed by English Heritage. 

A ramshackle gate and and cheapjack hairy orange string. Here the string looks as though it might be alive and seems to be employed in its unraveled state well beyond its capabilities.

 

Lowgill farm. It is unoccupied and appears to have been sanitized prior to going on market?

Langrigg school. This where I leave Lady Anne's Way for next time and turn for my alternative return toute. I was pleased to confirm reasonable parking for the start of the next section

Welcome bench in  Great Musgrave for my sandwich stop. Note the stone pillar beyond the seat which displays the toposcope in the next photo.

The sun shone on this making photo impossible. Photoshop has done its best. The toposcope shows the surrounding hills to mark Elizabeth 11 90th.

Exiting Great Musgrave

Is this related to an earlier one commented on by Alan R on the Nateby section?

Green = Lady Anne's Way
Purple and blue.= today's route. anti-clockwise 

Lady Anne's Way - Kirkby Stephen to Kaber

Friday 7th August 2026 

Another short stretch of Lady Anne's Way but progress is slow because I am having to do circular walks of five miles or so, therefore only two or three miles on the route.  I am not too bothered about that, the main objective is to have an enjoyable walk regardless. But becsuse this is proving to be a worthwhile campaign suited to the parameters for my limited walking I am keen to make progress. I will keep going with what I think is easy walking to the northern end at Penrith and then think about starting at the other end from Skipton.

The short blue line is my approximate progress to date.

Today I decided to motor  to Tebay instead of going via Sedbergh and although it is longer I saved about ten minutes getting to Lowmill Bridge at Kirkby Stephen where there is good parking.

The way follows the river Eden north on a gnarly rootpath lined with tunnel forming trees to arrive at the A685 and couple of hundred yards thankfully on on a good footpath alongside this busy road. Branching off a minor road passes Eden Place, a National Trust garden venue which may be worth a visit sometime. Now a pleasant footpath leads across semi parkland to Winton with views of the distant Pennines triggering memories of past forays.

Winton is a pleasant village where I parked a while ago for a circular which followed part of Lady Anne's but omitted a short link further on to continue the LDP from Brough Sowerby, but more of that in the next section.

More easy field walking took me to Kaber, my furthest today on the Way. Here I was able to confirm a small car park right at the re-commencement of the route for next time. Walking out of Kaber there is a splendid Primitive Methodist chapel which seems rather grand in the context of this small village. It was closed as a chapel in 2005 and is now a holiday let, but having retained much of its interior and outward appearance. Just before that the Kaber villagers have constructed an attractive circular stone wall resting spot with seats, all in all a worthy millennium project.

From here my return followed quiet lanes repeating part of that Winton walk in July last year;

winton-north-of-kirkby-stephen.html

From the lanes a tricky section of interconnected footpaths skirted Winton and I wandered off line briefly which can be seen on the map below. Sod's Law had me repeating what was the steepest bit of hill on the whole walk, but it was only a short pull.

I am enjoying this project and look forward to the coming sections.

The tree root path leading off up river from Lowmill Bridge

A short stretch on the A685, but a good path. I've driven up that road many times over the years. Now there will be another spot along its way that coincides with a previous walk.

Off into parkland

A good stretch of the Pennines - memeories

Winton.Note the telephone box where I parked last July

Perfect field walking with views. On the way to Kaber

Kaber's tribute to the Millennium, plaque detail below.
 Perhaps the influence of the Primitive Methodists lingers on?

"A thousnd years in thy sight are as but yesterday"
Psalm 90:4

The impressive Primitive Methodist chapel

Half a mile back to the car from here at Hartley

Green: Lady Anne's. Purple: me. Just short of 6 miles

In reply to BC's comment here is my guess at the hills in the photo: