Although not intentional this is like one of those films that repeat with new numbered versions.
Last November, before my knee op I walked in the Winster valley and spied a distant mini peak, Hollow Stones, and vowed to make its ascent as soon as possible after The Knee, which I did on 15th March: CLICK . There is alink on that post to the original Winster Valley walk.
When I ascended Hollow Stones, which, by the way is on a parcel of CROW access land with no public access, see map below, what a nonsense, I realised that there was a superior mini peak a kilometre to the north: Lord's Lot, 209m, and was motivated to cross country and ascend, BUT I could clearly see the way was barred by field wall boundaries and fences with no indication of footpaths so I retreated.
Today was number three in the saga with an approach to, and circuit of Lord's Lot on public rights of way.
This was a worthwhile walk, would I repeat it again?
Plus factors were the view from Lord's Lot summit, and a number of old packhorse lanes which always affect me with a sense of the past and the pleasure that we can still walk there seeing them almost unchanged and ponder on the lives of those who trod that way long ago. There is also the attraction of these hillsides intermittently populated with gorse, hawthorne and other smaller trees and shrubs showing a wide variety of shades of green and a unique terrain on these edges of the Lake District.
But, detracting, there were a number of severely cow-trodden fields which were today dry, but in wetter conditions would have been shin depth stinking gloop, but even as dry they make for difficult and potentially ankle twisting walking giving frustration rather than pleasure.
CLICK FIRST PHOTO TO ENLARGE FOR SLIDESHOW
 |
| On the way to Lord's Lot |
 |
| From Lord's Lot summit: mid-centre, green, is Hollow Stones from where I first saw the summit of Lord's Lot a kilometre away |
 |
| Just to show the variation of greens and other colour in this locale |
I've been up there a couple of times Conrad, but not for a long time. I tempted to give it another go, but there are so many places to explore!
ReplyDeleteMark - a familiar problem.
ReplyDelete"... a parcel of CROW access land with no public access..." Does that mean the only way one could enjoy the land is if one flew over it, as a crow flies? No doubt, in this case, CROW is an acronym for some organization, but for a a second my imagination had you knocking at a gate guarded by a gigantic corvid, demanding to see your access papers. Made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteThe Crow - Oh dear! I have been ticked off before by brother RR for using acronyms, and obscure jargon. CROW =
ReplyDelete"The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (CROW Act) normally gives a public right of access to land mapped as ‘open country’ (mountain, moor, heath and down) or registered common land. These areas are known as ‘open access land’..."
For years access to such land was very limited (legally) but back in the 50s a strong movement arose under the banner The Right to Roam and mass trespasses were performed by walkers and The Ramblers Association until the government were forced to concede with the CROW act. If you look at the map made by Ordnance Survey ( an organisation with a complicated and fascinating history responsible for UK mapping) you will see some areas shaded a light brown, they being designated access land. We also have a network of public footpaths that are a public rights of way even though they cross private land. They were established in medieval times, being old pack horse routes between villages. These are also marked on the OS maps and make walking a huge delight in England. But if you look at the parcel on that map that contains Hollow Stones there is no public footpath leading to it, so it is a complete nonsense. Having said all this, and I could go on forever, over the years I have tended to roam wherever I wanted, obviously without causing damage, and being prepared to be humble and/or apologetic when meeting an irate land owner, but such occasions have been very rare.
I reckon your imagination casts a satirical and deserving comment on all this - I think perhaps it made me chuckle as much as my words made you laugh.
Ok, this is a bit tardy, but it's a while since we cycled that way...
ReplyDeleteWe sometimes take the road between Underbarrow and Crook, which passes east of Lord's Lot. I've often been tempted by a permissive path on the LHS which starts opposite Mountjoy Farm just at the north end of the woods, but it isn't marked on our map. It leads to "tree stone folds", and I've only just discovered that this is an Andy Goldsworthy installation, a great description of which can be found at www.sheepfoldscumbria.co.uk (page entitled "growing trees from stone").
I don't know the route the path takes, or whether it coincided with your walking route, but next time we get a chance, I intend to park the bikes there and try to follow the path (knee permitting, and I'll send you an update on that by email sometime soon, so as not to bore your other readers!).
Kindest regards!
kendal grufties - I have replied by way of a new post - "Andy Goldworthy installations" 8th July 2018.
ReplyDelete