Tuesday 8th October 2019
We actually walked elven miles due to a shameful error of navigation at the start which pains me to record, involving us both leaving it far too long to question our non-arrival at a railway bridge shortly after the start.
Wainwright's Way is compelling me to binge photography. I took forty two photos and two short videos. With great self discipline I whittled photos here down to seventeen.
We both agree that W's Way would be a perfect introduction to English countryside for a newcomer, say from abroad. It illustrates history of the Industrial Revolution, follows medieval byways and villages largely unaltered for centuries, and follows canals from time to rime and takes a trip through the remote Bowland hills and moorland, and on this section follows the attractive River Kent into Kendal. The fringe area of the Lake District, of which I am particularly fond, provides a gentle prelude to a grand finale tour through the Lakes, arguably our most impressive national park.
From Holme the flat fields of Hale Moss were not all waterlogged - a kilometre further south there are virtual lakes, but we splodged and laughed our way occasionally diverting round areas of standing water. Farleton Fell stood out behind us, perhaps he/she was laughing also?
A string of interconnected paths and tracks elevated to the west of the A6 avoids walking up that road to arrive at Beetham. The Heron Corn Mill which we have both previously explored is worth a visit here.
I was now on home ground walking through Dallam Estate deer park, yes we did see the deer. When I had my own Springer and later looking after my daughter's I walked these areas more frequently - it was good to be back.
We skirted Milnthorpe on paths, roads and tracks though Heversham and Leasegill that were unfamiliar (to me at least) - that seems to be an ingenious achievement of this route. We crossed by a high bridge the track of the railway link from Arnside to the West Coast mainline at Hincaster closed in 1972. As I can now get on a train at Arnside direct to Manchester Airport, or change at Carnforth to get to almost anywhere, I reckon that line was one which Beeching was justified in closing.
The popular path high above the river Kent through Levens Park is impressive including an eclectic mixture of huge mature trees, and with the added attraction of Bagot goats and wild, black fallow deer - surprisingly we saw them both. Oh how I wish I could cover the ground like those deer.
The empty stretch of the Lancaster canal further on presents the bizarre sight of a canal bridge stood uselessly and illogically in the middle of a field, but good to see that it has not been demolished.
As we approached the end of our walk the river Kent flows through a gorge with the most turbulent water I have ever seen anywhere. BC was so impressed he clambered down onto an exposed view point for better photos. I timidly stayed put and took a couple of videos of the two slightly separated sections.
I had been here before, here is my quite interesting post:
CLICK HERE
For the two videos:
CLICK HERE 1
CLICK HERE 2
Worth clicking first photo to see rest as slideshow
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| We are becoming specialists at negotiating dodgy bridges |
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The Hale Moss saturated fields.
Click to enlarge and see the standing water in the second field. This was our exit to cross the A6 - Farleton Fell in the background
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| They were making a lot of noise but looked quite friendly |
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| Typical of the interlinked paths, tracks and roads to the west of the A6 leading to Beetham |
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| BC takes the high-ground to get a good photo |
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| Beetham Hall - 14th Century fortified manor |
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| Fine war memorial - Beetham. There were around a hundred names just from this small village and surroundings |
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| Milnthorpe from the heights of Dallam deer park |
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| On Dallam Tower. I have never been able to find much about who resides there - it is a huge impressive country house stood in the deer park |
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| River Bela flowing into the Kent estuary with Whitbarrow crag in background |
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| Just an impressive, well situated house south of Heversham, near the defunct Ambleside/Hincaster railway link to the West Coast mainline |
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Heversham church - workmen were servicing the burglar alarms on the roof - lead in peril of theft.
We sat on the bench for our lunch
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| Bagot goats in Levens Park, and below... |
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| Wild black fallow deer - Levens park The videos of turbulent water just before the end of our walk are shown above. |
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End of the day - Hawes bridge   |
You seem to have finished at a different bridge to me.
ReplyDeleteI like the videos of the roaring waters. Interestingly your previous post from 2012 was in winter and with the leaves off the trees you had a better view with a similar impression upon you.
I'm playing catchup.
BC - Correction has been made.
ReplyDeleteNever mind that your photos are great.
ReplyDeleteYou may think those dogs look friendly but to me they look as though they are just itching to rip my legs off.
ReplyDeletegimmer - that was conjecture on my part - I wasn't rushing to prove my theory by going and patting them on the head.
ReplyDeleteDallam Tower I believe is a private concern, now run by Rupert Villiers Smith and his wife. They are related to the Wilsons who have had the pleasure of the house for many many generations.
ReplyDeleteAlan R -Good to hear from you. Thanks for that. I Googled RVS and if it's it's the same guy he is principle of a company involved in currency exchange at what seems to be a very high level - I don't think you would be going there to cash in the £50 worth of Euros you had left from a recent trip to Europe.
ReplyDeleteYes, I read he is a financier and the house is under estate control, probably a safeguard. How did you know I had euros left. Uncanny that. ha.
ReplyDeleteThe nearness of the main road and significant areas of habitation in your middle map snippet of the three would have prejudiced me against this bit of the route. Wrongly, it seems, as your write up and snaps shows it to be well worth doing.
ReplyDeleteRe: turbulent water. We were at Rumbling Bridge (W of Dunkeld) a couple of days ago where I had to concede that whilst on some recent days I have cursed the quantity of rain that has fallen, it does have the benefit of showing such natural features off to their best advantage.
Gayle - Nick Burton was constrained to some extent by devising a route that took in sketches done by Wainwright in his several sketch books along with others of his publications. Having said that, except for one or two small sections Burton seems to have the knack of devising a route using unexpectedly attractive, but infrequently visited paths and tracks. We have both been surprised to find ourselves walking on new terrain despite having previously visited the areas close by. BC has concentrated more than me in his posts on the Wainwright theme and included copies of some of the sketches alongside his pown present day photos.
ReplyDelete