Saturday 30th May 2020 - Lupton Beck - 5 miles. (Day 67 of Lockdown)
Arnside was heaving with visitors soaking up the warmest sunny day so far this year. Many groups were far out into the bay at Sandside, almost to the other side. I wouldn't venture that far myself for fear of sinking sands. Vehicles of all description were parked the whole length of that road. In my twenty years living here I have never seen crowds anywhere near so big at Arnside. One couldn't devise a more effective way of promoting a second peak.
I reckoned I would be safer driving to somewhere less populated for my "daily exercise."
Even at the summit of the Hutton Roof road a number of walkers' cars were parked - that was a drive of twelve miles from home.
The start of my walk involved a steep road descent. I knew that would be a gasper on my return. but thankfully there was some breeze. The views across to the Barbon Fells and Crag Hill were accentuated by the dip over the Lupton Beck valley. As always I longed to be walking higher up on that long skyline ridge, but this was at least attractive country walking.
A long quiet level road section followed running well above the valley bottom and notched along the foot of Farleton Fell with with steep slopes and bright yellow gorse amongst the white limestone outcrops with bright greens in between and cloudless blue sky above. At the end I turned and descended and turned again to follow paths along the line of Lupton Beck parallel but lower than the outward trek. That was all new ground to me and sheer delight.
The final climb back up to the car was eased by a pleasant footpath shortcut avoiding some of the road walking. I was thankful for the air-con in the car on the way home. That had been the best walk for quite a while.
Worth clicking to enlarge
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The steep descent at the start.
Barbon Fells and Crag Hill across the Lupton Beck vvalley |
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| Are you looking at me? |
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| Scout Hill |
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| Super walking on sheep cropped fields - no sign of the footpath on the ground |
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| Here were the only people I met - a lone family enjoying the sun and water |
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| The view downstream from that bridge |
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| Pheasant egg in the middle of a field - must have been left by some predator I reckon |
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Lupton Tower
I Googled hoping for some scandalous family history but was disappointed |
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| Mm! |
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| Apocalyptic? |
It makes me happy to see the word beck in real life. I’m recently acquainted with it from reading Charlotte Brontë.
ReplyDeleteYou have great walks, Hugh. I wish I had that countryside.
Nice one Conrad. I'm still just going on short bike rides from home on the same suburban roads. I'm uncomfortable about driving anywhere until I'm confident of a non-antagonistic welcome. With all facilities closed at present, I conclude that I'm not welcome. So I return to reminiscence, which is enjoyable and stress free, if not what I would really like.
ReplyDeleteThere will be something soon, though.
M
Don't think I've walked those backways.
ReplyDeleteI love Hutton Roof but have never knowingly been to Lupton. well done for highlighting the area.
All very close to your home.
I like the picture of the cow and the lone tree! I went out again on Sunday, starting from Ulpha and walking to the bank opposite Sandside. There were people right in the middle of the river there again - like I was on Friday! The river bottom is surprisingly firm actually Conrad, and even in the foggiest places my feet probably only sank a centimetre. Maybe it's because of the driest May on record. On Sunday I walked down the salty river bed rather than up on the bank, just for the sake of it, and my footprints were barely a millimetre deep.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking when you asked me on Friday whereabouts in Cornwall I was from and I said Launceston, and you seemed a bit uncertain where it was (hardly anyone has heard of it, no worries!) it is of course where Charles Causley lived. He was my teacher in primary school when I was 6 - about 1972.
All the best matey 👍
We cycled that way last Monday (25th) it's part of one of our favourite rides. However we use the bridleway from Holme Park Farm (east of Farleton) to get to the top of the hill. Last week it was heaving with people and cars parked up there, but they all congregate at the top, so the lanes are wonderfully quiet. This past weekend we didn't venture out, Kendal sounded like it was being used as a race track! I almost long for the peace and quiet of lockdown!
ReplyDeleteMichael Leddy - I hope you're enjoying Charlotte - Shirley is a bit lesser known but a good one with the background of industrial unrest and the uprising of the oppressed with the introduction of machinery in the woollen and textile mills. Back in May 2018 I walked The Bronte Way with my friend Bowland Climber on day walks. It visited all the places in the north of England with Bronte associations and passed through much excellent and lesser known walking country. You may have read the posts at the time - they are still there in the archives for May and June 2018 labelled Bronte Way 1 to 5 with plenty of photos. All the Bronte country is well known to me having lived nor far from Haworth until I was in my thirties.
ReplyDeleteWe have several names for streams other than "beck"
In England: brook, stream, beck
In Scotland: burn, alt
In Wales: afon, nant
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Phreerunner - I understand your disquiet at the possibility of upsetting locals - we have similar feelings here in Arnside which tends to get overrun with visitors, but I'm sure with your good nature and diplomacy you would soon have them talking about their grandchildren and where they go for holidays.
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Paul - Well at least your adventure paid off cutting out that boring walk up the A6 to Levens. My present TZ40 doesn't have a huge zoom but I have just sent off a previously bought TZ100 with 30 x zoom for repair - it had got dirt on the sensor. That will enable better shots of distant lone trees and the like (I hope.)
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Kendal grufties - I have walked that bridleway several times incorporating it in a circular tour round Farleton Fell. It's good to hear you are getting out in these difficult times. I am toying with the idea of getting a bike again so I can do some linear walks dumping a bike at one end to cycle back from. My son has a not full size mountain bike and I found I couldn't easily use it with my two knees so I need to jump on a full size bike first to see if I can manage before spending money.
Thanks for those kind words, Conrad.
ReplyDeleteWhy not try an electric mountain bike? But you'd only be able to use it for places where you could leave it securely. Expensive though; maybe get an ex-rental from somewhere like Grizedale? (That applies to normal MTB as well - the rental bikes may be a better spec for the price.)
I’ll look up those posts (before my time here) when I’m off the phone and on the Mac.
ReplyDeleteHere: brook, creek, stream. Also “the town branch.”
Phreerunner - I thought about an e-bike but as you say too expensive to leave lying around for someone to pinch. Thanks for the the other suggestions.
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I've never walked that section along the valley of Lupton Beck - another one to add to my list of places to visit! If the weather ever improves.
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