Why I'll never walk The Eden Way

Saturday 25th May 2024 - Eden Way - River mouth to Cargo

I bought a guide for the Eden Way then found it is written sea to source; I'd been walking from the source. The obvious solution didn't dawn for a while. If I formulate a plan I tend  to stick to it and when circumstances suggest better I have a masochistic urge to resist change,  but there was money involved here, and an innate respect for books. I couldn't bear to consign Stuart Greig's The Eden Way to the "It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time Drawer," so an honourable settlement had to be devised.

Ah! Why not walk it the other way round!

 That took a bit of swallowing but once on board I was full of anticipation.

As a lone walker one has to settle for a circular walk thereby only achieving half the distance on the route, or get somebody to accommodate you at one end or the other.

I phoned a taxi firm. The start of this walk perversely inflicts a there and back mile each way because it is only accessible on foot. The nearest entry is north of Rockcliffe. I phoned the day before for a taxi to pick me up at the cul-de-sac village of Cargo where my six miles on the route would end, and then drive me to the start.

 "We need an address" -  the village straggles over about a mile. I backed off and searched Google Earth.

A small business called Pet Portraits at an address on the village street popped up. A link took me to their site and post code.  The intransigent taxi firm was satiated.

My six miles would end about quarter of a mile further down the village road and then another quarter of a mile on track down to the river. I parked at the road end and walked back to Pet Portraits. There was no evidence of the business at the house and anyway I haven't any pets at the moment, but...

...serendipity, there was a bench to sit on. As I was early and the taxi was late the bench was good value for that extended wait.

The taxi driver was east European and seemed bemused at my walking exploits. and enquired in quite a concerned manner as to whether my family were worried about me venturing out like this. It is such things that make one realise how we are all so different with our thoughts and perceptions.

It was only just after 9:00 am and as I walked up the expanse of he grassy flood plain of the river Eden it was obviously peak hour for dog walking and the oft repeated greeting "Nice day isn't it?"

 Cows in groups were encountered until within about three hundred yards of a supposed finger post marking the start of the walk the land ahead was scattered with perhaps a hundred cows, bullocks and what was obviously a fully mature bull. There was no way through. I'm pretty confident with cows but this was potential jeopardy. Reluctantly I turned and headed back feeling a bit of a wimp and recalling a phrase from Stuart Greig's guide about shortcutting the there and back - "Anyone who does this would be unable to claim having walked the length of the Eden..."

Once back on the new territory I never saw or heard a soul for the rest of the walk.

The river is massive and flows through at a good pace hurrying to get to the sea and dominating the landscape with grand views ahead. Birds of the swift or sand martin families were evident at intervals. The walking terrain was mainly grassy and apart from the river somewhat boring and further on there were a few crop fields ploughed out to leave only an awkward trough for walking at the edge - all a a bit tiresome. This part of the Eden Way has been adopted by the English Coast Path and all stiles have been replaced with those galvanised circular metal gates - I suppose in time they will weather, but still welcome to me replacing knee-wrecking stiles. At one point the approach to one was flooded and impassable. I followed where others had obviously been, crawling underneath a barbed wire fence after doffing my rucksack and making my two replacement knees do things they didn't want to.

Emerging from hawthorn bushes lining the path a large white house appeared set back thirty yards from the river, but looking forlorn and uninhabited. I walked round the back to find a bricked up window and other suggestions of preventing unauthorised entrance. A home made hot tub provided seating and I had my lunchtime snack and coffee. There were plaques high up on the wall.

Internet  searching back home revealed a website posted by the owner. It seems that he purchased this to let out as a basic back to nature holiday let, and despite its abandoned appearance I deduced that it is still operating.The website has much more detailed information including a short video tour inside and outside. Here is the initial summary but it is interesting to have look at the owners descriptions and jaunty style which can be read through in a few minutes. I don't think I'll be making a booking.

https://kinggarth.co.uk/

THE HISTORY

Built in 1733, King Garth is also known as The Old Customs House, reflecting its role in these fraught times of smuggling. Its strategic position on the banks of The Eden served as the perfect lookout for a bailiff employed by Carlisle Corporation to protect the very important salmon fishery. The plaques on the building which commemorate the visits by Mayors date back to the 1700s. These visits no doubt involved indulgent banquets centring around freshly caught salmon

also the plaques on the walls refer to:

Jospeh Ferguson the first  freely elected lord mayor of Carlisle who visited King Garth after the passing of the Municipal Reform Act 20th June 1857

My Internet searching revealed conflicting dates for the act and the mayor's dates. All a bit confusing.

I trudged on to finish the walk and was glad that I had left the car as near the end of the footpath as I could. I would rate this at say 6.5 out of 10. That is not to criticise the guide which is well written by Stuart W. Greig, an author of much experience.

The bench outside Pet Portraits.
 A good twenty minutes wait for the taxi. Half me early, half taxi late

First sight of River Eden today

Cows that looked far too curious but passable at this stage but...

... not across this lot to get to the official starting point. There were bullocks and a large mature bull.
Here I retreated

Now back on new ground looking upstream

Rockcliffe church spire in background

More cows. They looked so bored they hardly moved - just gave me the eye

I tried but soon gave up after seeing a gap under the fence a few yards to the right of the photo where others had been

I think my limbo dancing days are over

England Coast Path sign

The crop field bits were yet to come

Never saw anybody for over four hours. Then this appeared, pristine and ostensibly fresh from the shop.
Utterly surreal

King Garth from the edge of the river - other photos round the back

"Jospeh Ferguson the first  freely elected lord mayor of Carlisle who visited King Garth after the passing of the Municipal Reform Act 20th June 1857"

Home made hot tub

Looking back to King Garth

My bêtte noire
Crop field ploughed out to edge eliminating the public footpath - awkward walking 

Red my route. blue Eden Way, courtesy of Long Distance Walking Association

Keep right on to the end... (of the post)

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

I was trying to plan the logistics for my next section for following the River Eden downstream, and was getting the feeling that there were paths and access on the recognised Eden Way  that were not shown on the OS map.

Am Internet search turned up a revised version of the guide (2022) The Eden Way by Stuart W. Greig,

see: www.pocketroutes.co.uk  so good money was spent - £10.00.

The guide arrived and with anticipation I opened the package, but  with my many years of experience, I hope without boasting too much, I should have  looked more closely before ordering.

The guide is written for walking upstream and so far I have been walking downstream from the source

I certainly didn't fancy trying to interpret the guide backwards, but then I thought, why not just start at the other end? Once I mulled that one over the whole concept seemed to be more attractive. That was a few days ago and when I looked at the forecast at  that time it was ok for today (Wednesday) but that was short lived. As I look out of the window it is damn-well raining again and forecast so for the rest of the day! The next chance is Friday albeit a somewhat marginal forecast.

As the start on the edge of the Solway is only a couple of miles from Carlisle I reckon there will be good taxi opportunities  for the first few sections at least so I will be able to walk six miles or so on the route each time.

There seems to be much conspiring against my desire to walk on new ground with poor weather and frequent medical appointments for me and my son W. where I need to give support.

Before you buy your next guide for linear walking I suggest checking that it is written in your desired direction.

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Modelling has continued and I finished the Avro Anson a while ago.

The officer,  centre of the group of three is briefing the pilot and navigator before take-off whilst a couple of mechanics attend to a minor problem with the tail wheel. They are actually there to hide the wires going to the battery box underneath for the lighting in the cockpit and the landing light on the port wing - they were mot included in the kit - both of these are switched on for the photo. Must do a night scene, but more tricky to photograph.

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I started on a 1/24 scale Fiat 500 from Tamiya. The attraction  for me was a striking colour scheme, ivory white with a classic Italian Red stripe. Without that I wouldn't have ben quite so keen but it is of course an iconic little car and my late wife Ann had two of hem amongst many other cars, so nostalgia played its part.

Brimming with confidence I spurned use of the decal in the kit for the stripe  and decided to paint it myself. After the main body colour I masked off for the stripe. That had to be so precise and the whole of the rest of the car masked as well. I did take great care but after spraying with the air gun and removing the masking there were a few spots where red had leaked onto ivory, mea culpa. I started trying to overpaint and it all went from bad to evil and the point of no return.

I didn't quite resort to stamping it underfoot but, the body is now residing in a bath of isopropyl alcohol which initially removed a lot of the paint, but some of the ivory and most of the primer are resisting and I'm not sure if I will be able to get the body back to bare plastic so I can repaint.

I've just replied to a comment on Big Brother's blog reminiscing about our paternal grandpa and I recalled that his favourite song was Harry Lauder singing "Keep Right On To The End Of The Road," an appropriate epithet to get me through this modelling disaster, although for me Shackleton would be more apposite I think. 

 

Outhgill north (Eden Way) and how I missed some mackerel

 Saturday 11th April 2024

Continuation of Eden Way in sections

I needed to fill in this short section with little alternative than a circular of 6.5 miles but only half of that on the route and a long trudge back on the road for the other half. Having got as far north as Kirkby Stephen previously next time I may park say six miles further north and summon a taxi back to Kirkby Stephen - we will see.

At Outhgill I parked by the church and followed the path through the churchyard down to the river. The church was again locked which seems to be more prevalent these days.

The pointed peak of Wild Boar Fell dominated to the  south-west for a while with memories of an ascent some years ago when an RAF fighter jet dipped his wings at me as he passed at suicidal low altitude.

The well found track from the river took me through a pleasant gathering of archetypal dales cottages and farmhouse at Shoregill,  and then grassy sheep cropped fields with glimpses of the river below and also the uninviting road across on the other side by which I would have to return.

A smart white painted cottage at Low Corklake appeared with a superbly rusted barn to the left - I am a sucker for a rusty barn, see the photo below. I chatted with husband and wife briefly, but no cup of tea was offered. they were apparently retired professionals of some sort and had lived on this isolated spot for twenty eight years. The OS map shows "Pendragon Castle (remains of.)" but without a precise positioning but the couple told me exactly where and I realised I would pass by on the road on my return so need to divert from the cottage.

I am still huffing and puffing  even on level ground and more so on inclines and taking frequent rests. Whilst it is good to be out in our fabulous dales countryside my affliction does take the edge off the enjoyment.

Just before Lammerside Castle I joined up for a short distance with my previous walk. As I looked back from the castle I saw a convoy of 4WD vehicles heading back along the track I had walked  and was glad that I had not been twenty minutes later.

At Mire Close Bridge I left my previous route to recross the river and walk back out to the road for the long trudge back to the car.

It had been hot, around 24 degrees and as I wearily arrived back in Outhgill my phone rang. Bowland Climber was on the move in Glasson and was offering to visit me with some smoked mackerel from Glasson's renowned smokehouse but that was mot now possible - a missed delight. That was not all. BC has been everywhere and when I said I was in Outhgill he asked if I had seen the Andy Goldsworthy Pine Cone installation there and he gave me directions - it was only about a hundred yards from where I was standing. I have visited several of Andy's sculptural installations. Andy is putting up new installations on a regular basis and his website is worth a VISIT .

BC had other adventures on his Glasson trip and his LATEST POST is worth a read.

Setting off through the churchyard

Wild Boar Fell dominates

Crossing R. Eden after the churchyard

Cottages and farmhouse at Shoregill

Low Corklake house and rusty barn where I chatted with the couple

Isolated lime kiln. Possible indication of the source of limestone above

From here I could see the return road route plod across the other side of the river

Twenty minutes later I would have encountered the 4WD convoy here

Looking back at Lammerside Castle. The 4WD convoy was down in the valley beyond

The main convoy was hidden behind trees. I got this zoom of the leader but they were taking ages to pass through. I got the next one, see below but then got bored waiting for the others.

A pleasing bit of silver birch

Crossing the R. Eden at my furthest north - water very low

Pendragon Castle - 12th Century I think

Andy Goldsworthy's Pine Cone, and below

Tally ho! (?)

Here is part of my reply to an email received in reply to my last post here: "Wearing the Red Coat." By the way for a reason I know not it is referred to by the hunt as "pink."

I understand the meed for culling which is done, as far as I understand, on a pragmatic basis  as humanely as possible and with some debatable justification, but  I still have some bewilderment at my belief that those that perpetrate enjoy the process and do it for entertainment..

What I strongly object to is the traditional hunt where they dress up in fancy clothes, revel in a pathetic social occasion with sycophantic doffing of the cap to the Master-of-Hounds or the Huntsman and observe other effete forms of etiquette, and then pursue the most brutal way one could ever invent of killing animals for no good reason other than  “enjoyment.” That is unequivocal sadism.

Just look at this traditional glorification - it is time to move on.  

Do Ye Ken John Peel?

Do ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay?
Do ye ken John Peel at the break of day?
Do ye ken John Peel when he's far, far away
With his hounds and his horn in the morning

Twas the sound of his horn brought me from my bed
And the cry of his hounds has me oftimes led
For Peel's view holloa would wake the dead
Or a fox from his lair in the morning

Do ye ken that hound whose voice is death?
Do ye ken her sons of peerless faith
Do ye ken that a fox with his last breath
Cursed them all as he died in the morning?

Yes, I ken John Peel and auld Ruby, too
Ranter and Royal and Bellman so true
From the drag to the chase, from the chase to the view
From the view to the death in the morning

And I've followed John Peel both often and far
O'er the rasper fence and the gate and the bar
From Low Denton Holme to the Scratchmere Scar
When we vied for the brush in the morning

Then here's to John Peel with my heart and soul
Come fill, fill to him a brimming bowl
For we'll follow John Peel thro fair or thro foul
While we're waked by his horn in the morning


source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/u/unknownlyrics/doyekenjohnpeellyrics.html

Wearing the red coat

Friday 3rd May 2024

Re-posted from Bowland Climber's blog.

Click to see BC's post. and my comments.

This is  unpleasant to watch, I felt physically sick, but it should be widely publicised.