From Ireby

 Saturday 14th March 2026

Daughter J (High Horse) is moving.

The straight line from her present flat to the new address measures 246ft. on Memory Map. If you walk the tarmac it is 792ft.

Much of the removal has already been done but the larger items will be tackled manually by professionals on Friday, with my contribution being financial.

This Saturday morning I returned the carpet cleaner I had borrowed and was sandbagged into fixing a device to a wall. I could see that J was about to embark on fitting a catflap to the rear door. Having had experience of fitting two of those myself involving DIY complications unimaginable before starting I made myself scarce. Back home I had things to do but the weather was perfect for walking. My preference is to set off early, but it was now about midday. I had a  look at Memory Map on my computer and unusually found a tempting little not previously walked circular in an instant. Off I went.

Parking in Ireby is no problem. If you want a good example of the many attractive villages in the northern dales this will do with all the atmosphere of little change from the16/17th centuries, and even complete with an attractive stream running through arising from the slopes of Gragareth to the north-east, one of the classic dales peaks.

I had identified one of those old dales lanes running north from the village rowards the hills and designated as "other routes" by green dots by OS. Their legend suggests contacting local authorities or whatever for access information, not that I had any concerns. However later on I was given to wondering as I was passed by three motor cyclists.

The lane proved to be a combination of track and stream, but with care it was possible to keep feet dry. The northern end joined the minor road, the right turn to go over Leck Fell and ending as a cul de sac, but giving walking access to Gragareth. As well as Gargareth there were enticing views to Barbon Fell, and Cragg Hill.  I turned left and followed steeply down the tarmac with the attractive ravine like valley of Leck Beck way down to my right. Lapwings I am glad to say were calling. A cyclist stopped and we had a good chat about the many long distance routes he has cycled and his upcoming plan for a three stage route from Scandinavia and finishing in Portugal as far as I could understand from what he was saying.

That glorious weather promised at the outset more or less held, but there were rain clouds passing over which intermittently showered me with sparse spatterings of rain drops for short periods, insufficient to necessitate donning a waterpoof.

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I have just almost finished typing this post and was motivated to research Leck Hall and found I had walked almost exactly this same route with Pete back in July 2018 !

So much for me discovering a "not previously walked" gem.

https://conradwalks.blogspot.com/search?q=Shuttleworth

That post gives much more information about Leck Hall, and a prveious old school passed on the road from Leck to Ireby.

Ireby, this and below. A good examlple of dales villages with little change over the centuries

I managed to obey the sheepdog's command of "away"circling to the right round the pseudo lake amd then tiptoeing round the  bit of solid grass at the foot of the gatepost. No wet feet.

The start of my targeted lane

Leck Hall

The motorcyclists at the emergence of the lane onto tarmac

Barbon Fell and Cragg Hill

The long steep descent to Leck and then back to Ireby

This looked quite unusual to me and perhaps a good one for Alan, but...

...this will be much closer to his heart I guess

Leck Church

Anticlockwise from Ireby