Eden way 3 - upstream

 Sunday 23rd June 2024 - Carlisle to Wetheral

Straight out of the back door of the Sands Centre, after using the facilities, I was back on the Eden Way having taxied* there after leaving my car at Wetheral.

In the excitement of seeng a dramatic bird sculpture on high, and an unexpected early start to photo snapping, I failed to investigate further, nor did Internet search back home succeed - good job I was not writing a guide. But then Stuart Greig's guide talks about paths through fields and the like for the first mile as far as Memorial Bridge. In fact it is now a tarmac path all the way. The guide was published in 2018 and I would have thought the well established tarmac must have been laid before that, so another mystery.  Stuart refers to the bridge "for pedestrians only" as "hugely over engineered." As I approached the bridge I was overtaken by a walking group, they thankfully crossed the bridge...

...I didn't. I descended to follow the river with a golf course to my right. On the course there had been an enthusiastic planting of hundreds of trees strategically sited only perhaps twenty yards apart making the chances about fifty fifty of a hit, and only to be avoided by mere chance. Every hundred yards or so a series of oldish wrought iron benches were placed, some having been vandalised with twisted components that must have taken some effort, and others with picnic remains scattered. This was all a bit sad because generally this was a more upmarket location to be so unexpectedly trashed, but there were several access points to the river only a few yards off the path which would attract more than the usual number.

I emerged to a perilous crossing of a complex crossroads on the A69 and then past the prestigious new Jaguar/Land Rover showroom and through an industrial estate where I lunched sitting on a low wall, and then ascended to cross over the M6. A hill prominent in the far distance caught my eye and I think it must be Cooms Fell, 490m, 22 miles to the north. and situated in a large area of wild country I know little about except on passing through Kielder on my LEJOG a few miles to the east. 

More road walking took me into Scotby. Their pretty red sandstone church sits well on a little hill as you enter the town amd I refrained from a photo there thinking it would look better from a few yards further on. At the appropriate spot the cburch was now largely hidden by trees. There was a party coming down the steps from what I found out had been a christening. I was quzized by one of them about my walking credentials and she became excited and hailed her sister to come and tell me about her walking of the Coast to Coast and we had a jolly little exchange.

Scotby is an attractive village with a wide main thoroughfare with grassed areas and a general feeling of well-to-do. Even the village shop and PO looked more prosperous than the average village store. 

After a couple of crossings of the railway, one over and one under, and a mix of farm track and then roadwork I was back to the main road leading a few hundred yards to my car. I passed a newly built house faced out with attractive grey Lakeland slate and it was amusingly called Grey Gables.

Would you believe:

On 1 January 2021 episode number 19,343 of The Archers on BBC Radio 4 will mark 70 years of the world’s longest running serial drama.

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The bird without a story

A naff bit of presumably, sculpture. A few old flagstones dumped on some decrepit pallets -who'se kidding eho?

The new mile of tarmac path, pre or post 2018?

Memorial Bridge. "Hugely over engineered" Stuart Greig

In Arnside we have The Amblers, The Ramblers, and The Scramblers. When I came here twenty odd years ago I enquired but was told I couldn't take my Springer along so I never bothered

There they go. I took a right

Litter in an attractive area that deserves better

I think they had a sadist golf course designer

Imposing

The hill I mentioned is at the far end of the motorway - see zoom below

Possibly Cooms Fell 490m - 21miles north

Scotby posh main street. More cars parked than usual I think because of the well attended christening at the church

The well appointed village shop and PO, unfortunately closed on Sunday

Grey Gables

All blue = full Eden Way download from LDWA. Alternating colours = my daily stints

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*Radio Taxis, Carlisle.
Good service on all three trips. Recommended
I will in future be out of their area

History Lesson?

Sunday 16th June 2024

A few days after the recent eightieth remembrance of D Day. 

I hesitate to use the word "celebration."

In the days immediately before this event I noticed several headlines in the on-line news platforms I read such as "What was D-Day?" What a sad requirement that anybody, even eighty years on, should need to have this explained. Do we teach history at school? This particular, relatively recent history, and I mean WW1 and WW2, should be a significant mandatory inclusion on the curriculum. It should not be glorified, rather emphasis being made on the horror  of the fighting and then the knock on effect on families and the aftermath of deprivation for the nation. The world in general never seems to learn, but as there has been more or less peace in Europe for eighty years perhaps something has rubbed off, but unless new generations understand what happened and its utter futility we have no chance. I am not writing this from a pacifist standpoint. I believe it was necessary that we should defend our country and eliminate the existence of evil regimes.

It may be that future antagonisms will be fought in a more technological manner. We are already seeing the use of Internet and AI  interfering with elections and influencing public opinion, as well as computer system hacks experienced by  organisations vital to the governance of countries. There is no doubt this could be escalated to the point of crippling a target nation.

All this brought to mind an anecdote from  my Viking Way backpacking trip. and here is an extract from my post at the time.

June 25, 2014.   (From Woodhall Spa)

I have booked in at another B and B and am eating in The Lancaster, a so called brasserie. The name and interior decor confirm a connection with The Dam Busters, photos etc. When I asked the bar staff exactly what that connection was they had no idea, not even heard of a The Dam Busters, went off to consult management and came back to say nobody knew! So much for "we will never forget them". When I ordered I asked if the chicken dish was on the bone, they said no. Part of it was. The food was good including a surprise amuse bouche in consideration of time taken to cook the main. I reckon the chef here is the only one who is competent. Shame.

The Dam Busters 617 Squadron were based at the Woodhall Spa airfield although for the famous raid they took off from an airfield in Lincolnshire. There is an impressive memorial to them in the main street of Woodhall Spa that is hugely prominent and emotionally descriptive and completely unmissable. It is inconceivable that anybody living there would not be aware of its raison d'être, and to a lesser extent, the meaning behind the naming of the eating establishment named in my post.

If your interest has been sparked THIS link will take you to a good short description and interesting explanation of the memorial, and splendid photos all supporting my comments.

Another relevant post, and in particular the comments by my brother (RR) may be of further interest.

https://conradwalks.blogspot.com/2020/05/ve-day.html

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I hsve now completed my submission to the Ombudsman regarding my dispute with British Gas. They informed me it may take about eight weeks for them to arrive at a resolution, but whatever that is it must be accepted by me and BG - we will see. In the meantime I am trying to crawl back from a year's frustration and mental stress, although on-going medical appointments for myself and my son intervene. They often  clash with weather windows preventing me from  the modest six nile riverside walks I can still do, My son  has mow got the date for his bariatric operation on the 9th July after a wait of more than three years.

BRITISH GAS - AVOID

 Thursday 6th June 2024

Amongst my health problems which have been mentioned here, and my son waiting for a bariatric operation for more than three years I have had an ongoing problem with British Gas for more than a year.

I thought it seemed a good idea to make this matter as public as possible as I have now got to a point of impasse and I will be referring this to the Ombudsman on Sunday when my daughter will provide support on the basis that two heads are better than one and to ensure we submit to the best advantage. My submission will include copies of many emails and notes of telephone conversations.

I give below a copy of the summary for the ombudsman and I hope this post will help to publicise the appalling service being given by British Gas.

Dear Ombudsman,

I have had a year’s problem with British Gas covering numerous issues forming a composite complaint that is ongoing.

The  last time I paid BG, via their inconvenient quarterly billing policy was for £471.00 in December 2023. The problems became much more serious when I received the next bill in March 2024 for £2230.08. The electricity component bore no relation to my average usage, you will see why in the correspondence below.

Communication with BG has been painfully difficult: long response times, failure to address all points raised, unintelligible foreign accents with call centre persons with no authority (even to pass to someone more senior,) long periods on hold, calls dropping out with no return call and more.

 I have now reached an impasse after I received their latest letter.

Their position is intransigent.

They failed to cover all the points I raised

The letter was written in poor English making certain points unclear.

The tone was unpleasant and verging on threatening.

I am 84 years old. Last January I had a pulmonary embolism and am taking blood thinners permanently. Since January I have had a detached retina operation. My mental health has deteriorated to cause my daughter concern and she is now helping me with this problem. I have been stressed for a year about all this to the point of breaking down privately, and also on one occasion much to my embarrassment in front my closest husband and wife friends. I have repeatedly informed BG of the effect on my health. All tis has occupied vast amounts of my time which at my age is more valuable than for somebody younger. I feel that I am getting to a point where the effect on my health is going to become much more serious.

I could go on but I will wait to hear what you have to say and take it from there.

Conrad Robinson

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Eden Way upstream 2

Friday 31st May 2024 - Cargo to Carlisle

I found The Sands Car park on the Internet, but, as is my wont, I worried that it may be full when I arrived. Such trivialities seem to assume larger proportions as one ages. In times past I probably wouldn't have even booked the taxi until I got there. So I arrived about 08:15 having booked Radio Taxis again for 09:00.

From: This web site:

"The Sands Leisure Centre in now open following a £27 million redevelopment project in partnership with Carlisle City Council. The brand new centre boasts first-class leisure and swimming facilities, as well as an entertainment venue on a single site in the heart of Carlisle. As a charitable, social enterprise and working in partnership with Carlisle City Council..." 

So I was able to use their toilets and conquer a perplexing coffee machine before the taxi arrived spot on time.

The short nettlefest footpath from Cargo took me back down to the well trodden, grassy river path for a couple  of fields but then through two long fields of hard going, knee high grass.

You may recall me finding a pristine football in the middle of nowhere on my previous post, and now there was another smaller one in the middle of my path. It all reminded me of the TV series The Prisoner filmed at  Portmeirion... thinks "it may be worth watching again if I can track it down." You never know what a walk is going to throw up for you.

I was now on gentle riverside paths, easy going, warm sunshine and the place to myself, but all far  from my greater enjoyment of communing with the higher hills, however, one must be thankful and make the most of what's available.

I could see the villlage of Grinsdale across the river and their church with unusual architecture arousing my curiosity.  Back home I researched

It seems the church is closed for worship and visitors. It is dedicated to St. Kentigern who is patron saint of Glasgow. I found an interesting website which you can visit for more information but I gleaned the following snippet which amused me.

The attributes of Saint Kentigern, more popularly known by his pet name Mungo, are remembered in a nonsense rhyme taught to Glasgow school children about the city’s
Coat of Arms:

This is the bird that never flew
This is the tree that never grew
This is the bell that never rang
This is the fish that never swam

 The Bird commemorates the pet robin owned by St Serf, which was accidentally killed by monks who blamed it on Kentigern. Kentigern took the bird in his hands and prayed over it, restoring it to life again.

The Tree is the symbol of another incident in Kentigern’s childhood. Left in charge of the holy fire in St Serf’s monastery, he fell asleep and the fire went out. However, he broke off some frozen branches from a hazel tree and miraculously rekindled the fire.

The Bell may have been given to Kentigern by the Pope. The original bell, which was tolled at funerals, no longer exists and was replaced by the magistrates of Glasgow in 1641. The bell of 1641 is preserved in the People’s Palace.

The Fish was one caught by Kentigern in the Clyde. When it was slit open, a Ring belonging to the Queen of Cadzow was miraculously found inside it. The Queen was suspected of intrigue by her husband, as she had parted with his ring. She implored Kentigern for help, and he found and restored the ring to her in this way.

Saint Kentigern 

I passed under he Waverley Viaduct which carried the now disused railway from Edinburgh to Carlisle. There was a campaign to open it as a footpath some years ago but I can't find any recent information. I guess it has suffered from the many financial cuts of recent years unless anybody can tell me differently. My photo with the large pylons behind is a stark reminder of man's impact on our countryside.

Jut before the public road running into Carlisle I was back to nature again watching about thirty rooks having a bathing party on the edge of the river, and then many of them roosting high up above in trees, black intrusions against the green, and making plenty of noise. 

A short stretch of road walking in the suburbs of Carlisle followed before branching off on a tarmac suburban footpath through a municipal park and then skirting the impressive Carlisle Cricket Club ground. At the far end a massive archaeological dig is underway and I chatted to one of the volunteers. It seems that at first they had found a modest Roman bath house, but it became ever larger. Now they believe it to be a large kind of country house where the great and the good would have assembled as the needs of the close by Hadrian's Wall were attended to. It sounded to me like shades of Cliveden and the Profumo Affair.

A little descent ducked under the A7 river bridge bringing me back to its other side, and now in the tumultuous traffic and city hubbub a short walk back over the bridge had me back to Sands Centre and my car. That was a better walk than the first stage from the mouth of the Solway.

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Try as I have I can't standardise the font irregularities. Blogger having one of its days.

Arriving back at the river from Cargo

Tough going through long grass for a couple of fields before getting back to comfortable riverside walking

Is somebody walking the Eden Way and dropping mysterious brightly coloured balls every so often?

St. Kentigern church across the river where Hadrian's wall path runs.

Bridge over A689

Waverley railway bridge, disused. Man's "mastery" of the environment

Rooks bathing party

Who are these peole?

Rooks a roosting

Unusual architecture. Notice the trees shape in sympathy with the roof lines.

The old and the new. Carlisle Castle and the main line railway

Rickerby Park

Carlisle cricket ground. The archaeology site is beyond the tree at right of photo

Supposed Roman house of pleasure?

The start of my next section beyond the A7 bridge

Don't bother to try and read if you don't want. It just amused me imagining the arguments and politics that went on about whose names would be included and whose not

 

Pink = previous section. Green for today. Blue for Eden Way

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