Orton and the old Roman road

Monday 14th May 2018 - Orton and old Roman road - 9 miles

I have been gradually increasing walking distance since my first meaningful walk of 1.9 miles on 26th January after the knee operation on 29th November. Today I pushed it to nine miles over mixed terrain, including a bit of rough going (unintentionally.)

In view of the distance I set off from home quite early and was walking by 8:40 in glorious sunshine, and warmth. It was the first time this year that I have been able to have a whole walk without wearing gloves, and for most of the walk I wore only a base layer and a shirt, and if I had not been too lazy I would have removed the base layer.

An ancient lane led out of Orton eventually lined with gnarly hawthorn - I always imagine the old packhorse parties plodding along on these byways. 

After connecting with the Orton to Shap road for a hundred yards or so it was out onto open moorland marked as "Roman Road (course of)" on the OS map. which was fine and pleasant walking, mainly on cropped turf. Arriving at a large  modern hut the paths parted and I attempted to follow the one shown on my map below by the green highlight I had appended. Despite using compass, and GPS, which was telling me that I was actually on the footpath shown on the OS map there was no distinct path to follow, and I had a bit of a struggle through shin high heather and the like before getting back onto the route again. Looking at the map now it would have been better to continue on the more substantial path to the point marked "ford" on the map (NY 599 117) then to branch right.

Emerging on the road south of Crosby Ravensworth there was a convenient bench where I sandwiched and drank coffee from my flask, but with some disappointment at not using my new sitting device, but it was a tranquil and peaceful spot leading almost to meditation and a welcome rest.

The walk back south to Orton followed the Lyvennet Beck for a while, a name out of character with this location, and then climbing away through sheep pastures and through a magic trough of moorland to a high point then the descent over more fields and several awkward stone stiles, but all in all a most enjoyable and varied walk ending in the Orton Scar Café with tea and lemon drizzle cake.

CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE

Leaving Orton

Old lane out of Orton

Old packhorse lane

Onto the Old roman road from the Orton/Shap road

Parting of the ways. Northern Pennines on skyline

Later: after I had found the path again

What my daughter refers to as "in-coming" when we are on a walk together

Merlin Rocket - "Impala" (for Alan Rayner)

Alan Rayner -  http://alanrayneroutdoors.blogspot.co.uk posted recently about Hollingworth Lake. I replied saying I used to crew for my brother racing a Merlin Rocket at that venue back in the 60s. Alan requested a photo. I only have two and tried to put a link to Dropbox on my comment, but Dropbox, which I have used for years, was having tantrums, so here are the two photos for Alan.

This was taken at Hollingworth, my brother helming with a friend at the club - Ian Midgley, his family had the VW dealership in Keighley

This was on a holiday at Salcombe, brother helming with his wife Anne, both sadly no longer with us.

Ours was a beautiful wooden clinker built racing dinghy, Impala, but only a Mk6. Members at the club were racing Mk16s, and one was an ex-national champion. We were hopelessly uncompetitive, but we had a lot of fun.

TV documentaries

what the heck is going on!?

Several documentaries, two for certain: Back to the Land with Kate Humble (BBC 2) and  Great  Art - David Hockney (David Hockney (ITV) have introduced a most irritating feature. In addition to the programne’s normal narrator every so often a soppy male voice, the same on both those programmes, interrupts with banal descriptive comment. E.gs. “ Kate approaches a farm gate” or “green trees with bright green leaves and a purple path.” As these occur on both BBC and ITV it is not exclusive.  I have to say that it is the most irritating intrusion on documentaries ever, going beyond inappropriate music which I have ranted about before.

Kentmere 2

Thursday 10th May 2018 - Thursday walk with Pete

Once past the second bridge over the River Kent our road was peaceful, with varied wild flowers, enviable country residences well spaced, and with interesting gardens and shrubs, and all the time  expansive views up Kentmere. This was all delight and no less so for it being a there and back linear walk.

CLICK FIRST PHOTO TO ENLARGE

River Kent at the second bridge

Swindale and Gowther Crag

Saturday 5th May - Swindale and Gowther Crag


I walked part of this route with Bowland Climber in April 2016,

http://conradwalks.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Fewling+Stones


My objective today was to explore for a path running under Gowther Crag on the south-eastern side of Swindale that somebody, not sure who now, had told me about. It isn't marked on the map.

From the starting point the rising path to arrive at the col before descending into Swindale was pretty wet and boggy, but I managed to keep feet dry only wearing trail shoes. Descending I met a lady fell runner with two dogs for a brief chat.

Just before Swindale Foot a climber's path with BMC permitted access sign for Gowther Crag branches south, and turning the corner of a wall the path is then periodically signed by the RSPB all the way to Dry Grove Gill, and continues to meet the path that goes over into Mosedale After that I lost the path for a bit but found my way back across the river - the map shows a foot bridge, but it turned out to be just a pile of large rocks crossing the water, but no great problem to traverse. The walk under the crag through old woodland was delightful and a welcome change from the several times I have walked up or down Swindale on the road. My return journey had to be up the road, but there is no traffic and this is one of the most attractive valleys in the Lake District. I was able to get a closer look at the now landscaped and finished elaborate fish ladder structure that was still under construction when I was there with BC in 2016. It has moulded in to some extent, but it is a surprisingly complex affair intruding on the wild nature of this valley.

WORTH CLICKING TO ENLARGE, ESPECIALLY GOWTHER CRAG

Looking down into Swindale from the col

Zoom from same col - Truss Gap Farm bottom right

Pleasant walking on the descent into Swindale

The fish ladder - photos from the road on other side below

Gowther Crag - it was largely in shadow but better photos later in day below
 

The pile of rocks across the river marked as footbridge on map

View up the end of Swindale from my lunching spot, now back on the northern side of the river

Gowther Crag - click to enlarge and climbers can be seen, and on photo below.

I was not aware of them until I saw these photos enlarged.

The old stepping stones above the fish ladder

The new footbridge

Fish ladder

Putting in fence posts. Contractors are Hanafins from Milnthorpe where I have bought lots of tanalised timber etc. for my various decking projects.

Kentmere road walk

Thursday walk with Pete -  3rd May - Kentmere road walk

For the last few months I have been planning Pete walks on level ground in view of his advancing years and rheumatoid arthritis, but we do live in a generally hilly area and I am running out of options. I thought if we got the steep bit out of the way on this walk at the start it could be ok. I was pleasantly surprised to see Pete tackle that with no difficulty, albeit we do walk fairly steadily. All that is a tribute to the  medical treatment Pete receives. But anyway, these walks are as much a social occasion and enjoyable company rather than walking for the sake of it.

Stands well

The walk was in attractive countryside, but as so often views are spoiled by ramshackle grossly untidy farms, more apparent to the eye than this photo suggests.

This was a full zoom from the road into a field. CLICK TO ENLARGE. Pete's knowledge of plants is formidable - he told me what this is but I've forgotten

One for Alan R - looks a bit different (to me)

Long zoom - wood anemone

River Kent bridge north of Staveley - start/finish of walk

Skeggles Water

Monday 30th April

As I write I am three walking blog posts behind. I have had this circuit on my mind since walking part of it back in 2016 during the Outlying Fells campaign, and I quote from my post on that occasion http://conradwalks.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=Skeggles+Water

W. refers of course to the old curmudgeon Alfred Wainwright.

W. gives the option of a detour to Skeggles Water, only a few hundred yards each way, and I opted out of this. But I was a bit taken aback with W's dismissive comments...

"Skeggles Water, lying in a vast bowl of heather, is conveniently visited on this walk but is an uninviting place with attractions mainly for bird watchers and anglers."

... almost as if those two  pass-times were the lowest of the low. I think he must have walked this one in a narky mood. He may have had a wake-up if he'd asked some bird watchers or anglers about their opinions of fell walkers.

My walk started in Long Sleddale where there are very few opportunities to park, and the drive in is long and harassing on single track road with few passing places. Fortunately there is a car park at the church with an honesty box only a few hundred yards from where I wanted to launch onto my route.

At the house/farm marked Hollin Root on the map I was searching for the continuation of the path which doubles back up the hillside here when I suddenly heard crazy screechy, frenetic shouting from somewhere near the house, but I was looking into the sun and couldn't source the exact spot, but presumed from tone and noise that I was being told off. Then I saw a crazy looking old lady leaning out of an upper window and I headed back towards the house with the intention of placating this harridan, but she had now disappeared and I saw nor heard no more of her as I got myself back onto the proper track. 

The rest of the walk was on an old lane, and then established cropped turf bridleway, pleasant enough, but badly rutted therefore preventing walking with any kind of rhythm.

I deployed the new seat two thirds of the way round. I am finding that I need it to be on a slope or with a wall behind so I have something to push on when I want to arise, but I am certainly finding it a useful piece of kit.

Looking north up Long Sleddale

A short steep spell up this rocky lane led out onto level open moorland and rutted track

The outflow from Skeggles Water - at the point marked "Green Quarter Fell" on the map below

South to Skeggles Water from the slopes of Cocklaw Fell