Walks advertised weeks ahead often get poorer weather and today
was no exception.
The Mockerkin Mob walk had been planned with a route up Ling Fell
and then across to Sale Fell.
Rain at the start meant Ling was removed from the equation
but it was added back on at the end as the weather cleared.
T'is the season of Cherry Blossom her in Cumbria,
no better than these two at Wythop Mill on the
way to our meeting point at Brumston Bridge.
Poor weather, as seen through the gate, meant
there was sufficient room to park.
However the walk leader had decided that Ling
Fell, covered in cloud, wasn't very attractive, so we altered
our plans.
The revised route was up to Eskin Farm and then
do a horseshoe walk up the Wythop Valley,
around to Sale Fell (seen here beyond the farm)
and back to the cars.
T'is also the season of snowdrops in the Wythop
Valley and my fellow walkers paused for a moment to admire them.
Damp roads remain, but the weather seems to
be clearing as we walk up the valley.
Old Scales Farm, on the bend in the road, half
way up the valley.
Behind it are the slopes of Lords Seat and Broom.
There's an intriguing old outhouse sitting over
a stream behind the building next to the road.
One would think it was an old toilet, but it
looked more like an old washhouse with a fire and round copper
basin.
Walking on up the valley with the partially-wooded
Ladies Table ahead.
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One of the nice things about others
planning the walk
is that you often use different paths
to complete the same walk.
Today we continue on the road beyond
Old Scales and cross the valley
at the top end, close to Lothwaite
Side, on a track I haven't used.
The other nice thing is that others
often spot unusual sights,
such as this elevated ash tree,
growing high on what, at one times,
was its roots.
Who knows, once we turned our backs
it may have walked off in the other
direction.
Someone please check if you're in
the valley in the near future.
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The lambs have grown and the one thing they
don't do is walk . . .
The 'gambol' about like a bunch of young teenagers
who have just discovered the wide outdoors.
These three youngsters walk at a more sedate
pace, as they cross the field to see who's passing.
Lothwaite Side . . . the old farmhouse is tucked
away behind the trees and under a slight rise below Sale Fell.
In the dip in front of the house is a spring
and small pond which surprisingly doesn't show on the map.
Neither was this convenient spot marked as a
coffee spot or a bench to relax on . . .
but once we sat on a mat or coat it fulfilled
it's required purpose admirably.
Another flock came over to watch us eat, this
time the youngsters were being supervised.
Lunch over, we crossed the remaining part of
the valley and reached the Chapel Wood track.
This started at Kelswick Farm and heads under
Lothwaite to disappear when it enters the Routenbeck/Wythop
forestry.
We leave it early and start the steep climb
up onto Lothwaite Fell
walking through the gorse, which has bloomed
nicely but not yet reached it's peak in respect of its coconut-like
scent.
Up on the high ground of Lothwaite now, looking
down on Bassenthwaite Lake and across the green fields to Ladies
Table and Lord's Seat.
Across the water Skiddaw and Blencathra still
have their heads in the clouds.
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Two memorial plaques.
One on the seat, the other on the rock.
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I've sat
on the memorial seat many a time . . . |
. . . but the discrete
plaque on the rock close by was new to me. |
The rather less-than-discrete
slate obelisk cemented in place a year or so back, seemed
to have been removed.
The Rivings is an area of land once ploughed
for crops, possibly as early as the Napoleonic Wars,
when the farmers were encouraged to 'dig-for-Britain'
the first time. It also hosts a rather large stone cairn
on its 335m summit.
With our early start, it was still morning as
we reached the summit of Sale Fell
after having passed quite as number of other
walkers and runners who were out now that the weather was better.
As we walked down from the summit, Ling Fell
that we had planned but declined to climb earlier, was ahead
of us.
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With an early start came an early
lunch
and as we sat on another memorial
bench at Kelswick Farm
our eyes once again ventured across
to Ling Fell,
and a new plan was hatched.
Many thanks to Mr Sharp's family for
use of their seat, by the way.
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Toodles, or Toodle-oo from Kelswick Farm as
we regain the public road.
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With just a little extra fortitude we walked
past the cars and once again started on the climb up from Brumston
Bridge.
This time we turned right and headed for the
gate that took us out onto the Coffin Road across Ling Crag.
The rain had stayed away, the cloud had risen
and there were nice views during the climb.
"Never work with children and animals"
. . . it took four photos to get this one of the dogs on the
old grouse butts.
I had planned to get either Binsey or Bass Lake
centre photo, but it didn't happen !
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However,
with a little help (for health and safety of course)
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. . . both dogs made
it to the top of Ling Crag. |
The moorland over the back of Ling Crag, known as Wythop
Moss, divides us from Broom Fell and Graystones.
Looking down of Sale fell and Wythop Valley, where we walked
earlier.
There's a good track around the side of Ling Crag, as we
skirt round the eastern side above Burthwaite Farm.
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Brumston
Bridge for the third time today . . . |
. . . and a short walk
up to the right meant the revised walk was over. |
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All that remains is to say farewell to the group
and set the Satnav for Yorkshire . . . I told you my life was
busy at the moment.