Eskdale

Once again the lure of a few nights away in our campervan proved too strong. This weekend we managed three nights at the National Trust campsite in Eskdale. In short, an absolutely amazing place to camp and visit.

We arrived in the rain on the Thursday and quickly filled up the water tank, set up the van, took Gordon for a short walk in the rain and settled down for the night. Everything appeared to be working as it should and we managed a great night’s sleep.

The following morning the rain had stopped so we headed out for a good walk up the two closest Wainwright’s; Harter Fell at 653m and Green Crag at 489m. We set off down the road towards the infamous Hardknott Pass. The website for the campsite had three different warnings about checking your Sat Nav to make sure that it didn’t send you over the Pass. I cycled it once almost 12 years ago, and that was enough.

We followed a pleasant little track past Penny Hill Farm before the uphill began. There’s no easy route up Harter Fell, and it was a long slog up a very steep path. We also only saw one other person, but the views from the top were worth it.

I’m not very good at knowing which fell is which, but I am fairly sure that behind Helen, my beautiful wife, it is the Old Man Coniston range of fells along with Seathwaite Tarn.

Back down a different route, which was equally as steep, we came to Hardknott Forest, which is being replanted with trees native to the area instead of conifers. The next section was boggy, and even in the height of summer it is boggy. Fortunately, we didn’t have too much to climb to reach the summit of Green Crag. Once again, the views were amazing as we could see all the way from Seascale nuclear power plant in one direction to Heysham nuclear power plant in the other.

Coming back down from Green Crag to Boot was tricky. There are probably dozens of different footpaths and none of them are easy to follow. Added to this, young Gordon had lost his mind with all of the birds. We bumped into a farmer building fences who seemed to think that Gordon was a character. He certainly is. And then before we knew it, we were back at the campsite. The sun was also out, so we swapped pitches so that we were completely on grass.

Gordon likes the sun.

The lack of cloud did mean that the temperature dropped significantly overnight, with frost on the front windscreen. We survived much better than we had a couple of months earlier. We then noticed a problem. The sink wasn’t draining away. Also, after a look under the van, we realised that the water tank also wouldn’t drain. A quick look online and the sink drain was a common problem and a flexible stick poked up the pipe would solve it, which it did, thank you Helen. We’ll probably have to have someone look at the water tank drain. Campervan forums suggest that you should fill up on arrival and then drain it when you leave, and never drink the water from the tank. Good advice.

The next morning we drove to Muncaster Castle for a fairly new parkrun, which I will write about separately. It was one of the friendliest and best parkuns that I’ve done.

That afternoon we went for a random walk towards Burnmoor Tarn in the sun. I had forgotten to bring my cap with me and had to buy one from the campsite shop. No hair equals a sunburnt head if I’m not careful.

We didn’t reach the Tarn as it was further than expected, but we spotted three people walking on the other side of a small stream on what looked like an easy to follow footpath. We crossed over the stream and decided to head back a slightly different route. Easy footpath soon disappeared. We headed towards a gate in a stone wall, figuring that we could follow the track through the farm. There was a sign on the gate saying no entry, but Helen spotted on her watch where the footpath was, which was only a couple of minutes walk away.

As we reached the campsite we came to Eskdale Mill, complete with waterwheel. It might have been nice to visit, except that Gordon probably wouldn’t behave himself. He’s never been to a museum.

The three nights away were the best so far with our campervan, and I think we’re just about getting the hang of it. It makes us realise just how little we actually knew about campervans on our first weekend away.

On the drive home we started to think about where our next mini-adventure should take us, and when.

Campervan Fun

My lovely wife, Helen, has always wanted a campervan. We’ve looked at various makes and models for a number of years, even taking an old Peugeot for a test drive. However, earlier this year I was left some money, which we decided to put towards a VW Campervan. A 2017 model with less than 45,000 miles. Bright yellow.

Friday 16/2/2024

We’ve named him Custard. Northern custard not southern custard. He’s amazing. We were supposed to pick him up at 1 pm, but phoned the dealer to see if we could pick him up early as we were so excited. There was a squeak in the engine that the dealer assured us they will sort out when the garage has time.

We drove home and found that the mirror on the driver’s side doesn’t push in. With Gordon in tow we returned to the dealer. After a lot of faff, and being ignored, the offending wing mirror was gaffer taped up and we were told that a replacement would be ordered and fitted the following week.

We drove to Morecambe, via a petrol station as the tank was almost empty. We parked up and went for a walk. Custard looked great.

Saturday 17/2/2024

I created three walking routes from the Great Langdales as Helen had booked us into a National Trust campsite. We all went to Lancaster parkrun, me to run and Helen walking around the park with Gordon. On the way back, Gordon was more than happy to sit on his own on the back seat. Also on the way home, Custard decided to mess about. The engine shut off when I was stopped at some lights, and I didn’t stall. Custard did it again when we arrived at the barrier for the campsite. Also, only half of the touch screen for the Sat Nav/radio worked. We’ll add them to the list.

At the campsite we raised the roof and set up the awning before heading off for a walk up Lingmoor Fell. Heavy rain stopped the walk early. Back in Custard, and there was a small leak at the back and the larger gas ring doesn’t work.

As we dried off, Helen cooked fried haloumi with fruity couscous. Delicious, washed down with a beer, or two. The fold out table had grass on it. Shoddy cleaning from the dealer, and the water tank hadn’t been filled up either.

Gordon needed a poo and Helen fell over hurting her back when she took him out. Not funny. I then bashed my head reaching behind the back seat. Helen suggested that I know looked like Mikhail Gorbachev.

Feeling a little annoyed at the dealer we headed to bed fairly early. Helen climbed into the top and I followed, but we weren’t sure if the roof was strong enough for our combined weight. Also, Gordon didn’t like that we’d left him. We returned to the main bed, which was fairly hard and Gordon decided to sleep in between our sleeping bags. Not a great night’s sleep. We’ll need a mattress.

Sunday 18/2/2024

Early coffee sat in the van enjoying the lack of rain. We then went for an eight mile walk up Rossett Pike and back.

Obligatory selfie with the beautiful Mrs B.

We were both feeling a little sad about Custard and his various problems, and we almost quit the walk. We were both very pleased that we hadn’t as the views from the top were stunning. It was also an easy route to follow with no scrambling. Gordon’s second Wainwright.

The sun had dried out the awning and the pop-up top, which we stowed away just before it started raining again. Gordon enjoyed looking out of the window from “his” seat.

The campsite was excellent and we will definitely be visiting it again in the summer. As for Custard, his list of ailments are:

• Squeaky engine
• Broken wing mirror
• Engine randomly stopping
• Only one key
• Sat Nav/radio touchscreen
• Small leak
• Gas ring

We will be visiting the dealer during the week to move forward with the various problems. I’ll keep you informed of how we get on.

Apart from the minor or major problems, we absolutely love having a campervan and we should have bought one years ago. We are incredibly excited about heading off on adventures at least every other week.

Troutbeck Tongue

Two weeks in a row that we’ve headed out for a walk in the Lake District, and when I say “we”, I mean me, my lovely wife, Helen, and our silly young Pointer, Gordon. With tired legs from yesterday’s parkrun, we decided to tick off an easy Wainwright, Troutbeck Tongue. Obligatory selfie before we set off as we waited for a shower to pass.

According to Wikipedia, Troutbeck Tongue is small fell three miles east-northeast of Ambleside. Its moderate height and proximity to a main road mean it is a pleasant half-day excursion that can be done when the higher fells are in cloud. Today, the higher fells of Ill Bell, Froswick and Red Screes were all hidden by cloud, as well as having a dusting on frost.

Even though we set off nice and early, the small carpark close to the church in Troutbeck was already full. Fortunately, we managed to squeeze into a small layby a little further up the road. When we returned, cars were parked everywhere, which I assume the locals hate.

When we set off, we clambered over two stiles and joined a small path running parallel to the main Kirkstone Road, which we crossed and joined Ing Lane. The walking was easy, even with a very excited pointer. He was a little unsure of the sheep when we crossed another field, but we soon found ourselves heading up the lower slope of the Tongue.

From the photo it is easy to see how the other fells dwarf the much smaller Troutbeck Tongue.

As with all Wainwright’s, there was some steep sections, but you don’t get the great views without a little effort. However, Gordon was slightly too excited and was bordering on being a pest, especially when he tried to eat frozen lumps of sheep poo.

When we reached the summit, we bumped into the first people we’d seen on our route. Two men, loaded down with huge rucksacks. We didn’t have chance to find out what they were doing, but it looked epic.

From the top, you can see why Wainwright added this fell to his collection, with views all the way down the valley to Windermere, even on a day like today when the weather wasn’t any where near as good as the previous week.

It was surprisingly windy at the top, even though we weren’t very high, and with the dusting of frost, Gordon decided it wasn’t for him. We took a few photos and then headed back down the way we had come up, which was a lot easier than climbing up.

You can see that little Gordon has a harness across his snout. He doesn’t like it, but he’s too strong to walk with if he’s not wearing it. He’s an intelligent lad, so we’re fairly sure that his little brain will link not pulling with not having to wear the lead he doesn’t like.

On the way down we passed a woman with a very lively dog, who didn’t like Gordon, before meeting a man wearing a kilt, and a fell runner running up hill faster than I would run downhill.

At the bottom of the Tongue, we took a different route back to Troutbeck, following the main bridleway which would take you to Thornthwaite Crag and High Street. Thornthwaite we’ve done, but High Street is a fell for another day. (Read about Thornthwaite here).

We followed the bridleway until we reached a fork. Our intended route was to the left, but the right fork would take us through Limefitt holiday park. It looked fairly pleasant, even if the lodges were very close to each other. It was a nice short cut which took us directly back to our car. We fed Gordon before heading on home.

Our route might have only been six miles, but it was great to be out. Plus, we ticked off one more Wainwright, although it will probably take us years to walk them all.

Gordon’s First Fell

Gordon is our nine-month old Pointer puppy. Today was the first time that we’ve taken him for a walk in the lakes. He loved it, which is just as well, as me and Helen still have 190 Wainwright’s to complete. The last time that we went walking in the Lake District was back in April last year. Now that Gordon is older, hopefully we’ll be heading out every couple of weeks.

Helen downloaded a six mile loop from Wikiloc, which started and finished in Ambleside. As there was plenty of ice around, we opted to park in Ambleside, rather than starting and finishing in Troutbeck, as on the drive out there it appeared that none of the roads had been gritted. One drawback, outrageous parking prices, and a payment machine that only worked via the App. Grumble, grumble, mumble.

The route took us past the Stock Ghyll Falls and onto the steepest section of the climb up Wansfell. It was cold and there was some ice, but it wasn’t too bad. My legs, on the other hand, were definitely not used to walking up steep fells. Gordon was also incredibly excited.

The views from the top were stunning, with the whole of Windermere Lake hidden under a blanket of cloud. My lovely wife, Helen, Googled it on the way home. There was a temperature inversion, where the temperature at ground level is lower than at higher ground. It is very rare for clouds to remain at ground level for more than a couple of hours in the early morning, so we were incredibly fortunate.

At the top, we did make a small mistake. Wansfell Pike isn’t a Wainwright. The next fell along, Baystones, is the Wainwright. It’s okay, we’ll simply have to come back another day.

Seconds after Helen took that photo of me and Gordon, I managed to drop his lead when he suddenly pulled. He was off like a shot, with me running and shouting after him. Fortunately, Helen’s loud whistle stopped him in his tracks and he ran back to us. I have never been so relieved. It isn’t uncommon for Pointer owners to have GPS collars on their dogs. They like to run, and our last Pointer would come back when she was ready.

From the top of Wansfell we dropped down the other side towards the small village of Troutbeck, where we bumped into an old friend from Lancaster who was out walking with his family in the opposite direction.

After a short section on the road we turned up Robin Lane. This was a fantastic track which we followed all the way back to Ambleside. Once again, Gordon was very excited, especially as he is now tall enough to be able to see over most stone walls. It was also the first time that he had seen sheep.

The track slowly made its way back down the hill, through a field full of more sheep and into a wood, before we reached Ambleside. We had a great view of Hayes Garden World from above the town, and we both agreed that it was a carbuncle and some of the cottages must have been annoyed when it was built, spoiling their views.

Anyway, back in the town we returned to the car, giving Gordon some food. Me and Helen both had tired feet and legs. We’d only walked seven miles, although we will soon find our fell legs.

I have to say that our route was one of the best shorter walks we have ever done in the Lake District, and one that we will repeat in the future.

Grange-over-Sands

It was windy with the potential for rain. What could be better than a trip to Grange-over-Sands? Friday morning, me, my lovely wife, Helen and our six-month old puppy, Gordon, set off walking for the train station, where we would catch a train across to Grange. It was also Gordon’s first time on a train. As you can see, he wasn’t sure what was going on.

However, he liked to look out of the window.

The train journey is less than 30 minutes, which is quicker than driving as the train can cross the bay using the Arnside Viaduct. The viaduct should be widened to include a walkway for pedestrians and cyclists. One day it might happen.

Anyway, we jumped off the train and walked along the prom, stopping at a cafe for coffee and bacon/sausage baps. Gordon was a good boy and was given some bacon. The views across the bay, even on a windy day in October, were stunning.

I have only cycled through Grange, so it was a change to be on foot, especially as we could have a look at the famous lido, which is in the middle of being renovated. There has been a campaign for many years for this.

There was also a crazy golf course a little further along, although it was very closed. That might have been a good thing as I’m not sure if Gordon would be able to hold a golf club.

We came off the prom and walked through the town, although we didn’t stop to shop, not even at the expensive chocolate shop which tried to lure us in.

The duck pond, on the other hand, was incredibly exciting for a young puppy. We spotted a pair of Mandarin ducks and there was also a flock of Bar Headed Geese. Much to Gordon’s surprise, they weren’t in the slightest bit afraid of him.

It was then time to jump on a train home.

The station at Grange has to be one of the most picturesque stations in the country. However, the train back home was much busier and noisier, and Gordon wasn’t as keen.

After an exciting day, we’re all glad to be home. The heating is on and a night on the sofa with wine, beer and a pizza is calling.

You don’t need to travel for hours for an adventure.

Sizergh Loop

There’s a brilliant walking loop that me and my lovely wife have done on two occasions in the past, starting and finishing at the National Trust Property Sizergh House. With the weather being unseasonably warm, we decided to walk the loop with Gordon, seeing as the castle is only a 25 minute drive away. Gordon doesn’t like travelling in the car.

One of the best things about parking at Sizergh is that because I’m a member of the National Trust, parking is free. Small wins.

The car park was almost empty as we set off down the drive, before turning towards the River Kent. Neither of us had our phone with us, so unfortunately there will be no photos. Because of this, my blog will be more generic. I had thought that I’d blogged about this walk in the past, and could borrow some photos from that one, but I hadn’t. I’m sure that we will repeat this walk again fairly soon, when I will blog again with photos.

Anyway, the first part of the walk follows the River Kent, which was fast flowing and filled with canoeists enjoying the rapids. The River Kent begins in the Kentmere Valley, filling the Kentmere Reservoir on its way through the village of Kentmere and into Kentmere Tarn. From there it winds its way through Staveley and into Kendal. The town of Kendal has flooded a few times in the past. The river continues south and empties into Morecambe Bay close to Arnside.

Our route didn’t take us into the centre of Kendal as we headed east and then south east across fields and farmland. Gordon was still pulling, as well as trying to eat sheep poo. Me and Helen discussed who our favourites were in the new series of Strictly, as well as moaning that possibly the show didn’t need to be longer than a Martin Scorsese film, coming in at well over two hours. Neither of us are feeling the love for Zara McDermott or Nikita Kanda, but we both like the two Angela’s and Ellie Leach. I will admit that we won’t be watching Sunday night’s dance off. Are the BBC milking it a bit too much?

After the fields and the sheep poo, the route meets The Parish Church of Saint John Helsington. Built in 1726 by John Jackson of nearby Holeslack Farm, the chapel is high up on the fellside serving the surrounding farming community. The popular viewpoint offers stunning views towards the distant central fells and over Morecambe Bay.

With Gordon still pulling, we both had to take hold of his lead as our route descended steeply, before onto a smart new path back to Sizergh. It was now midday, and the carpark was overflowing. However, the cafe had a free table outside. I sat there patiently, while Gordon wanted to say hello to everyone and their dog. Helen returned ladened down with sausage rolls, salad, chocolate brownie, cheese scone and coffees. It was required.

As for Sizergh House itself, the imposing house stands proudly at the gateway to the Lake District and has been home to the Strickland family for more than 800 years. We keep saying that we should actually explore the grounds and the house, instead of only using the carpark. Much of the grounds are dog friendly, with only the posh garden and the house excluded. There is pottery inside, so we probably will visit one day without Gordon. I keep wanting to call it a castle, but I think that it might be just a house. Problems most of us will never have to encounter.

The house is still the home for the Strickland family, who live in one wing. The current occupant is Henry Hornyold-Strickland, who lives there with his wife and two sons. I kid you not about his name, he really is called Hornyold, although maybe in time he’ll be known as Henry “Horny Old” Strickland.

Anyway, our route can be seen below, and next time one of us will take loads of photos.

Cornfield Loop

Me and my lovely wife moved into our current house over two years ago, although it is only one mile from where we used to live. Despite this, we found a whole load of new routes to walk and run. One particular four and a half mile route we dubbed the Cornfield Loop.

I used to run this loop with our old pointer, Nelly, as she could be off the lead for almost all of the route, much to her enjoyment. Today was the first time that I’d walked this route without her. However, I did walk it with Helen, my lovely wife, and Gordon, our five and a half month old pointer puppy. We have a fairly new “no-pull” harness for him because even at this young age he is incredibly strong. Hopefully it won’t be too long before he will walk beside us without pulling, and also not too long before he can be trusted to be off the lead for longer periods. Until then, he continues to try and pull our arms out of our sockets.

As always, there is a lot going on alongside the canal, especially if you’re a small brained young pointer. A pair of swans came over to say hello, or more accurately, they came over to spit and hiss at us. There was also a pair of women stand-up paddle boarding in front of us, as well as an older dog called Sam who wasn’t in the slightest bit interested in Gordon, although he did look concerned when Gordon almost picked up his ball.

Helen had taken Gordon on this loop earlier in the week, so we were interested to see if he remembered where to turn off the canal. He certainly did, almost pulling me over. There is a short section of footpath with high hedges either side and a gate at the end. Perfect for letting the little lad off the lead. He was incredibly good, coming back to us every time.

There was a short section of quiet road before the route heads into a well used field. Helen walked across the field to the gate at the other side, while I tried to hold onto a struggling not so little pup. Once Helen was waiting I released the hound, who shot off to find her.

I recorded a short video of Gordon running into the distance which I had wanted to upload to this blog. Unfortunately, this function now appears to be for Premium users only, which is a shame. The workaround is to share the link to my Strava activity, which does have the short video. You could also follow me, if you don’t already, or give me some random kudos.

Anyway, Gordon in full flight can be found here.

Beyond the field there is a short steep slope, which Gordon nearly pulled me off my feet. He then managed to get himself on the wrong side of a sapling, which was pulled onto my head as he went the wrong way around it, much to the amusement of Helen.

The small wooden bridge across the pond had also been repaired since my last time on this route. The corn was also still there, albeit without corn. As much as we would have liked, we couldn’t risk letting Gordon off the lead through the corn.

From there a small muddy track took us back to the canal and back home, with Gordon pulling almost all the way. He does appear to be a tired little lad, and hopefully he’ll settle down nicely with us to watch Strictly later this evening.

Youlgreave

My lovely wife booked a surprise weekend away to celebrate my 54th birthday. (Seriously, 54! How did that happen). She booked a lovely cottage in the small village of Youlgreave, located close to Bakewell in the Peak District. We’d stayed in the next village a couple of years earlier, so we knew the area. On top of that, the cottage had enough rooms for her two sons and their partners to stay as well. Lastly, it was going to be the first time we’d been away with our new young pointer puppy.

There was some traffic on the journey and unfortunately, young Gordon was sick in the back of the car. He doesn’t travel very well, but he is slowly getting better. We went for a short walk when we arrived and then drank too much that evening.

The following morning I went to Monsal Trail parkrun, which you read about here. Everyone else moseyed on into Bakewell, while me and Helen took Gordon for a walk, finding an incredible tiled mosaic outside the village hall. Read more about it here.

The following afternoon we went for another walk, although we had to turn back as there was a group of young cows blocking the footpath. We found an alternative route and after a drink in the river, Gordon shook his head, spraying dog saliva all over the place. He’s a fun little lad.

Helen’s two sons had to return on the Sunday as everyone was back at work the following day, except for me, although we were on the road by 9 am on the Monday morning. We did leave a dog bed behind. No matter how hard you search a rented cottage before leaving, there’s always something. Hopefully the owners will find a use for it.

Anyway, it was a fantastic weekend away, made all the better for having Helen’s sons joining us. Me and Helen really enjoy this area of the Peak District and will probably return again before too long. Now if only the journey didn’t involve the horrible Manchester motorway network.

Autumn Sunshine at Arnside Knott

The weather forecast for this weekend was appalling. Me and my lovely wife had thought about heading to the Lakes to camp for a couple of nights. We put it off as it was supposed to rain almost all weekend. I’m writing this on Saturday afternoon and apart from a light drizzle yesterday, we’ve not had a single drop.

Helen announced that she would like to go for a walk around Arnside. I agreed without hesitation as long as there would be unhealthy snacks at the end. It was also going to be Gordon’s first trip to Arnside. Gordon is our new Pointer puppy. He’s only five months old and isn’t allowed off his lead yet.

As we walked along the beach, Gordon was very excited. New smells everywhere. We also bumped into a couple walking their eight-year old brown English pointer. They both wanted to play.

We followed the coast before heading inland, marvelling at the large, expensive houses, before heading up towards Arnside Knott.

At the top of the field there is a gate which is probably one of the most photographed views in the area. We met an older woman who walked over the Knott every single day, because she knows that one day, she won’t be able to. She brought a tear to my wife’s eye.

There was also a wooden heart hanging in a tree, which was a new addition. Whoever made it has incredible talent.

The views from the top of the Knott are breathtaking, and all the more special for it being a pleasant, sunny day in the middle of September. Obligatory selfie was taken, although having run 15km earlier that morning, I wasn’t about to crouch down so that Gordon could be in the photo as well. Sorry Gordon.

We slowly made our way back down to the shore. Unhealthy snacks were ice-creams and vegan sausage rolls. Helen went with ginger and lime ice-cream, while I went with black current and liquorice.

Back at the car we snaffled the vegan sausage rolls, with Gordon sat patiently waiting. We didn’t give him any, but he did have some dog treats.

Back home and we’re all a bit tired, especially me and Gordon. He’s going to be a big lad when he’s fully grown, and he will also require plenty of exercise. I hear the fells calling.

Landlines by Raynor Winn

Raynor Winn’s first book, The Salt Path, was one of the best books I have ever read, and one that I recommended to numerous people. Raynor and her husband, Moth, became homeless in their 50’s. Feeling despondent, they opted to walk the South Coast Path.

The Wild Silence, Raynor’s second book was also good, although not as good as the first. You can read my reviews of both books here.

Landlines is Raynor’s third book, and her husband’s long term degenerative disease has worsened. They decide to walk the Cape Wrath Trail, a 200 mile path from the north coast of Scotland to Fort William, or vice versa.

I’m not giving away any spoilers as the pair of them when they finish the Cape Wrath Trail, then start the West Highland Way, before continuing all the way home to Cornwall.

What makes Raynor Winn’s books far more interesting is that she doesn’t solely concentrate on the travel and walking aspects of the adventure. Her writing is filled with social commentary, with Scottish independence, Brexit along with the the rise in homelessness. Their walk was completed in 2021, and the book has many examples of goods stuck in queues at the border. There is a poignant passage describing an almost deserted village nestled on the Pennine Way, where many of the cottages and homes were bought as second homes, and then the owners couldn’t stay there during lockdowns, resulting in the pub and shops closing in the village.

The book is also funny, with Moth breaking a finger as he tries to stuff a sleeping bag back into it’s outer, which is exactly the sort of thing I can imagine me or my lovely wife doing.

However, the most important things to take from the book are that we need to look after each other and our world, and that you shouldn’t ever stop. Don’t say that you’ll have adventures later, have them now. And I mean NOW!

Anyway, a great book and well deserved of five out of five.