Greenside up ..................... July 25th
(It's an old Irish joke)
The weatherman promised us a hot day and he was right. Although the north east coast was wrapped in cloud from the sea the west of the country, like the rest of the country baked in the sun. Five of us, Brian, Ben, Dave, Harry and I decided that today's walk would be in the Lake District so we headed for Borrowdale. From base, A69 west to Carlisle, M6 south to Penrith, A66 west to Keswick and follow signs for Borrowdale, which, apparently means "the dale of the fort or burg" because somewhere at the south end there was a Roman fort. Seeing as they built all over the place it isn't surprising.
We drove down Borrowdale as far as the village of Rosthwaite (heap of stones in a clearing), turned down the lane that leads to a National Trust car park, Yew Tree farm, once honoured by no less a person than HRH Prince of Wales, and The Flock Inn, a cafe which I think is run by the farm. It specialises in products, both wool and meat, from the local Herdwick sheep, sells an outstanding five flitch bacon sandwich and strong tea in half pint or pint mugs.(www.borrowdaleyewtreefarm.co.uk)
Well worth a visit. It also sells tins of baked beans.
The National Trust car park is free to members of that organisation but otherwise there is a meter. Next to it the local hall offers all day parking for £3, with an honesty box. The car park is at NY257148 and the map that would be more than useful for this walk is OS OL 4 The English Lakes North Western Area and if you are a laminator or just a photocopier it fits onto one A4 sheet.
This week's car park is at Rosthwaite, Cumbria.
The walk: Loaded down with extra water and full of tea we left the car park and walked down the lane to the village, turned left, crossed the road and headed over the bridge on the Stonethwaite Beck. Once over the bridge we turned right on what is part of the Cumbrian Way, fairly long distance footpath. There is a camp site on the south side, just past the village of Stonethwaite(another stony clearing?) fairly busy, the school holidays have begun, people splashed in the stream, no doubt having checked with the Health and Safety Authority that this was OK first. The track is stony but fairly level as it follows the north bank of the stream. It parts company with the Cumbrian way at a footbridge near Smithymire Island and follows Greenup Gill, slowly climbing to start with getting steeper as it
This is either Bull Crag or Eagle Crag, memory is going! ( Found out, it's Eagle Crag but thanks anyway.)
approaches Lining Crag, passing several drumlins, donning the Geography teacher's jacket, which I have not worn for some time. Actually I think they have a more technical name but I can't remember it.
Waterfall on Greenup Gill
Great Gable
It would be difficult to find a finer place to eat, surrounded by hills on a warm summer's day.
Looking down on Watendlath, one of the most beautiful bits of the Lake District
The plaque to Judith Paris is to the right of the door on the left hand side of the picture.
Looking towards Borrowdale towards the end of the walk
(It's an old Irish joke)
The weatherman promised us a hot day and he was right. Although the north east coast was wrapped in cloud from the sea the west of the country, like the rest of the country baked in the sun. Five of us, Brian, Ben, Dave, Harry and I decided that today's walk would be in the Lake District so we headed for Borrowdale. From base, A69 west to Carlisle, M6 south to Penrith, A66 west to Keswick and follow signs for Borrowdale, which, apparently means "the dale of the fort or burg" because somewhere at the south end there was a Roman fort. Seeing as they built all over the place it isn't surprising.
We drove down Borrowdale as far as the village of Rosthwaite (heap of stones in a clearing), turned down the lane that leads to a National Trust car park, Yew Tree farm, once honoured by no less a person than HRH Prince of Wales, and The Flock Inn, a cafe which I think is run by the farm. It specialises in products, both wool and meat, from the local Herdwick sheep, sells an outstanding five flitch bacon sandwich and strong tea in half pint or pint mugs.(www.borrowdaleyewtreefarm.co.uk)
Well worth a visit. It also sells tins of baked beans.
The National Trust car park is free to members of that organisation but otherwise there is a meter. Next to it the local hall offers all day parking for £3, with an honesty box. The car park is at NY257148 and the map that would be more than useful for this walk is OS OL 4 The English Lakes North Western Area and if you are a laminator or just a photocopier it fits onto one A4 sheet.
The walk: Loaded down with extra water and full of tea we left the car park and walked down the lane to the village, turned left, crossed the road and headed over the bridge on the Stonethwaite Beck. Once over the bridge we turned right on what is part of the Cumbrian Way, fairly long distance footpath. There is a camp site on the south side, just past the village of Stonethwaite(another stony clearing?) fairly busy, the school holidays have begun, people splashed in the stream, no doubt having checked with the Health and Safety Authority that this was OK first. The track is stony but fairly level as it follows the north bank of the stream. It parts company with the Cumbrian way at a footbridge near Smithymire Island and follows Greenup Gill, slowly climbing to start with getting steeper as it
approaches Lining Crag, passing several drumlins, donning the Geography teacher's jacket, which I have not worn for some time. Actually I think they have a more technical name but I can't remember it.
Little drumlins or some sort of moraine. Please let me know. But you can see the path coming up
from Stonethwaite
Beyond Lining Crag the path gets much steeper and in parts is a scramble as it climbs to Greenup Edge. A young couple were coming down, I asked if I was near the top, the young man replied, "Not far now, keep it up, you are doing well." Bloody teacher I suspect.
Harry pauses for a drink on the steep part of the path. He is doing well.
Once on Greenup Edge we turned and headed north east on the footpath to Ullscarf where we declared a Herbie Spot. Apart fro water, coffee/tea and sandwiches we fed on mini pork pies, a blast from the past courtesy of Dave, Ben's ginger biscuits and some Czech chocolate. Ullsarf is not a very interesting bump but situated fairly centrally it gives beautiful panoramic views of the Lakeland Fells. I really must learn how to use the stitch facility on the camera. Looking west, Bowfell, the Scafells, Lingmell, Gable and Pillar and looking east Helvellyn, Fairfield, Dollywagon and the rest.
Distant Derwentwater
Lunch over we headed north east then north to Standing Crag from where we walked down to Blea Tarn.
Blea Tarn From the tarn the path continues north west before turning west and falling steeply but on a well made path to Watendlath. Watendlath has a very welcoming tea room, and a car park for non walkers. On the farm house wall a plaque says Home of Judith Paris. She was the heroine of one of the four Rogue Herries novels by Hugh Walpole. All set in the Lakes I remember the title but not the book. Personally I thought this might be site of Fell Farm Holiday and Fell Farm for Christmas, but the lady in the tea shop had never heard of these classic children's stories. She did however make an excellent pot of tea which set us up for the last stage of the walk following the footpath southwest over Puddingstone Bank and down to Rosthwaite.
A well decorated bicycle at Watendlath
The River Derwent at Rosthwaite
A great walk on a hot day, lots of liquid required. We drove most of the way home before stopping at Carts Bog Pub near Hexham where Dave had a romantic liaison in 1976. Far more interesting was the Wylam beer on tap. The Wylam Gold was excellent, worth the drive back.
The Matrix MMXIV Q
steps miles
LIDL3D 20876 9.38
Daves LIDL 3D 25178 9.31
Dave's USB 24329 8.83
Ben's bragometer 10.1
My GPS 10
Brian's ran out of battery
Gadgie distance 309
Contains OS data copyright Crown Copyright database right 2014.
I read all the Walpole books, huddled under blankets,by oil lamp, in the "good old days"!!!!!!!!(poetic license, in case it isn't obvious).
ReplyDeleteBy oil lamp? You were lucky, we had to use a few glow worms to read in bed.
ReplyDelete