I have missed the gadgie walk again as the gadgette and I went to Greater Manchester to visit family but Brian has recorded the day's events....
May The Force(s) Be With
You.
Today we are in Teesdale.
The Bolgmeister is still unavailable but there are a magnificent seven
gadgies donning their boots today. The 3
Johns, Dave, Harry, Ben and Brian.
The start of the walk is at the Bowlees Visitor Centre
and car park (for which there is a voluntary charge). The visitor centre is in a renovated chapel
and provides pleasant surroundings and an excellent bacon sandwich.
Car Parking
Walk straight out of the centre to the main road and
follow the sign post down to the river.
You are immediately at the very attractive Low Force waterfalls.
Low Force
We cross the bridge and turn right, now following the
Pennine Way. The path follows the river
and at one point passes through a large stand of Juniper bushes. There were a couple of kayakers at the
water’s edge struggling with their craft in the strong flowing current.
It is about 1.5 miles upstream to High Force
waterfall. It may not be quite the
highest waterfall in England but it does have the largest volume of water falling over an unbroken drop when in
full spate.
High Force
It is also popular with gadgie snappers .
On leaving High Force we were asked to clean and
disinfect our boots to help combat the spread of some deadly killer tree disease
which we duly did. The feel of the
landscape is now more remote; until about 0.5 miles past the waterfall you come
upon this blot on the landscape.
It’s an eyesore but people do have to work.
The route continues along the Pennine Way but now much
more undulating. There are wide views of the valley and now the almost
continuous sight and sound of Lapwings performing their aerial acrobatics. We pass Cronkley and come to a bridge across
the river where it is decided that, behind a sheltering wall, to call a Herbie
spot.
Herbie Spot
Today’s feast includes; banana and ginger cake from the
oven of Mrs Hall, Ben’s ginger biscuits, Mrs A’s cheese scones, carrot cake and
a chocolate bar. From our lunch spot we
can see oyster catchers, grey lag geese.
After lunch we cross the bridge and turn immediately left
and along the river bank. As with most
river banks this year the signs of erosion are obvious.
A real photographer in action
At the next bridge we turn inland, following the sign for
Langdon Beck YHA. It is a short distance
to the main road, which we cross and up towards Underhearth. A steady but muddy climb leads us to some caves,
which Dave and Ben explore.
The path is now at a higher level and quite muddy in
places. We go through the farms of Wool
Pit Hill, where lambing was obviously in full swing, High Berk Head and Scar
End.
These lambs were no more than a few minutes
old.
John C now employed his GPS tracking device to guide us
over the couple of miles to the Flushlemere Beck, into the woodland and back to
the car park.
There was a short spur, for those who wished, to see
Gibsons Cave and the waterfalls. So here
are the photos for those who didn’t
The waterfall
Inside the cave
Looking out through the waterfall
We stopped for Harry’s birthday beer round at the The
Punch Bowl in Edmundbyers. Sadly Harry
(and John C) was driving so overdosed on coffee. The rest of us had Wainwrights and Bombardier
– very nice.
The walk was judged to be about 10.5 miles with 1150ft of
ascent.
(Next week “Walking with Fairies” with Norman “Two Sheds”
Johnsen)
Looks like a good gadgie day. It was also my birthday but they won't let me get away with it next week.
Dave has sent his pedometer readings:
MATRIX MMXVI L
steps miles
LIDL3D 24867 11.19
LIDLUSB 23934 10.95
NAKOSITE 23611 10.8
Walk of 11 miles I reckon
Dave has sent his pedometer readings:
MATRIX MMXVI L
steps miles
LIDL3D 24867 11.19
LIDLUSB 23934 10.95
NAKOSITE 23611 10.8
Walk of 11 miles I reckon
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