Just off the Dalston Road in the south west corner of Carlisle lies the small village of Cummersdale.
Our walk starts on the far side of the village down by the River Caldew at map reference NY393531.
Our walk starts alongside the print works
We park the car in the free road edge car park and head off towards a factory gate.
The factory, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the nearby City, is the Stead McAlpin, Cummersdale Print Works.
To the right of the main gate is a tarmac path sandwiched between the factory, on our left and the river to our right.
A word of caution here and we must say that the path is shared with cyclists, so take care not to get in the way.
The path is well maintained and is of a tarmac construction bordered by a wooden fence to one side so we feel safe and above all stay clean.
Wide paths keep us clean
Once the factory is behind us we exit onto some wide open fields with the path leading off into the distance.
We see no evidence of sheep or cattle but to be sure, we stay on our leads.
We meet a number of colleagues happy to be out for their walks.
Many are running free and throughly enjoying a good run as they can see their humans for quite a distance.
The hedges to our left look as if they have been recently cut as they have sharp angular sides and a flat top.
Mum keeps us away from them as she says that we may get sharp clippings or thorns in our paws.
Plenty of new sniffs
Charlie finds many new sniffs and has to investigate everything crossing back and forth across the path.
Mum gets a little annoyed as our leads get caught up like the strings of a kite flying in a blustery wind.
Many new green tubes seem to have been tied to sturdy wooden stakes along this part of the path. Dad explains that the tubes are protecting new trees growing inside from being eaten by rabbits and other animals. They also act as a defence to strong winds and extremes in temperature
After a few years the new trees will grow big and tall and be able to look after themselves as they poke their leaves above the tubes, he adds.
Look at the view.
This area is known as Cummersdale Holmes and is maintained by Carlisle City Council.
Since the floods that affected large parts of the city in 2005 this area has been classed a floodwater storage zone.
Leaving the path for a minute or two we turn right towards the river and follow the line of a recently installed post and wire fence.
Ahead of us is the eastern outline of the city and slightly to the left are the large gasometers clearly visible towering above neighboring buildings on this edge of the city.
That is not a big stick, Charlie.
At the bottom of this slight hill is what appears to be a wildlife pond behind a fence.
A notice clearly displayed warns of deep water so we keep away and continue towards the river.
Charlie stands at the river edge and looks down on to a rusting pipe.
At some stage this was possibly covered by rocks and buried but the constant flow of water now has it revealed and the rust has started to form.
We keep away from the river edge as it looks a little fragile and don’t want to fall in. A small notice a little further on warns mum and dad of the danger and they keep us on short leads for a few minutes.
Entering Denton Holme close to the weir
Here we meet up with two scottie dogs out for a walk. Their pristine white coats have a tideline of general dirt from their adventures.
Because of their really short legs even dirty grass leaves a mark on their sides.
We say hello and continue on our way. Maybe our paths will cross when we return?
Our grass path leads on to firmer footings as we leave the park area and exit to the rear of the former Ferguson Mill complex.
The former Ferguson Brothers Mill
A once thriving cotton mill business the mill brought prosperity and employment to the City throughout the 1800’s and into the latter half of the Twentieth Century.
Ferguson Brothers Ltd opened the The Holme Head Works in 1824, although there was probably a mill on the site since Medieval times.
The mill processed cotton brought in from the United States, through the Port of Whitehaven and for a short time, Port Carlisle.
The sprawling complex has now been turned in to flats, sorry apartments, with some evidence still remaining of the buildings former life.
Above, what was possibly the main doorway into the offices, is an inscription ‘Ferguson Brothers Limited Registered Office’
The flood defence work has raised the river wall
Badly flooded in the storms of 2005 this area is undergoing flood defence work and river management to secure premises from any repeat damage.
You can clearly see the new wall built on top of the old as we ran down to the water for a well earned drink and a paddle.
It is hard to imagine that the water would even have been above my mums head as we mess about on this bit of shingle beach.
Ahead of us is not a tidal wave but the water cascading down a weir.
A new bridge awaits installation
A salmon run is positioned in the middle of the fast flowing water to allow atlantic salmon to return to the spawning grounds in late November to early January.
The source of the Caldew is on the western slopes of Skiddaw, with tributaries draining the western slopes of Great Calva, High Pike and the Caldbeck Fells.
The works to protect this part of the city involve replacing some of the old bridges that cross from the Denton Holme area in to the Boustead Grassing area of the city.
Two bridge sections and a works compound cause us to detour from the normal course of the path as we start to really appreciate the scale of the massive £24m scheme.
We are almost half a mile from where similar works have just finished in Victoria Park and these are only two locations of many dotted around the city.
New bridge already installed
We decide it is about time to turn back when we spot a little way further, one of the recently installed completed bridges.
The smooth white pillars of the new bridges will allow water to pass uninterrupted on the way to the River Eden about a mile away.
With the photograph taken, we turn around and commence our return journey.
The flood defence works do not look out of place.
In the spring sunshine the new walls with their white stone caps do not seem out of place and could be said to improve the area.
A big flat wall is just asking for a boy to walk along ...
It is a well known fact that a wall, especially with a flat top, is a magnet for young boys and Charlie is not the exception.
He desperately wants to be lifted up and in the end dad gives in.
Charlie becomes king of the castle, but is on a short lead so he doesn’t jump or fall off.
The return journey and the tyre factory is in the distance
We are now walking into the wind and the air takes on a new scent as we approach the Pirelli tyre factory in the distance.
You can faintly smell rubber in the air.
It is not a bad nasty smell, just unusual if you have not experienced it before.
We decide that we will take the path all the way home and avoid the river edge.
The path would be ideal for child buggies, bikes and possibly wheelchairs if you have someone to push or a motorised unit.
These comments bring us on to the gates at either end of this path.
What a gate. Now how do I get through here?
Our best description is that they were made by a former shipyard worker as they are the biggest gates we have ever seen.
A gap, just my size.
With narrow swing gates, gaps and wide gates they are a sight to behold.
Charlie eventually finds that he can fit through one gap but is not sure why a solid gate, possibly from a high security prison, is at one end.
If you are ever wanting to see an example of engineering by committee it has to be these structures. They could however be art? In which case marvelous, a good use of funds and what an expression of stability.
Our walk is almost at an end but not before dad bursts out laughing at the scene the other side of the wire fence, as we pass back alongside the print works.
Dad spotted this sign and had a laugh.
Until next time
Buster and Charlie.
Further information
You can download a guide to walking in this area produced by the East Cumbria Countryside Project
