Our Saturday walk started at Lanercost Priory outside Brampton in North Cumbria. From the car park we climbed the steps over the wall and into a field following the sign pointing to Burtholme.
Stile - not easy for dogs
With sheep in the field we stayed on our leads and started following the small yellow arrows nailed to fence posts.
Following the edge of the field and staying away from any livestock our path brought us to a double stile.
As we have previously mentioned these are often hard for us to negotiate as we have to be lifted over. Although in good condition the steps were narrow and the top fence bar had barbed wire attached to it. Mum and dad were almost ready to turn around at this point to avoid us getting into difficulty.
Around 40 sheep were busy munching grass as we made our way along an imaginary path across the deep green coloured field .
A small stream to our left bubbled and gurgled over rocks and along the field edge. Charlie wanted to go for a paddle but the water looked a bit cloudy and muddy.
Metal grill used to surround the tree
Half way across this field were the remnants of fallen giants. Once encased in metal corsets two tree stumps were rotting a few meters from the waters edge.
Sack wall
One of the trees had grown through the bars and before being cut down was seemingly trying to break free of it’s shackles.
Just as we were about to leave the field, through a proper farm gate, dad noticed that the supporting wall of this bridge was unusual.
The far wall looks as if it has been made from cloth sacks filled with cement and then stacked to form a barrier.
We exited the field onto Burtholme Bridge. An inscription in the middle of the right hand bridge wall indicates that the bridge was widened in 1937 by Cumberland County Council.
Turning left and past a busy collection of farm buildings we stayed on short leads along the narrow road until we came to a public footpath sign to Howgill.
I wonder which way?
Although indicating this was a proper pathway the conditions underfoot for the next 500m or so were quite bad. The ground was pitted with holes and we kept loosing our footing as our paws slipped between the blades of grass and in to deep holes left by cattle in the previously wet mud.
Mum also felt her ankles wobble on more than one occasion as she struggled with the conditions.
Impromptu artwork
A muddy narrow trackway led from this field into the next. Our only indication of where to go was a yellow spray painted arrow on a tree.
So up the hill we all climbed like the characters from the childrens tv series TeleTubbies.
Another stile awaited us at the top of the field along with a couple of kissing gates before we exited onto a road towards the small village of Walton.
Just before the climb up the hill to the village we followed a dirt path down to the free flowing water of the river known as King Water.
As we approached the river we passed between some rock sentinels. Around 20 stone columns had been created around 12 ft apart and in a perfect straight line from the bridge to the far rivers edge. Each column was around 2ft high and made from river stones place on top of each other.
Old bit of Hadrians Wall
Mum and dad stopped and looked at this impromptu simple artwork and wondered why it was here and who had created it. We kept our distace and ensured we didn’t knock any of the stones over.
Rejoining the road and a little way further we detoured into a filed to our right where a English Heritage sign caught dads attention. With the heading ‘Dovecote Bridge’ it seems as if this is the site of a part of Hadrians wall built from Cumbrian red standstone.
Finger Post
To preserve it, it is covered with earth, so all you can now see is a grass mound.
We arrive at Walton and after a quick look around the village, the churchyard and the village green we start on our way back towards Lanercost.
Our journey back follows the roads as mum thinks this will be quicker and a little better for our paws.
New lamb and Mum
Passing by fields filled with new lambs we also have an encounter with a tractor pulling a roller that makes the earth shake and mum spots a few interesting plants in the hedgerows.
As it is late, and mum wants to go to bed, we will keep these stories for another installment later in the week.
Until next time
Buster and Charlie
