Dad was on form as we set out on Saturday morning with our drinks bottles, flask and the new maps dad had bought earlier in the week.

Our expeditions now have a bit of structure with the arrival of the maps as a bit of planning can now take place.

BP fuel prices £1.13 for both unleaded and diesel

Bothel was to be our starting point then, depending on the weather, Gilcrux and possibly ending up in Allonby via a few places on the way.

These were all places dad had not visited and so would be new sniffs for all of us.

Parity

First we needed to give the car a drink. So we pulled into the service station on the edge of the city and filled up.

Dad was surprised to notice that the price of diesel was the same as that for unleaded.

Usually there is a difference of quite a few pence, but not today.

As we drove out of the garage Mum and dad had a discussion as to when the price would hit £1.50 a litre. Dad thought around the end of September but mum speculated that maybe in the new year.

At this point we curled up in the back of the car whilst the conversation went into economics and deep things like inflationary pressure and interest rates.

Bothel

Thankfully our first destination was not too far from Carlisle and after parking the car near to the school we set off around the village.

The former Chapel in Bothel

Bothel is situated west of Carlisle just off the A595 at it’s junction to the A591 to Keswick.

It is perched on a hill with commanding views of the Solway and the across to the Scottish coastline.

We were not sure what we were expecting to find as we walked around the village but were pleasantly surprised. Everyone we met said hello, including the very nice post woman who was very busy in her red van.

A flush bracket in Bothel

The first unusual building we came upon was the former Methodist chapel.  It looks as if it has had the top sliced clean off leaving only the lower windows.

In the bottom right hand corner as you look at the building is an Ordnance Survey flush bracket. It has the waypoint designation 0205S.

According to the Bench Mark database this flush bracket was used during the Third geodetic levelling, England & Wales between 1950 and 1968.

We can still see the dustbin...

It was included on the Cockermouth to Wetheral levelling line.

The surveyor’s description was NE face, N angle of chapel, SW side of road, Bothel.

Camouflage

Bothel is a maze of streets leading off a central arterial road. Half way up what you could call the main street we came upon this very badly camouflaged dustbin.

A large mural in Bothel

Interestingly in the picture the seat is more hidden than the bin.

The design was no doubt the result of many a parish council meeting or art grant.

At the top of the village our attention was drawn to this partly covered mural painted onto the side of a farm barn.  It must have taken hours to paint originally however it seems to have been partly painted over.

Cats enjoy the late morning sunshine in Bothel

Mum and dad puzzled for a long time trying to work out what it was for and came to the conclusion that it was possibly an advert for a restaurant nearby.

Maybe it was painted by the phantom bin painter of Bothel?

Friends

Venturing up one of the side streets in our quest to find interesting things we came across this pair of cats enjoying the late morning sunshine.

Charlie spots some ducks in Bothel

They kept a close eye on us from their vantage point on the roof of this car.

These cats are very naughty sitting on the paintwork. We would not be allowed to do this.

Water or ducks

Our circular walk returned us to the main street once more but this time on the opposite side of the road.

Dad, ever the little boy, spotted one of those vehicle speed indicators strapped to a lamp post. He just could not stop himself running towards it to see if it would light up.

Faster and faster we ran and the display lit up 27mph. Wow we thought, Olympics here we come, just as a car past us from behind.

Nearby Charlie spotted, bobbing around in a quite large pond at the bottom of a garden, some ducks or was it the pond he was interested in.

He sat for a good few minutes trying to work out how they moved  and what made them woof in a very unusual manner until dad pulled on the lead and said we needed to move on to our next location.

Gilcrux

Yarling Well in Gilcrux

Heading away from the A595 and using the backroads we aim towards Gilcrux. Locally this place is pronounced GillCruise.

Parking the car just we head on foot away from the church along a wide open street with buildings set back from the road.

Just along from the entrance to The Beeches Caravan Park we notice an unusual covered structure surrounded by grass.

Chapel Well in Gilcrux

Three large stone slabs form a roof above Yarling Well.  The name of the well is written in ironwork on the front grill.

A circular plaque indicates that the water is not suitable for humans to drink. Frustratingly we can’t get out lickers through the grill.

Passing to the other end of the village, past the Masons Arms and some very friendly cows in a farm yard we spot another well on the left of the road.

Well, well, well

This well is called Chapel Well and features a trough that is ideal for us to take a drink out of. It is just the right height and the fast flowing cool water is great to refresh us.

Recycling centre in Gilcrux

It would seem as if Gilcrux must have been designed for us with all these water features. Mum and dad wondered what history these wells had and why they were so named.  Do you know?

Heading back towards the church and we spot a faded yellow sign which at first glance could have come straight out of a 1940′s film set.

Hatching Well in Gilcrux

Positioned next to an old farm building this is the Gilcrux recycling centre with the large plastic bins kept out of site.

Well done for mixing the old and the new.

Soggy paws

After a brief detour to take some snowdrop pictures for the photo database and a quick trip around the churchyard of St Mary’s Gilcrux Charlie’s ears prick up as he hears the sound of running water.

Just below us is yet another well. This one is called Hatching Well.

Like Yarling Well earlier this well is also surrounded by a fence however I can just get squeezed between the metal uprights and take a drink.

The good folk of Gilcrux have also provided a stone step for my rear paws to keep them out of the dirt.

Onwards

Consulting the map once more in the car and our next venue was going to be the seaside at Allonby.

Allonby Beach

We had been good boys on short leads for large parts of our walks today due to us being near to roads and people so dad thought we needed to stretch our legs.

Where better to do this than on the wide open space of the beach.

We have visited Allonby before but it was great to get back for some sea air.

After a small picnic of hot tomato soup and a roll, sat on a sand bank with the warm afternoon sun warming our backs, we ventured off down the coast.

Stones, shells, sand and warm sunshine make for a great walk as we paddled and ran around.

Allonby is great as we can get very sandy and a little damp as we leave the car behind. Our return journey can be on the grass or paths further inland allowing us to dry off and clean up.

By mid afternoon we were starting to slow down and we headed back to the car and the drive home.

Our heads were full of new sniffs and our muscles starting to ache a little as we settled down in the car for the journey home.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie