100 posts and a walk in Carlisle

Celebrations are the order of the day as we clock up one hundred posts on this version of our blog.

Long term readers will know that actually the number of posts we have published is a lot higher than this but the clock was reset when we moved to this software called Wordpress.

Did you know you can follow us on Twitter?  Our username is ablogfrommydog

Looking back over the last 100 posts we have done quite an amazing amount of stuff and explored some fantastic places.

Today we have been on a walk taking full advantage of the overnight frosts hardening the ground and in turn making them un-muddy.

Our circular walk started at the Stoneyholme golf course car park just off Victoria Place in Carlisle. Here is a link for  Google maps.

Cranes

Leaving the car park and golf course buildings behind us we crossed over the bridge  and entered into Rickerby Park.

The River Eden was still flowing quite quickly and had the colour of whipped hot chocolate.

Two cranes dominate the skyline as they keep watch over the new Richard Rose Central Academy on Lismore Place.

Costing about £30m to build it is hoped the new school complex will be complete by  January 2011.

The cranes – a Potain and a Liebherr – were supplied by Kier Plant and are 34m and 24m high with a 55m radius.

Debris

Following the edge of the River Eden towards the town we pass this debris covered wire fence.

Many tonnes of grasses, twigs and litter have become lodged against one side of the wire.  It is not hard to work out that the river flows past this location from right to left.

Looking across the river and towards TheSands sports complex some damage looks to have been caused to these railings.

Ahead of us and balanced on one of the Eden Bridge supports is this very big log.

Maybe this former tree was carried down stream during the last flood and became stuck here.  Let’s see how long it lasts?

Restored

Our path now leaves the river edge and after climbing the bank we take a look at Eden Bridge Gardens.

You may remember that earlier this year a programme of restoration and renovation was undertaken on the gardens which are locally known as the Chinese Gardens.  You can find out more about the work done here over at heritageandhistory.com

We leave the park via the steps and exit onto Stanwix Bank crossing over the River Eden via Eden Bridge and onto the path by the side of The Sands.

Flood defences

A new sign has appeared around the town recently marking the 2005 floods in the city. Bright red with an outline of the River Eden in blue the sign simply says ‘Flood January 2005′.

Five years have almost past since the horrid floods of 2005 when all of this area was underwater. The new flood defences will hopefully make this a thing of the past.

Keeping The Sands  Centre to our right we make our way down a few steps and onto a path by the side of yet another golf course called The Swifts.

Golf

This facility  was one of the first official PGA Golf Starter Centre’s and features a tight par 3 course, 16 bay driving range, grass hitting area, practice bunker and a chipping facility. Whatever that means:-)

Hidden in debris on this side of the river dad notices this post marking the Eden Riverside trail.

Not exactly a modern sign, we wondered how long it had been in place and doing it’s duty.

Also lurking amongst the branches mum spotted this golf club.

Resting high up in a tree we puzzled for a while how it would become in such a position.

Given it would not float easily we concluded that it must have been placed here by a frustrated golfer who had lost his grip and thrown his golf stick high into the air.

Maybe it is waiting for next autumn to get down from the tree along with the elephants.

Four years

What a memory my dad has for images, maybe he is an elephant?

As we rounded a bend in the river dad spotted a row of bushes and commented that he had a photograph in the archive, which currently contains over 60,000 images, of when these bushes were planted.

Sure enough he was right and here is the proof.  Interestingly the image was taken almost exactly fours years ago to the date (27 Dec 2005).

The large image is from 2005 and the inset is now.

Kyack

Floating down the River Eden to our  left was this man in a kyack. Had he travelled far and what had he seen on his travels. Given the high water he possibly had travelled for many miles.

If you were this person then please get in touch so we can find out about your journey and what you had seen?

Our journey now ended where we began.  It had taken about an hour but had been great fun. Thankfully we would not need a bath as we had kept very clean if not a little damp from the damp grass.

Until next time and post 101

Buster and Charlie

Golden trees in Ennerdale, Cumbria

Saturday turned out to be a better day than anyone could have predicted with warm sunshine, a great walk and loads of paddling.

The brief was to go in search of autumn colours and all the guides hinted that Ennerdale was the place to visit.

Mum had written about a number of places around the county to visit in her article over on Naturearoundme all about the autumn gold rush.  So we thought we should visit at least one of them for on the job research.

Bowness Knott was to be our destination, situated in a place called Ennerdale near to West Cumbria. OS Grid Reference: NY109153

We have not visited this area before so all the sniffs are new and we were eager to go exploring.

Leading from the car park area was a firm, well drained forest track.  So the area would be ideal for pushchairs and wheelchairs with a helper.

To our right were high tall cliffs below which was a great lake of clear fresh water.  On our left was woodland mainly pine but also many other trees including oak.

Vehicles are not allowed on this track except for the occasional deliveries to the Youth Hostel.  So it is worth keeping a look out for these rare occasions.

Ennerdale Water was just too tempting and after about ten minutes the path came to the waters edge and we were straight in.

Cool, clear fresh lakeland water up to our tummies and great for a drink.  Stones and shingle made for a gentle slope from the path in to the water so we could paddle quite a way with our feet on the bottom.

Dad says that we should take care as it does get very deep, up to 40m,  in the middle.

Ennerdale Water is over 4km long and supplies drinking water to much of west Cumbria.

With a clear blue sky overhead, the autumn colours of the trees lined our path.  Rich golds were mixed with brown, dark green and every shade in-between as the trees get ready to rest for the winter.

Interestingly very few leaves were falling on to the road.  Must be some weird science going on.

With our lickers fully refreshed we continued down the path.  Being wet, some of the dusty road surface was starting to stick to our fur so, at every chance to go for a paddle, we just dived in.

Mum started to get a little fed up of this and we turned off the low road and climbed up to our left following another forest trail.

This path was a little bit steeper and zig zagged first to our right then to our left where Charlie once more put his nose to the air and detected water.

Off to our left and sounding quite spectacular was gushing water.  However, we could not see it, as it was hidden behind trees and undergrowth.

As we climbed the noise became louder until eventually a clearing and in the distance, we saw the source.

Trickling through the rocks and making a noise out of scale with the amount of water,  was a stream cascading between rocks.  Quite a disappointment as we were expecting at least a mini Niagara Falls:-)

No paddling to be had here as the stream was out of reach so we turned back down the hill towards our original path.

Towards the bottom of the hill mum spotted something white in the undergrowth at the side of the path.  She got all excited  as it turned out to be a bone.  For mum this sighting was like finding treasure .

At home she spends hours watching satellite tv and programmes about Egyptian Mummies and bodies.

What followed was just like a scene from a C.S.I. programme where they try and work out what happened.  If only mum had some yellow numbered cards and a torch the tableau would have been complete.

Charlie and I helped as we tracked down various bones amongst the leaf litter.

Eventually we found a skull situated a little way from the leg bones. Alongside it was a vertebrae.

Given that all the bones were clean, it would appear they had been in the forest for some while.  We kept our distance from the bones in case they had nasties on them.

Given the size of the leg bone, about 20cm,  the dead animal was quite short.

First indications pointed towards possibly a sheep or possibly a small roe deer.

Part of the  lower jaw bone was also found.  This confused the ‘crime scene’ as it looked quite angular. The teeth were not worn,  so the beastie may have been quite young.

Given that we had not seen sheep on our walk and that it was a woodland area, it would appear this may have been a small deer.  But not being experts we can only guess.  Can you identify the bones?  Let us know via the comments.

Leaving this part of the forest as we found it we returned to the original path and another quick paddle.

It is thirsty work searching out bones and new sniffs.

Dad decided that we had now walked far enough away from the car and we should start our return.

We returned to the car along our original path.

A circular path is available for walkers wishing to go over the tops and having the correct outdoor gear including a map and basic safety equipment.

Entering the car park we were made aware of the risks of venturing onto the fell tops as we past a collecting box for Coniston Mountain Rescue.

It is hard to believe but it looked as if many attempts had been made to break into the stone sided container.

It is worth noting that the car park is free and that toilets are not available in the area.

Further information

Learn all about autumn at the Woodlands Trust

All about why leaves change colour

Wainwright Pictorial Guides to the Lake District

Caldbeck, John Peel and a bobbin mill called The Howk

Caldbeck in North Cumbria was our destination earlier this week as we once again went on our adventures.

This small village is situated midway between Carlisle and Keswick, around 12miles from each.

One claim to fame for this area is the erection of the new television transmitter mast on a nearby fell.

This mast is the third tallest structure in the UK and beams digital tv signals to the local area and southern Scotland.

The digital switchover is complete in North Cumbria, so if you are visiting in your caravan or motorhome you will need a set top box,  as no old fashioned analogue tv signals can be received.

Our walk.

We started our walk just a little way outside of the village as this allowed us a bit of a run before we needed short leads on the pavements.

As we entered the village with the TV masts behind us, we crossed the road and entered Caldbeck village car park, grid ref NY 319398.

Making sure we kept out of the way of any cars, we passed straight through and out the other end bearing off to our right. A slight climb, 30m,  and we came out by the village duck pond.

We must have looked lost at this stage until Dad spotted a sign to our left on a tall gate, around 50m away across another quiet village road.

Passing between some lovely cottages made from former farm buildings, we pass through another gate and onto the path away from the village.

The path is firm, well drained and suitable for buggies and wheelchairs. It does have a slight incline so an assistant may be required.

After around 10 minutes we exited into a clearing with some tall buildings in front of us.

A notice board said we had come upon the Howk.

Situated in a limestone gorge, the only one in the Lake District, is the restored former wooden bobbin mill.

You can only imagine the noise in this enclave when the mill was in full production in the 19th Century.

Power for the mill came from a waterwheel said to be the largest in the country and second largest in the world, according to some reports,  at 3 feet wide, and a 42 feet diameter.

Water for the wheel came from the Whelpo Beck which becomes Cald Beck as it approaches the village.

Carved into a stone, on the big building infront of us was the date AD 1857.

Hardwood copiced from the nearby woodland, was stored in the tall open building to our right. After being de-barked the seasoned wood was turned into wooden bobbins in the main building ahead.

Bobbins were used to store wool, threads and other materials vital to the spinning and weaving industries.  Plastic has since replaced the wooden bobbin.

Flax mills, woolen mills, corn mills  and papermills were among the many industries harnessing the local resources.

Rare lime loving plants can be found in the area including the Shield Fern.

Charlie found sniffs of many creatures passing through this area.

From above Mum could see the trails in the flattened tall grass however Charlie put his nose to the ground and had a field day.

The path led away behind the furthest buildings and after a steep climb, not suitable for buggies or wheelchairs,  we came upon these young cows.

They were very interested in us and came over to say hello.

Dad decided that we should not proceed into the field and we returned a little down the path to a small wooden bridge we had spotted earlier over Whelpo Beck.

Water was cascading down between the boulders very quickly.  We ran across the bridge so not to get too scared.

Steps led away from the ‘Fairy Bridge’ upto a field and we could once again have a good run around without mum and dad worrying.

Following the path to our left we passed two wooden gates with brass signs on them which read Private, and came upon a kissing gate where we waited for the ‘olds’ to catch up..

Dad’s in built compass indicated we had come out on to a road above the village of Caldbeck, so we headed down the hill to see what else we could find.

After passing a field with geese and donkeys in, we spotted to our right a red sign hidden a little by a wall.

Joe Strong and Son, Traditional Clogmakers, Boot and Shoe repairs.

Sadly he was not open and according to the assorted notices on the door, well worth a read if you are passing, he could be in bed, fixing a drystone wall or just closed.

In a shop below is a clock maker and repairer, opposite are the public toilets.

Our walk continued towards the village along the B5299, past the Oddfellows Arms and towards the church.

We both put our noses into the air as we could smell food as we passed through here but mum said we had to wait a little bit longer.

Keeping the local store to our left and the pub behind us we came to the edge of  St Kentigern’s churchyard.  A small tarmac path lead alongside the church wall which came out at a bridge.

Here we hoped to get a paddle and a well earned drink but the access to the water was  a bit steep.

To our left and just below the pack horse bridge is St Kentigern’s well. St Kentegern was also  affectionately known as St Mungo. The well is referred to in some texts as St Mungo’s Well.

According to tradition it is here that Kentegern, baptized 6th Century converts in the river waters.

A path leads away from the bridge to our right, between the church wall and the river and comes out finally at a place where we can have a drink.

Behind us is the restored Priest’s Mill with assorted gift shops and The Watermill cafe.

The cafe has an open air area to the rear where we stopped and had shared a bite to eat with Mum and Dad.

Dogs are most welcome, so long as they behave and don’t leave a mess. Previous visitors have included Pepsi and Max

After lunch, a very nice ham and salad sandwich, we returned to the front of the church where we saw this unusual round stone propped up against another boulder.

To the left is a small silver painted sign saying that this is a memorial in tribute to the men and their families who lived and worked in the mines of Roughton Gill for 400 years and who now lay in the churchyard.

The stone itself was used in the 19th century in its original circular form to process minerals from the mines.

It is well documented that Dad always seems to end up in a graveyard and this walk was no exception.

He had read that John Peel, the famous huntsman, not the radio DJ,  was buried nearby and wondered if he was remembered in the church somewhere.

We stayed with mum outside the church grounds whist dad went through the squeaky gates.

Sure enough, a white headstone to the left of the main church path, marked where he was buried.

We returned through the village to the car park where we started not before we investigated the path towards Sebergham.

Shall we say that it was very muddy and slippery and will have to wait for a bit of dry weather before we fully explore this area.

It did however result in us taking another paddle to get cleaned off before we got back in the car.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie

Lochmaben in Scotland is our destination …

Scotland is our destination on this adventure and it is to the small town of Lochmaben where we end up.

Our journey takes us up the new M6 extension through the area previously known as the Cumberland gap and onto the A74(m).

We waited until the middle of the afternoon to venture out so the temperatures were a little cooler and we could enjoy our adventures.

At Lockerbie we turned left and onto the A709 to Lochmaben and entered the town with the Annandale Sailing Club to our left on the edge of Castle Loch.

Turning left again onto the B7020 took us around the top of Castle Loch and towards our initial destination of Lochmaben Castle, grid NY 088 811.

Our approach to the castle was down a very dusty farm track full of potholes and with grass growing down the centre at times.  Dad wondered if he had taken an incorrect turning however, after passing through a farm gate and negotiating a sharp left bend the road widened with the castle infront of us.

Three or four parking spaces were available here in front of a sign ‘Bird Hide’ and a narrow path.

A larger car park is available further down the track past the castle, but no signs indicated this as this stage.

Charlie was first out of the car and started to explore all of the new smells.  Either side of the track grew grasses and lush green vegetation.

Fresh long grass is fantastic and I love to eat it. I am not sure why, as mum gives us some great varieties of food, but like a fine wine for you humans, long blades of natural grass is seen as a luxury, as we don’t have much of it in our garden.

Lochmaben Castle lies in ruins today, however you can manage to get amongst the outer walls of this former Royal residence. It was granted royal castle status in 1455.

The first stronghold on this site was built around 1300 and was built by Edward I

With a commanding view, now mostly obscured by trees and other vegetation, of Castle Loch, it is quite easy to see why this site was chosen as a position of influence and status.

From the main car park we follow one of the paths down the gentle bank and onto a sandy inlet.  Charlie can smell the water and eagerly pulls at his lead as he picks his way between tree stumps and assorted shrubbery.

He waits our arrival before we both run into the cool water for a drink and a paddle.

Ahead of us are the boats of the sailing club, to our left is the town and over to our right some swans bask in the early evening sunshine as they cruise majestically over the water.

The path seems to come to an end here, so we return to where we parked the car and to the path that leads to the bird hide.

Narrow and not well trodden would be the best way to describe this path as it snaked it’s way towards the Loch.  Tall grasses and reeds punctured the air above our path obstructing any view we may have had of our surroundings.

After a few hundred metres the grass path gave way to a boardwalk similar to the one we experienced at Finglandrigg Moss a few months ago. However, unlike that one this had the boards just spaced that little bit further apart and lacked the mesh covering that saved our legs from falling between the planks. We had to be very careful as our legs could have become trapped our broken if we missed a step.

Taking a gamble at a split in the boardwalk, we chose the path to the left and were rewarded with the sight of the bird hide standing high on stilts ahead.

Charlie quickly worked out how he could take advantage of the hide and standing on one of the wooden benches surveyed the area whilst I took the easier option by looking through the doorway.

With our tummies now rumbling and the light starting to fade we returned to the car and drove to a car park closer to the town centre.

Parking this time just behind the town’s war memorial, we walked in to town past the church and down a very wide straight road towards the town hall.

Standing proud overlooking our approach is a monument to Robert the Bruce.  Some confusion exists as to the towns claim to be the home of this Scottish legend, however what seems to be clear is that the Bruce family were Lords of Annandale so were very powerful in the area.

One story on the internet indicates that Robert was born in Lochmaben Castle and following defeat in battle, sought shelter in a cave and came upon a spider…. the rest of the story is they say the stuff of legend and folklore.

Fish and chips in the park.

All good adventures should have a picnic and after purchasing sausage and chips from a shop just behind the town hall, we returned to a grassed park area sloping down to the Loch not far from where the car was parked, to eat them.

Why is it that outdoor food just tastes fantastic.  A cool drink, from the bottle of fresh water mum was carrying, washed everything down and we thought our adventures were over for the day as we headed in the direction of the car.

The entrance to the car park featured a large swan carved into an old log.

Whilst were were looking at it a local resident mentioned that more carvings were on display along a nearby path.

Great, a new adventure and we hurried off towards the vehicular access ramp to the car park.

Leading away from the car park, in the direction of the Castle and with the Loch to our left we followed what appeared to be a recently installed trail level through woodlands.

One of the first carvings we came upon was this heron.   No details seem to have been provided about this trail or who has done the artworks unless we missed the information boards.

Even a fallen tree has seen the creative chainsaw action, as it is turned into a carved tree.

This path seemed ideal for a wheelchair or buggy and with the canopy of the trees forming a shade, reasonably cool.

Every few hundred meters a jetty sticks out from the path towards the cool water of the Castle Loch.

The Loch it seems is one of Britain’s top fisheries holding three Scottish records for the fish caught.

Dad did not venture any further along this jetty.  He thought that the left hand side of it did not look too stable however, he did think it made for a good photograph.

Oh Charlie …

As if on cue and always towards the end of a walk the cry of ‘Oh Charlie’ went up from mum and dad.

To the right is a picture of the fine looking fellow just moments before he went trampling through some tall grass that edged the path.

Like smoke billowing from a steam train pollen cascaded from the assorted grasses and into the air surrounding the panting Charlie.

He got covered with tiny grains of dust and seeds.  It went everywhere and as mum had hold of my lead it was up to dad to clean him off.

This seemed a good idea until dad started to sneeze, and sneeze and sneeze …..

Until next time

Buster and Charlie.

Kingmoor Nature Reserve visited, Carlisle

To the woods near Carlisle today for our big walk of the week.

The Kingmoor Nature Reserve to the north of the City was to be our destination as dad didn’t fancy going to far with rain clouds circling overhead.  He thought that at least the trees would provide a bit of cover if it did start to rain.

Parking in the car park just off Kingmoor Road, once dad had negotiated the tight entrance with the car, we put on our leads and started getting aquainted with our surroundings.

The 33 hectares that make up one of the oldest nature reserves in the country has recently been awarded Green Flag status.

This area has been enjoyed by the public for nearly 700 years, only becoming a nature reserve or is reported on some websites a bird sanctuary in 1913.

King Edward III gifted the original moorland to the citizens of Carlisle in 1352.  Granting grazing rights and allowing peat cutting for fuel.

Following a quick glimpse at the notice boards at the entrance to the woods, our adventures started along a well made and dry track forming part of a circular 800m route suitable for buggies and wheelchairs.

We decided however, after a few yards  to follow our noses along some side pathways and off into the woods.

Scattered all over the woodlands are sculptures, seats and things to see.

Tall marker posts indicate what trees can be found nearby, so a visit would keep children interested.

One of the oldest suviving horse racing prizes used to be contested on these moors. A tradition which dates back to 1599.

The Carlisle Bells are still fought over every year at the racecourse at Blackwell towards the end of June and can be seen at the local Guildhall.

Many little signs.

What do these signs indicate and where do we find out more information, as yet again on a walk we come across new signs?

Mum finds it very frustrating when she can not find out about routes, paths or the history of why someone has taken the trouble to waymark a route.  Here are two examples of trails we followed in part today but even searching the web we can not find out about them.  Can you help?

Our path takes us into an area known as Kingmoor Coppice and a woodland planted between 1992 and 1995.

Here we meet up with these bullocks who are very friendly and say hello through the bars of the gate.  We keep our distance so as not to scare the young things.

Charlie is being kept on a very short lead today,  as mum is not happy with the way he is behaving. Constantly pulling on his lead he is always out in front but mum has had enough, and his wings, so to speak, are being clipped.

For a dog that has had lots of hours training spent on him, he has just lost his head today.

He even got right out at the full length of his lead only to take a right into the dirtiest, muddiest trickle of a stream before mum could reign him in.

It could be because of the millions of new smells or maybe it is a ‘moon thing’ that is making him have a ‘trying day’.

Either way, he is in the naughty books and mum is not pleased.

The walk for me however, is great.  The soft woodland floor is great for my dodgy hip and the dry paths keep us both clean and reasonably tidy. The overhanging branches kept out the heat of the sunshine and help keep us cool.

We did miss a bit of a paddle and a slurp of water from a flowing stream as they had all dried to a claggy mess.  So we were glad when our path swung around and we headed back to the carpark for a well earned drink.

It was here that we spotted this gigantic woodpecker. We missed him when we first arrived possibly due to our excitement but he is is carved into an old tree.

See if you can spot him when you go for a walk in the woods.

Until next time

Buster and Charlie.

Early morning walk in Rickerby Park, Carlisle

Sun beaming through the curtains and once again summer is here, well it seemed so looking out on the world this morning.

Breakfast was finished with much haste, our leads are attached and we are off for a walk to Rickerby Park. It is 7am.

Recent rain and the much cooler conditions have allowed mum and dad to do some much needed housework and to tend to the plants in the greenhouse without fear of missing out on a grand adventure.

So today it was our turn to get out and have some new sniffs.

Parking the car was a bit of a problem this morning as some naughty people had left rubbish including an old BBQ in the parking area.

Council cleaning people do a great job cleaning all of the parks and streets in the City but they must feel saddened when they come across a mess like this in a park full of sheep and cattle.

After saying hello to a fisherman trying to catch his breakfast, we left the car park and headed off in the direction of the Stoney Holme golf club following the path at the edge of the River Eden.

Dad mentioned that the water passing by our vantage point overlooking the River Eden, could have been in Appleby around 60 minutes ago and maybe one of the horses at Appleby Fair may have been bathing in it.

This gave Mum and Dad something to talk about whilst they tried to stop Charlie from scooting down one of the many trails from our high path and into the calm, reflective water.

Charlie is like a piece of steel attracted to a  magnet as he is constantly drawn towards water.

It is a good job he is kept on his lead or he would be in swimming around and drinking gallons.

Our path was occasionally obstructed by often quite large, hard to miss if you are running through the grass, piles of waste left by the cows.

These piles of manure really do stick to your fur as you squelch accidentally, honest mum, into their soft, stinking, moistness.

Avoidance is the name of the game however, like cracks in a pavement,  the more you try to miss the more you end up standing in or on as the case maybe.  It also turns our fluff a lovely shade of green.

With the Memorial Bridge ahead of us our path our path follows the line of the River Eden slightly off to the left at about 11 o’clock.

It is a good job we are not following a map requiring this confusing marker post for directions.

Tarmac paths  and well used earth paths criss cross the park which was opened in 1932 in memory of those who fell during the Great War 1914-18.

On this side of the park the river has started to erode into the natural earth banks causing them to crumble and decay.

This area is natural flood plain and during the winter can often be under many meters of water.

Work has started to try and stabilise the banks using willow trees.

It is hoped, according to the notice nailed to one of the fence posts,  that the saplings will grow and create a flexible, live, growing structure which resists and deflects the water flows enabling the bank and vegetation to re-generate and stabilise to prevent further erosion.

A quick websearch into the use of willow to prevent bank erosion also uses a very similar form of words….

Willow it seems has been used since the Middle Ages to shore up river banks, so is not a new technique.

We will keep an eye on the progress off this project over the next few years.

The post and wire fence along this stretch of the riverbank is an attempt to stop the sheep and cattle from eating the recently planted stems of willow however, if you just strain your neck you can reach some lovely fresh grass.

Many of the older trees in this part of the park have small white plastic number plates attached to them.

Mum assumed that maybe it was part of a survey and that somewhere a complete list exists of the trees in the area.  We wondered how many trees maybe documented. Five thousand, fifty thousand, a million maybe?

Our path turns sharp left here as we reach the top edge of the park and start our return journey.

At this point we must put our paws up and admit that the recent bad weather was our fault.  Wel, actually Mums fault as she decided that given the hot weather Charlie was in need of a haircut.  This scene in the park reminded me of the chaos in our back garden last week when the deed was done…. Fluff everywhere.

It looks like some of the sheep have also had a haircut here, or maybe it was one of those giant dogs used on the paint adverts.

Until next time, Keep wagging

Buster and Charlie.

We go in search of Bluebells …

Dad has been very busy over the last 10 days and we have been unable to get our usual walks however, today we went in search of bluebells near to Buttermere.

Mum wanted a few pictures of bluebells for an article she is writing over on oldvarieties and after a quick search on the web we came across a location where a whole valley is reportedly filled with these small flowers.

Our arrival in to the Rannerdale valley started as we passed by this sign.  The rugged mountains surrounding Crummock Water provided a great backdrop for  our walk and dad was eager to take some pictures.

Although the sun was shining the air was a little cool and mum and dad both had their coats on.  

Finding a car park a little way further along this road we parked up and set off following signs to the valley.

It didn’t take long before we came across our first local inhabitant.  

With a dark thick coat this sheep took a moment to look up as we past by, then resumed eating the lush green grass just as dad got the camera focused.  

Many sheep, found on the fellsides in Lakeland are Herdwicks.   Without our sheep recognition books we were unsure as to what breed this one was.

The herdwick is well suited to the rough scrub of the Lake District fells and is key to maintaining the grass length. It is the native breed of the central and western Lake District and live on the highest of England’s mountains. 

Charlie, out in front as usual, led the way as we followed the track towards the hills.  To our right was another of the common sight in the Lake District, the drystone wall.  

Marking boundaries, these walls are made from stone gathered locally and do not contain any mortar.  The waller uses his skill to pick out a stone and place it into the wall so it locks with adjacent rocks forming a solid structure.

We arrive at a wooden gate with a silver sign on it after about ten minutes walk.  After a brief pause, to allow mum to read the notice, we open the gate and pass into the secret valley beyond.

Mum and dad stop and try to take in what they see.  Green grass, cascading from the mountains to our left and right, had a blue tinge as it arrived into the valley bottom.  

The effect was subtle, and was brought about by thousands of  small, about 10cm high, green stems with dainty blue flowers peeping above the grass.

Native bluebells it would seem are a little way behind our common garden bluebells which already are into full bloom and like the daffodils starting to wither.

Maybe in the next few days the blue effect will be much more pronounced.

We were not short of drinks on this walk as the many streams provided ample cool refreshing water and excuses for paddles. 

Charlie drinks so much when he is in the big world,   this walk was ideal for him.

As we walked along the valley bottom we crossed over this wooden bridge.  Our soggy paws evidence that we had escaped the trolls and managed to get to the otherside.

Our walk started to climb ever so slightly as we ventured further up the valley.  It was unusual but is seemed that the bluebells were only in one small part of the lower valley as now were to be seen in this area.

Mum wondered why they were there in the first place as it is normally recorded that they prefer growing conditions with shade not in the full glare of a fellside.

Passing through a gate our path narrows to a single well worn track with the fells ahead and to our sides. 

Charlie is still out in front as if he knows where we are going. It would seem as this walk is a favourite with us dogs as many of us have reported their visits on the web.

Casper came here in 2007, and Harry, as a young pup, visited in 2004.  Maybe you have visited then let us know via the comments section below?

The path turns left after about 700m and after passing over a stile we start our decent back to the car.

Our return is punctuated by two old gate uprights, complete with hinges,either side of our path but not near any wall.  

This puzzles dad as he wonders why anyone would erect them in such a location.  Maybe the wall only appears to sheep but due to planning regulations is invisible to humans. 

Crummock Water comes into view and we take a moment to look out onto the fells and mountains.  

It is 2.5 miles long, 3/4 mile wide and 140 feet deep and is a clear, rocky bottomed lake flanked by steep fellsides of slate. Crummock Water is owned by the National Trust.

We are almost finished our walk which has taken about two hours at a leisurely pace and allowing for dad to take loads of photographs.

Mum says that you should take walking boots or strong wellies to do this walk as it is a bit soggy in places.  

It is ideal for humans who don’t fancy going high on the fells but just fancy a simple walk not too far away from the car and of low risk.

As with all good walks we ended with a picnic. In the basket on this occasion was  large french sticks stuffed full of cheese, ham and salad.

We all shared the goodies before returning home via Buttermere and Keswick.

Lambs, stiles and unique river art in Cumbria

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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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

Walk: Cummersdale to Denton Holme. Carlisle

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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’

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.  

Our best description is that they were made by a former shipyard worker as they are the biggest gates we have ever seen.

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.

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 

Putting the lights up in Appleby

We have had a busy day today with an early Sunday start.

Our day started with a car journey towards the East and our first stop was Appleby

Many people know this small town for the horse festival that takes place here every year.

 

Parking the car in the car park of the Appleby War Memorial Swimming pool we walked across the food defence barriers and onto the river path.

The path leads alongside the River Eden and towards bridge shown at the top of this article.

Flooding is a problem in this area and the height of the River Eden here is often used as a  warning to flooding risk further down the Eden in Carlisle.

 

Following the road from the bridge and into the town we make our way up the hill on our adventure.

Christmas is coming to Appleby as we pass the volunteers putting up the Christmas lights.

Hundreds of coloured lamps are being removed from their cardboard sleeves and then hung from the strings of wire around the town.

Half way up the hill we look through an open gate and into a lovely courtyard.

The courtyard is surrounded by a number of cottages, all with bright red doors, and form the Hospital of St.Anne.

Founded by The Lady Anne Clifford these houses, known as Almshouses are still in use and offer homes for widows from the area.

The cobbled courtyard is open to the public most days and is well worth a visit.

Outside the entrance to Appleby Castle is the High Cross.  It dates from the 17th Centures and has on the town facing side the inscription ’Retain your loyalty, preserve your rights’

A bench mark cut exists on the west face of the cross on the base just above the steps. These marks are used in map and survey works by the Ordnance Survey.

The windvane is dated 1936.

At the top of the lime tree avenue is Appleby Castle.

 

Sadly the castle can only be observed through the padlocked gates.  

Large white notices attached to the gates indicated the castle may not be open to the general public.  It is privately owned.

The castle was founded at the beginning of the 12th Century.

Lady Anne Clifford made the property her home and restored large parts of it.

To the right of the gates is the North Lodge.

When we visited a cardboard film character peers out onto visitors.

We walked back down the hill and back to the car as we needed to get to our next adventure in a place called Kirkby Stephen.  

More on this tomorrow, when will find out why our paws are a bit sore now and why we need a good nights sleep.

Until tomorow

Charlie and Buster.

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