Blackwell Sailing's Walking 2006/7

Arnside Point

2007-03-09T04:29:00.000-08:00

A bright, blowy day with distantly threatening showers. Helen, Robert, Jane, Chris and Tracey with Steven and Russell as staff were joined by Mandy, Moira and Louise; Geoff led the walk.

Starting at Arnside Knott car park again, this time it was low tide and we went downhill, through Copriddings Wood over a stile (well done Mandy!) to New Barns to join the shore and its vast expanse of mudflats with white horses, running before a strong south westerly wind, bucking the out-going tide.

Careful footsteps across the grassy, rocky, stony way led us round Blackstone Point to White Creek (with the caravan park through the trees) and further out to higher Arnside Point.

The start of a cold shower and hunger pangs persuaded us to take the path into the trees where we found a lunch-stop spot; the shower had petered out.

We returned to New Barns via the cliff-top path – only one or two near-edgey parts – conquered the stile again and regained the minibus by 2 pm. By now the tide was racing in, lapping Arnside Pier as we passed.

Coffee and biccies at Levens finished the walk in good time and – despite the forecast – sunshine!

Hamps Fell

2007-02-16T04:18:00.000-08:00

The day started cloudy with Hazy views over the estury as we climbed up Fell End crossing the Cistercian Way and onto Hamps Fell.

We then went through Hampsfield Alotment and lunched in a field with a view before returning through Merlewood and Eggerslack Wood.

Sue led todays walk with Amanda, Dave and Steve, taking Leon, Colin, Chris, Helen, Carol, Tracey, Jane and Robert.

Siula and Storm, Amanda's Border Collie's came on the walk and Robert took sole responsibility of Siula for the whole walk.

Working on Joanna

2007-02-12T04:17:00.000-08:00

As well as walking throughout the winter the Blackwell boats are refurbished and repaired by the volunteers and clients during the winter.

Joanna, one of the Blackwell whammel boats is up at Grizedale Farm for re-fitting and today Roger, Pete, Dave, Colin, Geoff and Amanda were busy varnishing and painting her ready for this years sailing season.

Ings to School Knott

2007-02-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Todays walk was led by Barbara with Russell and Steven as staff and Carol, Chris, Adrian, Alan, Helen, Jane, Colin, Leon. We walked from Ings to School Knot a total of 4 miles

Around Cartmel

2007-01-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

Todays walk was led by Sue with David and Russell as staff and Carol, Chris, Robert, Tracy, Alan, Helen, Jane, Leon. We walked around Cartmel which was a total of 4 miles.

Silverdale

2007-01-19T11:29:00.000-08:00

Silverdale AONB! and, luckily, no rain nor recent high winds.

From famous Eaves Wood car park, via Red Bridge, across the railway line and up the quarry truck-way to where tarmacadam was invented – Trowbarrow Quarry. Here waist-coated and cloth-capped workers quarried the limestone for one hundred years until the 1960s.

From their Shelter Stone we visited the 4,500 million year-old coral fossils like star-war amoeba transmogrifying from the rock itself, saw the limestone layers – now the haunt of climbers – heaved vertical by massive, volcanic forces, and Red Wall marked by climbers’ chalk and ancient tree-bole holes.

Then, after lunch beneath the Trough – a six-mile limestone scarp ‘corridor’ from Leighton Moss to Arnside –we went via a narrow squeezer stile onto planked trackway round Hawes Water (yes, the little one!) to pass Clay Holes field – a source of medieval pottery clay – and on up to Challan Hall.

A short road and track walk over the railway (again) brought us to Waterslack Garden Centre café and ‘coffee’! – they won the catering contract for the Queen’s 80th bash at Holyrood last year and their cakes are ‘beautiful’. Outside it had just started raining for the 5-min wood-walk back to the minibus.

Today's walker's were - Tracey, Leon, Jane, Chris, Robert, Colin, Carole, Russell, and Dave with Geoff as leader and it was 3 1/2 miles long.

Finsthwaite

2007-01-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

Todays walk was led by Meg and Roger with Russell and Sonia as staff and Carol, Chris, Robert, Tracy, Alan, Leon, Jane, Colin, we walked around Finsthwaite which was a total of 4 miles.

Winster Valley

2007-01-05T08:45:00.000-08:00

Todays walk was led by Sue with David and Geraldine as staff and Carol, Chris, Tracy, Alan, Jane, Helen, Leon, Colin and we walked in the Winster Valley a total of 4½ miles.

2006-12-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

Carol, Chris, Robert, Tracy, Alan, Leon, Jane. Led by Russell and Geraldine. I will find out where they went!!

Arnside Walk

2006-12-08T06:11:00.000-08:00

Beautiful welcome sunshine and blue sky reflected in a clear panorama of Kent Estuary, far-off Meathop, Grange, Humphrey Head and even round to blocky Heysham power station; the nine of us – Leon, Tracey, Jane, Alan, Carole, Chris, Russell, Dave and Geoff – had just left the minibus in Arnside Knott car park and walked to the Toposcope some 150 metres above sea level: binoculars out to watch a gliding buzzard, spot for trains or hunt, just, for Roa Island – a super-clear day with only a gentle wind.

Then up past the knotted larch (is this whence the hill got its name??), on to the trig point from where we turned down the eastern slopes through woodlands, almost to the road, eventually to stop, looking towards Arnside Tower – a 15th C pele tower and probably the largest in the area – and farm, for picnic lunch.

Then on through Yew Grove to follow a wall over the shoulder of the Knott to Red Hills to return to the panorama view, now greyed by shower-cloud skies. A spit of rain on our way back via Larch Grove made the car park and minibus a welcome sight – but we were hardly even damp.

Hawes Bridge, Natland

2006-12-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

Todays walk was led by Sue with Russell and John as staff and Carol, Chris, Tracy, Leon, Jane and Kristen.

We walked from Whinfell Centre to Hawes Bridge, Natland a total of 3½ miles.

Grizedale Forest

2006-11-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

Russell led todays walk.......
What a super surprise for a much-less-than-sunny day! – Grizedale, whither we arrived via the Hawkshead Ferry.

From the Ancient Forester sculpture, with his ever-so-large axe at the Visitor Centre, 11 of us - Jenny, Russell, Colin, Chris, Robert, Tracey, Carol, Alan, Jane, Leon and Geoff set out under a grey, cloudy sky along the 1.1/2 mile, yellow-waymarkered Millwood Trail, past the Go Ape ropeways, three snail-shells on top of each other, the vertical worm/snake and the Oak Wave seat to the twig birds in their case, eventually to return to the Visitor Centre picnic area for lunch.

After sarnies, asparagus soup and a Whinfell cookie, Russell led us along the 1 mile, blue-waymarkered Ridding Wood Trail, over the foundations of Grizedale Hall (an internment camp for Nazi officers 60 years ago) to more sculptures – 6, or 8, or 10? – what’s the betting?

Past stake sculptures, through the tall Larch Arch, past the Bread Oven and Grizedale Boar to the wooden xylophones (Marimbas) we passed the Stag Herd Roof, arriving at the metal Owl by a steep valley.

Robert spied other sculptures across the steep rock-sides; the group started round over a long bridge, Colin had already clambered down the slope, contemplating how to scramble across the stream and up the rocks to the metal Spider, Wasp and Fly.

Luckily he found a side track out of danger and back to the group. Past the Spores, Hive, and metal Crow, we turned back at the Grizedale Mosaic past little people houses, seats and wooden sheep:- would you believe over 20 sculptures in all? – and that’s’ only on this one of eight Trails.

Back on the minibus and it’s just started raining – what good timing!

Cartmel Fell

2006-11-17T04:28:00.000-08:00

Sue led todays walk over Cartmel Fell, starting from the church and walking via Foxfield to Sow How Tarn for lunch before continuing up to the monument on the sumit for pictures and then back to the church via Raven's Barrow.

9 people went on the walk - Sue, Dave, Amanda and Russell with Colin, Tracey, Carol, Leon and Chris.

We ended the day with a certificate presentation at Wilfs Cafe for Leon and Colin who both recieved RYA Sailability Certificates.

Elterwater,Colwith and Skelwith Bridge

2006-11-10T03:03:00.000-08:00

Barbara organised todays walk which was split into 2 groups.

Barbara took Chris, Colin, Tracey and Robert on a 4 miles walk around Elterwater, Colwith and Skelwith Bridge whilst Dave took Carol, Jane and Paul on a slightly shorter route (3.5 miles) around the same area.

Fairy Steps and Beetham Fell

2006-11-03T03:08:00.000-08:00

Geoff led todays walk for Blackwell Sailing - the first walk of the season......

Blessed with no wind, good sun and no rain, our 5 mile walk from Heron Corn Mill (Beetham), up through woods past Fairy Cottage (ruined) where we saw a squirrel, took us to Fairy Steps.

This only cutting for the old Arnisde/Beetham coffin route through the limestone scarp edge.

At the top of Beetham Fell, accompanied by a robin, we lunched in front of a wide view west over Arnside, the estuary and the distant fells.

Next, Robert and Russell braved descending the 12ft narrow defile – if you pass through without touching the sides you have your wish!

More wood walking, but downhill this time, took us past a startled deer, many pheasants and eventually to Cockshott Lane for some brief tarmac before rough-tracking it to ancient Wray Cottage with its probably neolithic, very wide garden walls and great views east over to the M6, Holme Park Fell and beyond.

At the few cottages of Haverbrack, along a quiet, dappled, rustic lane, we entered wide, green, tree-studded Dallam Park – more pheasant and some of the 100 rare fallow deer on the hillside horizon.

We followed the marker-posted path below a hillcrest prehistoric enclosure site, and there they were, quite close (for deer), grazing in the vale before our next upward hill-slope. Everyone quiet, we took photos, gasped and wondered at their pale fawn and graceful outlines.

Almost home now, over the next slope we went, down to the ha-ha ditch and hedge (so landowners could show the apparently unfenced extent of their estates) and back through a new avenue of trees to the minibus, patiently waiting by the medieval Corn Mill.

11 of us went – Paul, Tracy, Carole, Leon, Chris, Helen, Colin, Robert – then Russell, Dave and me.

Blackwell Sailing Goes Walking

2006-10-31T04:52:00.000-08:00

During the months October to end March when the boats are out of the water for winter Blackwell Sailing takes a small group of people walking in the Cumbrian mountains.