BB1115 : A Brief Encounter

Wednesday 8th June 2011

It was with a certain degree of trepidation that I sent the proposed route to the others.  The forecast for the hills was poor and Jamie did not want another outing with his head in the clouds.  This time he wanted to see where he was going.  Consequently, I played safe.  In fact, very safe, starting at sea level and climbing to a maximum height of.....
92 feet!!! 

I need not have worried.  Both Stan and Bryan actually welcomed the lack of climbing because, a fact that I had forgotten, they were going to be out this coming weekend providing support to Stan’s son Martin who was attempting to emulate his father (and Bryan) and complete the Bob Graham Round.

For the uninitiated, this is one of Lakeland’s greatest challenges requiring 42 peaks to be climbed in 24 hours, an ascent of some 28,500 feet and a distance of some 74 miles.  No mean feat- one that has twice defeated Sir Ranulph Fiennes and has never remotely tempted me, I have to confess.

Wild Duck Hall

So, we parked at Wild Duck Hall on the Lancaster Coastal Way near Carnforth.  The weather was actually a lot better than we dared hope as we made our way north along the marshes, turning inland at Marsh House Farm.

Warton Crag across the salt marsh

Soon we approached the rear of Carnforth railway yard.  Film aficionados will be aware that the station was the setting for the classic Brief Encounter but our interest was in the yard and the sheds.

The marshalling yard was full of rolling stock that will never roll again.

Old stock

However the sheds told a different story.  Parked outside were many old railway coaches that looked in fine condition and are no doubt used for steam excursions. 

Sadly, however, there were no steam engines to be seen today.  Not like the days when I used to call in at Longsight sheds in Manchester on my way home from school, collecting train numbers.  Until the railway police arrested me one day, that is!

Renovated stock

Even more sadly, it started to rain, quite heavily so waterproofs had to be donned.  Three minutes later, it stopped.

Approaching Warton

Our next objective was Warton.  This is a village made famous by George Washington, or to be more accurate, by the fact that George Washington’s ancestors, seven generations earlier lived there.  A minor technicality that hasn’t prevented the local pub cashing in and naming itself to reflect its most famous great great great great great grandson.

Putting that to one side, it has to be said that this is a very smart village- just look at the playground equipment, for example.  Made in Germany!  And the elaborate compass in the ground outside the play area.

And it is old.  I don't know how many times I have driven through Warton over the years but I was totally unaware of the Old Rectory- 13th Century!

From Warton, we headed east down flower bedecked lanes under the railway.  After crossing the A6, we reached Pine Lake Resort.  It was sad to have the tranquillity disturbed by a man with a megaphone trying to drum up business for rides round the lake on a speed boat.  Then into the pavillion to sell them more timeshares, maybe.  Or perhaps the ride was a reward for investment?

Pine Lake with lodges

At first we missed the exit  from the complex- I don’t think they really want people to go the way we went- but at the second attempt we found the path alongside the River Keer and followed it east, past the next lake- more tranquil with fishermen quietly sitting around. 

The fishermen's lake

We crossed under the branchline railway viaduct and met the Lancaster Canal.

The railway viaduct

The canal tow path was our route south for the next four miles, taking us through gentle countryside.  We found a seat and stopped for lunch.  Jamie had made some delicious sandwiches but a bite from one of mine had something in it that didn't ought to have been there- half a tooth!  Must phone the dentist when I get home!

The tow path wanders through the back of Carnforth, past a mooring station. 

Once we reached the outskirts of Bolton-le-Sands we left the canal, heading west back down to the salt marshes and the car.

It had been an interesting brief encounter with the Carnforth area and, hopefully, not too taxing for Stan and Bryan. 

Good luck, Martin!

Don, 8th June 2011

STATISTICS:

BOOTboys routes ares now being put online in gpx format which should work with most mapping software. You can follow our route in detail by downloading BB1115.

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see
Which Wainwright When?

For the latest totals of the mileages and heights see: BB Log.

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Archive

2011 Outings

BB1101 :
Wasnfell Revisited
Tuseday 11th January

BB1102 :
Recuperation Scar!
Thursday 17th February

BB1103 :
A Promenade of Pensioners
Thursday 24th February

BB1104 :
The B Team
Thursday 3rd March

BB1105 :
A Little Bit Of Wind
Thursday 10th March

BB1106 :
A Linthwaite Round
Thursday 17th March

BB1107 :
Home From The Pulpit
Thursday 24th March

BB1108 :
Taking The Brunt
Thursday 31st March

BB1109 :
Up The Spout
Wednesday 6th April

BB1110 :
Not The Royal Wedding
Friday 29th April

BB1111 :
Kentmere Parts 1 & 2
Thurs 5th, Saturday 7th May

BB1112 :
Five Unknown Tarns
Wednesday 11th May

BB1113 :
Gurnal Dubbs Revisited
Thursday 19th May

BB1114 :
A March Through The Mist
Wednesday 1st June

BB1115 :
Brief Encounter
Wednesday 8th June

BB1116 :
Extraordinary and
Lesser Mortals
Wednesday 15th June

BB1117 :
Farewell David Daw
Wednesday 29th June

BB1118 :
West Side Story
Thursday 7th July 

 Click on the photos
for an enlargement
or related large picture.

 Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright
top was visited on which
BB outing see Which Wainwright When?.

To download a log of heights and miles and which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys
click on BB Log.