BB1130 : Turn Again, Whittington

Thursday 13th October 2011

At first I thought I was going to be Billy Nomates this week.  Then things changed radically and in the end I had to decide whether to go out on Wednesday morning on a fast-paced round with James followed in the late afternoon with a Himalayan training exercise with Bryan or, alternatively, to go on an old codgers outing on Thursday for a gentle ramble.  Not being up to two hectic expeditions in one day, I think you will understand why I opted for the latter!

We chose territory that we had never walked before.  I planned a route then discovered a virtually identical one in reverse direction on the impressive Whittington website.  After a short debate, we decided to follow the website's route.  Very useful, thanks!

Good use was made of John’s disabled parking badge (earned because of his knee problems) to leave the car for the duration near Devil’s Bridge.  We set off across the fields to Low Biggins, passing several items of interest, including what seemed to be a World Way II bunker.

Is this a World War II bunker?  If so, why here?

Next we stumbled south down a path that was virtually a river to Sellet Mill before turning west again for Sellet Hall.  

En-route, Stan and I decided to climb Sellet Bank to the trig point which provided a superb panorama, even on a dull day.

Sellet Bank summit cairn

In contrast to other notable properties in the area there is little to be found on the internet about listed building Sellet Hall other than passing references to a Herb Garden once open for teas but not noticeably so today.  

At the end of the strangely named Hosticle Lane we turned into Whittington and discovered that the fact that this church was dedicated to Saint Michael the Archangel was only discovered through the reading of an old will, dated 1557 of Olyvere Northe who wanted to be buried there.

After examining this fine old church we opted for the route variation that passes by electrical pioneer (inventor of the electro-magnetic motor, born here in 1873) William Sturgeon’s house.  Inevitably this brought back memories of naughty rhymes learned in our youths, not that we could remember that much any more!  Through the village we strode, resisting the temptation of the Dragon’s Head  Well, actually, it was closed.

The aforementioned Whittington website is well worth visiting to find out more about the history of this village, dating back to the Domesday Book.  Its church dates back to the 15th century whereas the nearby Whittington Hall is "not that old"!

At the end of the village we again turned (note how cunningly I have here related to the title of this report!), this time into Burrow Mill Lane.  

One of the many water hazards

This passes through the Whittington Race Course but today it was one long water hazard, complicated by John L slipping and losing his glasses.  Fortunately, eagle eyed John S spotted them in the hedgerow.

Reaching the River Lune

Lune panorama from north to south

The track north along the river was pleasant, if still wet and at times slippery underfoot.  It forms part of the Lune Valley Ramble which runs from Lancaster to Kirkby Lonsdale and sounds like an interesting 16½ mile walk to be tried one (or two or three) day(s)!

River Lune swans

A rather fine bridge for water pipes?

Approaching Kirkby Lonsdale

Crossing the A65 proved a bit of a challenge.  Although the footpath crosses the road near Devil's Bridge, cars travelling south round the bend come so fast that they have little time to see you or you, them.  Consequently I got honked, unfairly I thought, by a driver, so I gave him the finger, hoping that he might take exception and stop to remonstrate with me.  Not that I am brave or strong but I knew and he didn't that not far behind me were two large muscular men, one a former rower, the other in his younger days a powerful rugby player and still a gym enthusiast, plus another who was a mean amateur boxer in his youth and remains very fit. All I had to do was to make sure that I kept of the driver's reach until such time as they too had safely negotiated crossing the road (which was the weak point of my plan).  As it happens, the driver failed to add to the afternoon's entertainment.  Probably just as well!

Stan and I supplemented our mileage by continuing to Ruskin's View.  The Kirkby Lonsdale riverside walk is pleasant although the climb up the well-named Radical Steps at the north end is always a bit of a challenge but worth it for the view.

Ruskin's view

I suspect that in Ruskin's time, the barn wall on the other side of the river was not then painted in multi-colours as a protest against the failure of a planning application. Sadly, for the purposes of this story, the colours are now fading and the strength of the protest is consequently diminished.

Through the churchyard we strolled, past the lovely 12th century St Mary's Church and into the old town itself.  

Supermarkets are always controversial but it is my opinion that, in this case, the existence of Booths just a few yards outside the centre has brought people into the town rather than the reverse.  The inevitable consequence is that the shops tend to be more of an upmarket gift and designer nature.  

However, it was neither the Church nor Booths nor even the designer shops that we visited. Not unexpectedly perhaps, it was the Snooty Fox where we met up with the two Johns for a pint and, in my case, a really tasty ciabatta.

Finally, a photo for Suzy that John S asked me to take.  Not on the menu at the Snooty Fox but found in a field - a rather edible looking fungus.

Don, 13th October 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 BB1130.

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

BB1119 :
East Side Story
Wednesday 13th July

 BB1120 :
All The Way From Barrow
Wednesday 20th July

 BB1121 :
Suitable For The Guests!
Thursday 28th July

BB1122 :
Graylings In Flagrante
Wednesday 3rd August

BB1123 :
The First Indecision Outing
Wednesday 24th August

BB1124 :
The Second Indecision Outing
Thursday 25th August

BB1125 :
The Tale of Tony's Triumph
Wednesday 31st August

BB1126 :
The Gunpowder Trail
Wednesday 7th September

BB1127 :
Four Lords a-Leaping
Thursday 15th September

BB1128 :
Heversham Head and Mhor
Thursday 22nd September

BB1129 :
Training For The Himalayas
Wednesday 28th September

BB1130 :
Turn Again, Whittington
Thursday 13th October

BB1131 :
The Windermere Three Peaks
Thursday 20th October

The Way Of The Roses
12th - 14th September

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 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.