BB2036 : The Elephant and Kangaroo Strategy

This all came about thanks to Cumbria's new Corvid-19 guidelines and our debate exploring the boundaries of what was permissible.  Then an attack of commonsense told me that if the new guidelines were for our own protection, sticking to the spirit of them was what was needed, not exploring how to breach them.  A decision.  The Elephant and the Kangaroo.  Sadly, we would go out in twos.

The BOOTboys went out two by two, Boo Hoo! Boo Hoo!
The BOOTboys went out two by two, Boo Hoo! Boo Hoo!
The BOOTboys went out two by two
as that is what they were told to do
And they all came home before it started to rain

And we did though we had very different excursions.

Terry & Mike went for a hike, Samboo, Samboo
Terry & Mike went for a hike, Samboo, Samboo

A few weeks ago Terry and Mike B had walked from Morecambe to Heysham Village and back. This week they thought it would be good to continue from where they left off to Sunderland Point.  

It was a stunning day and the tide was out, something they hadn’t checked. Once they had got past the power station and the Ocean’s Head (ex Pontins) holiday park, they were able to leave the metalled road and enjoy some mud. Lots of it.

They trudged through two fields, with the cows looking on pitifully. They had made a mistake and were on the wrong side of a hedge. Once out though it was short walk to Samboo’s grave and also Chris Drury's Horizon Line chamber.

Which was closed.

They had a fine view of the Isle of Man, Blackpool Tower, windmills and shipping.

They crossed over to the East side, and Sunderland Point, saw some interesting houses with flood defences, and again, amazing views over to the East.

 The walk back was mostly on grass. Boggy, some of it. Very boggy.

The day was rounded off with a cup of tea and a fresh scone at Bell’s Tea Room.  And the joy of Mike T driving past with some choice words……you can’t go anywhere these days.

Terry & Mike went for a hike,
Sunderland Point is where they like
And they both came home before it started to rain.

Philip & Stephen came up the Kent, Tap Tap, Tap Tap
Philip & Stephen came up the Kent, Tap Tap, Tap Tap

Philip and Stephen both had things to attend to in the morning so their first picture didn't come through to my phone until 12:50.  Clearly they had started at the Tap.  They had thought they would put their boots to a Canal and River Trust walk.

The second photo was sent to me whilst Tony and I were on Whinfell.  Stephen seemed to think that I should be able to identify the subject but I couldn't make it out in the bright sunshine.  It was only later, after returning home, that I was able to look at it properly.  It was of our house, taken from the disused northern section of the Lancaster Canal.

They continued to Sedgwick before returning along the banks of the River Kent.  The overnight rain had left the pathways in a very boggy state.  Conversation went well, ranging from enlarged prostrates to dodgy financial services and more.

The third picture had us baffled.  It showed three half-empty glasses.  Had one of them developed such an extraordinary thirst that he was drinking double handed?  No, their aim to make it back to the Tap for 16.00 had been delayed as they had bumped into an old friend at Watercrook.  Their ranks had increased to three; James had walked down to join them in a well-deserved pint (or two).

According to the counter on his phone, Stephen had covered 23,483 steps; roughly in the region of 8 to 9 miles. They'd had a nice afternoon in autumn sunshine.

Philip & Stephen came up the Kent
and there they met another gent
And they all got back to the Tap before it started to rain.

Tony & Don went to Whinfell,  Hurrah! Hurrah!
Tony & Don went to Whinfell, Hurrah! Hurrah!

But first we had a date with a lady.  Or to be more accurate a lady with a date.  Miss Rowlandson and 1868.  It was in that year that she had Almshouses built "FOR THE GLORY OF GOD AND FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE POOR"; accommodation for six residents of Grayrigg over the age of 55.

Where to park?  I had Google-driven down every back lane seeking for somewhere suitable but the only place I could find was on the street at Grayrigg.  Not ideal. Tony came to the rescue.  Not only did he have a pal who lives in Grayrigg and we could park at his house but Colin and Mary had been trustees of the charity and knew all about Miss Rowlandson.  So the day kicked off with tea and biscuits sat in the garden chatting about her Almshouses and all the folk that we knew in common.

We could have lingered longer but Whinfell Beacon was calling.  

On the way to the radio station we found an intriguingly dilapidated barn with ancient farming machinery still inside.  

After a stop to sample a leftover pigeon we passed the radio mast.  The final ascent to the Beacon was rather steeper and longer than I anticipated.

Tony was grumbling about being late for lunch so I had to remind him of our earlier refreshments and their impact on our schedule.  The day was far better than we had anticipated.  We had a clear view of the Lakeland fells......

..... the Howgills

..... and, beyond Benson Knott and, just to the left of the Heysham Power Stations, we too could see Blackpool Tower.

Our next objective was Shaw End- a rather fine Palladium style house built in 1796 by the Shepherd family who were wealthy mill owners.  I remembered it from thirty years ago as being abandonded and virtually derelict. Now it is restored to glory as rather fine holiday apartments.

Before reaching the house we had passed some strange eggs, some seemingly out of season gorse and through a very strange farm.  I don't think I have ever seen one with so much abandoned machinery, great and small, yet at the same time boasting several renovated dwellings.

Near to Shaw End is a building that I though Mike B would remember as he used to live there.  I WhatsApped him a photo but it drew a blank.  He didn't recognise it.  Not surprising.  I had the wrong house.  Well, if I can't recognise my own home from the picture Stephen had sent earlier, how could I be expected to remember the house in which Mike had lived thirty years ago?

The return to Grayrigg was enlivened by having to crawl under an electric fence and lengthened by the fact that walking the A685 is exceedingly unpleasant, indeed downright dangerous.  Consequently we detoured, passing through a farm full of reels of large diameter tubing and dozens of septic tanks and the like.  The friendly lady boasted, almost complainingly, about how, in contrast to many local businesses, busy they have been all summer.  

A drop down to a stream, up a track and across a field and we were back at Colin and Mary's.

Tony & Don went to Whinfell
and, what’s more, they came back as well
And they both came home before it started to rain.

It hadn't rained all day, though it was now seriously starting to threaten.

The BOOTboys came home two by two, Hurrah! Hurrah!
The BOOTboys came home two by two,  Hurrah! Hurrah!

The BOOTboys came home two by two,
like the Elephant and Kangaroo
And they'd all come home before it started to rain

Don, Thursday 8th October 2020

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BB2036 STATISTICS

Date: Thursday 1st October 2020

Comitibus:

Terry & Mike

Philip & Stephen

Don & Tony

Features:

Sunderland Point

Canal & River

Whinfell Beacon

Distance in miles:

12

8

10

Height climbed in feet

485

370

1,865

GPX track

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Martin

Don

Mike T

Mike B

Stan

Tony

John PL

Stephen 

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