BB2038 : Visiting Lockdown Land

Thursday 22nd October

It was only when I reached the bridge over Leighton Beck that I realised I was entering dangerous territory.  Lockdown Land.  Lancashire.  Very high C-19.  I did a quick mental check.  Although there were seven of us, we were travelling as two groups separated by one hour.  We weren’t contravening the Rules.  I had hoped that the two groups might at some stage pass within sight of each other.  Indeed I had cunningly arranged for them to circle round in opposite rotation but, in the event, it was not to be.

The Red Round

Mike had decided the territory and his Blue group went first leaving The Row car park at Silverdale to travel anti-clockwise.  Originally Stan, Martin and I had hoped for a day in the Lakes but, according to the Met Office, the weather was against us.  However BBC thought the rain would have cleared by 11 so we Reds arranged to arrive at the car park an hour after the Blues.  Tony would be distraught.  Had he realised what we were doing he could have applied for a transfer and had another hour in bed!

Our first destination was the nearby Trowbridge Quarry.  We were not sure if the Blues intended to pass through but at that stage it didn’t matter.  This remarkable quarry was looking good with its trees in their autumnal colours and would have been magnificent had the sun been shining.  What surprised us was that two horses thought similarly.

What we were not going to do was visit Deepdale Pond.  We were not sure if the Blues had that in mind but Been There, Done That and thrown the T shirt away. Not worth the effort.

So after we had passed over Leighton Moss (not seeing the bearded tits that were exciting the twitchers) .....

.....we arrived at Leighton Hall where there are two interesting cars parked in the tennis court.  Tony reckoned that the blue one was a Pilgrim and reminded us about the Marlin that he had built many years ago (as featured in BB1641 ).

The rain was starting to set in as we climbed away from the hall.....

..... and up to what is alleged to have been a cricket pitch with a pavilion on the stone mound.   It looks more like the remains of a pre-historic settlement to me but maybe that is what they wanted you to think.

At the Yealand Manor gates we turned south then west along a pleasant wooded bridle path behind Warton Crag.  Somewhere around here we missed the Blues.  I discovered later they had taken a more direct route than planned to Leighton Hall.

By the time we reached the marshes, rain had really set in.  We hoped to have lunch sheltered under a railway bridge but it was so unpleasant that starvation seem to be preferable to stopping there.  

We trudged on across Quaker’s Stang (whatever that is).....

..... till we reached the woods on the Silverdale side.

From here on, the walk became pleasant again, so much so that, when we reached Burton Well, it was just about dry enough to have lunch.  Tony, it was only 2:30!

It was now just a short distance to the cars.  It had been an interesting and at most times pleasant walk.  We were sad not to have clapped eyes on the Blues but it was time to escape from Lockdown Land, back over the bridge to Westmorland.

Don, Thursday 22nd October 2020

The Blue Round

A low walk for the Blue group. But where to go? Silverdale was an area we all knew pretty well but Covid has illustrated the fact that there are many paths some of us have never been on.

We were a happy band of four. Except it was what they call in Scotland, very dreichy. Overcast, with a fine drizzle. Occasional gusts. Good walking weather then. Tony called from his car asking where the **** were we? He wasn’t at the car park, we were. We set off a little late. Two had to be back for appointments in the afternoon so we couldn’t hang around. And whilst the area is very beautiful, the weather didn’t improve much. It teased us, then got worse again. Lunch quickly followed coffee.

We discovered a footpath on the OS map that had been moved. But like a friend of mine who studiously drove his Lexus through a hedge in France, we followed it rigorously. And decided to cut short our planned route. Which meant we didn’t bump into the Reds.

Three of us had a chilly pint at the H&H, sitting outside for health reason. What joy!  But when you get home soaked, take a shower, and have cup of tea, you realise it was well worth it.

Mike, Thursday 22nd October 2020

Do you have any comments or questions?

If so, please click on .  We look forward to hearing from you.  If you do NOT want your comments to appear on this website, please say so otherwise we will assume that we have your permission for publication in whatever responsible manner we consider appropriate.  Alternatively you can leave a comment on Facebook.

If you would like to become a BOOTboys Follower click on to let US know and you will receive automatic notification of new reports.

BB2037

Thursday 22nd October 2020

Features:

Silverdale, Leighton Moss, Warton Crag

Comitibus:

Mike B, Philip, Stuart & Tony

Don, Martin & Stan

Distance in miles:

9.3

9.0

Height climbed in feet

688

1,111

GPX track

BB2038i

BB2038ii

Martin

Don

John PL

Tony

Stephen

Stan

Mike T

Home

BB04

BB05

BB06

 BB07

BB08

BB09

BB10

BB11

BB12

BB13

BB14

BB15

BB16

BB17

BB18

BB19

BB20

Archive