BB2419 : The Big Dilemma

Wednesday 5th June 2024

Life is full of Dilemmas.  Decisions needing to be made.  Some come easy.  Others not so.   Today’s is the story of a Not So.

It was good to have the return of some who have been missing lately.  Bryan was back from his extreme (for us) trip to the highlands of Scotland, Brian from his sunny winter's visit to the far and middle east, Stan also from sunny climes albeit in Europe (though some say it's in Africa).  That left Robert whose trip to Cornwall starts tomorrow and Tony who is off to the Tower next week.  Blackpool, not London.  And me

Where to go was an easy decision.  Unpredictable weather demanded a route that wasn’t too high and had plenty of opt-out points in case things turned really nasty.

Where to start was a slightly awkward one.  Now that Staveley Mill Yard charges a fortune for parking, we needed to leave the cars off-site.  But Wilf’s café is a great meeting point, especially if there is a risk of heavy rain at the outset as was the possibility, but not the actuality, today.  Fortunately for us (though not so great for Wilf’s) the £3 short term parking fee can be offset against the cost of refreshments.  Decisions about what type of coffee and that of cake came easily, as did where to park for free thereafter.

Target number one was Reston Scar.....

..... a gentle climb out of the village.....

..... and a good viewpoint.

A little further on is what some maps call Hugill Fell though others place it further north.  Even Wainwright seems to have been confused.  No great surprise as the Ordnance Survey can’t agree with itself on its various maps.

Anyway, we visited the Wainwright top which is an even better viewpoint. 

There was then a pleasant descent to the valley and the first opt-out point.  The weather was good so we carried on, crossing the River Kent and climbing to the ruins of Elf Howe where, as seems usual, we decided to stop for a light bite.

After dropping down to Hall Lane, we faced another decision point.  It had started to rain so any thought, if indeed there had been any thought, of climbing Brunt Knott was abandoned.  A little further down Hall Lane, it had stopped raining so at the next opt-out point we decided to continue to Littlewood farm. 

Here was another simple decision; we had no intention of visiting Potter Tarn and certainly not Potter Fell so we headed across the field westwards toward Staveley.

However, not far above Barley Bridge was the option to explore that path, now officially opened-up, through the Craggy Plantation (yes, that’s its name).  That was decided upon.  It is a pleasant woodland meander with a rope swing that let Tony relive his boyhood.  The path, a tiny bit exposed at times above what possibly was once a quarry,features some obstacles in the form of trees that had been attacked a while back by someone called Desmond.  Or was it Arwen?

After fooling you that you have headed in totally the wrong direction, to where you had been earlier....

..... the path drops down to the road and then the track that takes you to the Millennium footbridge over the River Kent and back into the village.

Don, Wednesday 5^th June 2024

Relive

To Relive Robert's take on our adventure (with a different set of photos), click on the picture below.

The Quiz Answer :

Last week our American correspondent, John B, posed a question that had been recently asked in the BBC's Brain of Britain quiz.

Which Borough Treasurer's list might include the main thoroughfare of any town, the companion of Mr Smith and Mr Jones, something you might attach to the collars of felines, and (very nearly) where orphan Anne Shirley grows up?

The answers were

• Alfred Wainwright (no surprise),
• High Street (obvious),
• Robinson (that fooled me),
• Cat Bells (fairly straightforward) and
• Green Gable ("s" deleted).

How did you fare?  The first fully correct answer to be received came from Olan D Rhodes who wins the prize of a fortnight's trip to Florida to visit John, all expenses paid.

From our Swedish Correspondent :

Terry was unable to join us today as he was beginning his Swedish Adventure.

This morning I set off on a solo 6 day hike along the west coast of Sweden. Starting at Helsingborg I could see Denmark across the sea and Kronberg Castle (Hamlet’s Elsinore Castle). With torrential rain, then bright sunshine the route took me through forests, nature reserves, moorland and sandy beaches. Even had time for a swim.

Facebook:  #whosaid74yearoldscanthaveadvebtures  (sic)

Tony's Bonus Pictures

Comitibus:  

           Stan,           Brian,      Tony,                          Bryan,                   Robert,                               Don

Map:  Hug map level 9

STATISTICS

BB2419 :  The Big Dilemma

Date:

Wednesday 5th June 2024

Features:

Reston Scar, Hugill Fell

Distance in miles:

6.6

Height climbed in feet:

1,369

GPX track:

BB2419.gpx

Comitibus:

Brian, Bryan, Don, Robert, Stan, Tony

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