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BB2506
: We All, Like Sheep.....
Wednesday
12th February 2025
We All, Like Sheep, Have Gone
Astray
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Thus spake Isaiah in his chapter
53 verse 6 and repeated by Handel in The Messiah.
However for a different take on the same
quotation, turn to Colin Buchanan and his Baa Baa Doo Baa Baa version.
Go on, click on his picture
on the right here, I dare you. I think
you might like it.
Alternatively, for a more traditional, Handelese
interpretation, try the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
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I think the sheep must have
gone astray as there were few to be seen today, although we did encounter many a
sheepfold. Most of them were constructed
by Andy Goldsworth, having been commissioned by Cumbria County Council to
create “environmentally responsive pieces that connect directly with farming
tradition and the history and geography of Cumbria.” Whether the objective was achieved or if it
was sensible use of council taxes (i.e. OUR money) I leave you to judge. When doing so, bear in mind that 16 of them
are semi-hidden on a bridle path that is little trodden by anyone other than
locals and not even spotted by a travel writer for his Times article referred
to in BB1033.
We parked near Casterton, at
the junction of Fell Road (a proper road) and Fell Foot Road which is a bit of
a misnomer these days. On the non-road,
we passed several of Goldworthy's sheep folds.
Typically these are small rectangular areas completely surrounded by
stone walls with protrusions to be climbed by humans and presumably by sheep as there
is no other way in. Centred in each fold
is a big boulder for sacrificial lambs (or virgins if any can be found).
If we hadn’t known what we were looking for,
it is unlikely that we would have noticed most of them or wondered about their significance. Mr Goldsworthy or Cumbria County Council
forgot to tell any passer-by. The most
interesting one, for unknown reason other than dramatic effect, had a sheep’s
skull lying on it.
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After the cattle grid, we
emerged into the open on a minor road skirting Barbon Low Fell before joining a
slightly less minor road heading up Barbondale on its way over to Dentdale. Our purpose was to see another Goldsworthy,
this time a proper fold, a neatly built circle with an entrance. This is out in the open but whether it is
noticed by many as a piece of art is doubtful.
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Our route then took us over the
moor.....
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..... to the Bullpot Farm house- a potholders’
bothy. Unfortunately, unlike previous
visits, there was nobody inside and it was locked. In consequence, we had to eat our lunch out
the back. Here,
we were sheltered from the
cold wind, sat at a table had that had kindly been left for us so it was relative luxury.
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After leaving the restaurant,
we took a track that winds gently upwards across the side of Brownthwaite,
deviating only to climb to the trig point and then on to the Brownthwaite
Cairn. The River Lune could be seen meandering towards Morecambe Bay.
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A somewhat steep descent brought
us back to the Fell Road and to where we had left the cars. Stan demanded to know the mileage which I
advised him was 7.9. He was insistent
that we had to exceed 8 miles so we had a short excursion to the south passing another
of AG’s artworks before returning to the car.
Objective achieved. All day long
we had only seen one flock of sheep, no longer astray as they were being driven by the
farmer and his dog down to the farm.
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Back in Kirkby Lonsdale, we
encountered an over-enthusiastic Aussie called Colin.
He
bounded up to us like a demented
dingo.
“Do
you Poms know where you are
going? You
all look like sheep that have gone astray,” he
rapped.
"Thank
you for asking but we do know
our way," we replied.
"To the bar bar the Barn bar bar”.
Don, 12th February
2025
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