BOOTboys

BB1305 : Having A Leckaround

Saturday 29th June 2013

Apparently, there is a new film out entitled Summer in February. Well, this report is more like February in Summer. Rumour has it that long ago, before global warming, June meant sunny days and high temperatures. What has gone wrong? Here we are in midsummer but dressed almost in winter clothing.

To be fair, it wasn't that cold when we set off but it got chillier as the day drew on.

Inspired in part by Yoda and the Three Ladies ( BB1323 ) plus memories of the Leck Beck Trek ( BB1136 ), I though that area was a must for a Great Little Walk with Margaret. Rather than struggle to find a parking place at Ireby or the more welcoming Masongill, we opted for Leck where the church has a large car park with an honesty box for parking fees. Unfortunately I had no cash with me so I promised the verger a fiver on our next visit. Or to be more accurate, I promised a man whom I presumed to be the verger as he was mowing the verges but when I spoke to him, it seemed he was not even a member of the church but just doing his wife's bidding.

We set off south-east for Todgill Farm then turned northwards along a very pleasant track. Apart from "Why is it so cold?", three topics dominated our conversation.

Had we passed this way before whilst staying at Hipping Hall?

When had we stayed at Hipping Hall?

And which house was it that Mark Owen of Take That had owened?

From the track we could see glimpses of Leck Hall but, magnificent though it is, I was sure that was not the Owen house. Indeed, subsequent research proves it to be the current home of Baron Shuttleworth of Gawthorpe - hence the various Shuttleworth Gawthorpe boundary markers.

A glimpse of Leck Hall

Emerging back onto tarmac at Fellside Barn, we strolled down to Bank House which wins the prize for the best display of washing that we have seen in a long time.

Then down towards the river and north to Castle Hill and the Iron Age settlement, the castle moat still visible but more so from the air (thank you, Google Maps).

Eventually there is a steep path by a stream leading down to Leck Beck which we followed back into the village past the cleverly named Diamond Jubileck Wood 2012 which is rather let down by the accompanying KEEP OUT sign.