Westmorland Way

WW07: Knipe to Askham

Saturday 12th June 2010

We both felt a bit too dozy to be undertaking a long walk. Margaret, because she had just returned from a stint of grannying Luca in Munich; me, because I'd cut the lawn in the morning, got pollinated and had resorted to an antihistamine tablet.

So it was just as well that this stretch of the Wway was none too challenging.

Driving through Shap, we could see all four pubs prepared for the evening's excitement, being bedecked with St George's flags and bunting.

More restrained was the graveyard just outside Bampton Grange.

It was comforting to see that this is a Neighbourhood Watch Area.

Eternal vigilance!

Luca & granny

From the road to Knipe, being higher than the Wway we had previously walked, we could see the Haweswater dam wall and the shortage of water.

Haweswater Reservoir

We parked by the unique Knipe phone box (see WW06) and headed up the gated road towards Whale. In the field was a posse of cows with their calves and, not for the first time on the Wway, we were a little worried about the interest they were showing in us. However, one great roar had them scurrying away.

Knipe phone box

The posse of cows

Soon we passed a house that had almost disappeared under its display of clematis. And a display of washing on the other side!

Clematis Cottage

Clematis Cottage washing

The Wway took us through a field with an idyllic rural scene of sheep sheltering in the shade of a magnificent tree, then over a tiny ancient bridge before reaching Whale where there was another display of washing but I still can't make out what the coloured crutch patch is for!

Sheep shade sheltering

Whale washing

Ancient bridge

The Menorah Tree

We had a coffee stop overlooking the River Lowther and then entered Lowther Park, with its strange tree, shaped like a Menorah.

Coffee stop view overlooking the River Lowther

To my surprise, Margaret hadn't seen the ruined castle from these close quarters previously.

Lowther Castle comes into view

Team picture on the drive

Lowther Castle

St Michael's Church. Lowther

We passed by St Michael Church that I dislike (see BB0807 for reasons why and BB0729 for more Lowther pictures), back down to the river, past one of many Red Squirrel signs that we saw then up by St Peter's church and into Askham.

Do as it says

St Peter''s Church

Askham

Puchbowl to let

It is a sign of the times that even in such a stunning place, the Punchbowl is on the market. Strange, because you would think that in a village that must be a contender for England's finest, a pub with its own caravan site should be able to make a good living.

Margaret sat on a bench high looking down on the green and sent me off for ice creams. I reached the village store just before it shut and bought a toffee one for me. I had no instruction on what flavour to get her so plumped for Strawberry.

"Don't like strawberry," she said.

You'd think that after thirty-eight years of marriage I would know that, wouldn't you? !!

More of Askham

We returned to the car via Helton, a much more condensed village but still with some interesting features including a Whale weather vane, an strange rooftop insect, a mysterious face on a wall and a fine house sign at Setterah Hall Barn.

Whale weather

Who and why?

Seen on the roof

Setterah Park Barn

Back across the river, over the BB0807 lunch bridge, to Whale and along the road to Knipe.

Over to Whale and Knipe Moor.

Downstream

Upstream

Juvenile Blue Tit

On the way Margaret spotted a tiny bird in the hedgerow- the RSPB Bird Identification website suggests that it was a juvenile blue tit- i.e. too young to be blue!

There was no sign of the cows to hinder our return to the car, in good time for us to return home to watch our boys "spank the yanks" as one of the papers optimistically put it.

Sadly, that was not to be. Perhaps we should have continued on to Pooley Bridge instead!

Don, 12th June 2010