BB1014 : The Windmills On The Moor

Wednesday 7th April 2010

Round, like a circle in a spiral,
Like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever spinning wheel
Like a snowball down a mountain,
Or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that's turning,
Running rings around the moon 

Where do you stand on the subject of Wind Farms?

I must admit to being somewhat schizophrenic about them.  The first one I ever saw was the Chelker Wind Farm at Draughton near Ilkley which had four small turbines.  I found them fascinating.  Having only two blades and more often than not, not working, they looked more like old aeroplanes waiting to take off  And quiet spooky in the mist. Yorkshire Water recently applied to replace them with two larger ones but this was turned down.

Then there was the Lambrigg Wind Farm with five turbines which, these days, seem to be working fairly consistently.  Tucked away behind Kendal, they have never really offended me.

Nor do the ones on the waterfront at Liverpool docks.  Or out at sea.

However, I have been strongly opposed to other windfarms proposed locally.  Why? Partly, because of the scale of the proposals, partly the impact on the scenery but my deeper objection is because I am not at all convinced of the economic argument for them. Call me a cynic if you like but I doubt if many of these on-shore developments would take place if it weren't for big subsidies from the tax payer.  And why should you and I subsidise an inefficient means of generating an inconsistent amount of energy?  

For more on this topic see Professor M Jefferson's article Wind Farm Efficiency.

The point behind this rant is that today we went to inspect a larger wind farm at close quarters.  They were not the reason for the visit- we wanted somewhere not too strenuous and none of us had previously been to Kirkby Moor in Furness.  However, once that decision had been made, it was hard to escape the Kirkby Moor Wind Farm, which was completed in 1993 and consists of twelve wind turbines each with a maximum output of 400 kilowatts.

The Kirkby Moor Wind Farm

We (Bryan, Pete, Tony and I) parked at Broughton Beck, near the seat with the pink squirrel presented by Glaxo to celebrate 50 years of being in Ulverston, and headed off up the Cumbria Way- along the route that Margaret and I had trodden in CW01.  Three windmills were in sight.

There was another memorial seat at the other end of the village, in memory of John Miller, 1929-2009, this time with a horse theme.  The Cumbria Way then passes through pleasant fields with open views, emerging to cross the A5092 at Gawthwaite.

Indeed this week he is featured in the Westmorland Gazette looking miserable-
see Fed Up Fisherman.

Our route lay in the opposite direction to the Cumbria Way- along the road for a short while then south up the old quarry road and out onto the heathery moors.

The top of Kirkby Moor is marked by a cairn with a magnificent view of the Duddon Estuary, the Scafells, the Conistons and round the lake district.  And of aleast half a dozen windmills, most, but not all, rotating.  

The view from Kirkby Moor summit

We found an excellent wall shelter behind which to have lunch (taking Tony by surprise by stopping at noon without him having said a word).  It was a beautiful spring day, albeit with a cold northerly wind.  Visibility was very good, the sky larks and meadow pipits were singing in the sky and a very close windmill was going whoowh, whoowh, whoowh.

After lunch, we had a closer look at the nearest turbine and then headed across the moor where one was receiving first aid.  One of the hard hatted men standing watching was initially friendly and told us that it was having its gear box replaced and no, they didn't work if the wind was more than about 20 mph, they just span freely.  Then he seemed to think that we shouldn't be there in a hard hat area and, almost politely, asked us to move on.

Our next objective was Gunson Height and Shooting House Hill which involved a far bit of trudging across heather where some kind soul had placed route markers of coloured polythene tied to clumps of heather.

Some of the heather was burnt and we were not initially sure whether this had been deliberate fell management or not.  However the patchwork effect on the neighbouring hill convinced us it was deliberate and legitimate.

After a bit of a climb we reached the summit and enjoyed even more panoramic views, now including Barrow-in-Furness, Heysham Power Station and for those with good eyesight (or imagination) Blackpool Tower.  And of course, for even the near blind, a dozen windmills.

The 180 degree view east from Shooting House Hill

The 180 degree view west from Shooting House Hill

The descent to the Kirkby Slate Road was somewhat boggy, after which we climbed a stile to cross a field following what seemed to be a footpath on the map but not on the ground.  Looking later at the gps track, it seems as if we entered the field too soon.  This explains why we went the wrong side of the farm house and possibly why the farmer showered us with dried pellets.  As Tony said, he didn't know if he had been weedkillered or fertilised but they stang!  Still, given his display of daffodils (windmills behind) we can forgive him!

Just before reaching the car, and after a good display of washing for Margaret, we passed the fine looking but still univiting (see CW01) St John's Church at Osmotherley.  

The pink squirrel seat, however, did call to us and we sat there enjoying a post stroll brew, reminiscing on a walk with fabulous views and some not so welcome sights.

Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever spinning wheel
As the images unwind
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind

 Don, 7th April 2010
with acknowledgement to Alan & Marilyn Bergman

BB1013 Post Script:
Bryan has provided more information about the Haweswater pipeline in Longsleddale. See BB1013 Afternote.

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STATISTICS:

If you have Memory Map on your computer, you can follow our route in detail by downloading BB1014.

Steve G advises: "For those who like to look at your meanderings but use Tracklogs or other software then your logs can be converted using the freeware utility GPS Babel."

For the latest totals of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fells Books Wainwrights see: Wainwrights.

If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!

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BOOT boys

This page describes an adventure of BOOTboys, a loose group of friends of mature years who enjoy defying the aging process by getting out into the hills as often as possible!

As most live in South Lakeland, it is no surprise that our focus is on the Lakeland fells and the Yorkshire Dales.

As for the name, BOOTboys, it does not primarily derive from an item of footwear but is in memory of Big Josie, the erstwhile landlady of the erstwhile Burnmoor Inn at Boot in Eskdale, who enlivened Saint Patrick's Day 1973 and other odd evenings many years ago!

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Archive

2010 Outings

BB1001 :
The Most Perfect
 Winter Day
Thursday 7th January

BB1002 :
Snowcumabulating
 Potter Fell
Thursday 14th January

BB1003 :
A Snowy Equipment Test
Thursday 21st January

BB1004 :
Leave It To The Professionals
Thursday 28th January

BB1005 :
That's A Lyth Record
Sunday 31st January 

BB1006 :
Reasons To Be Cheerful
One, Two, Three
Thursday 11th February

BB1007 :
Can You See Clearly Now?
Thursday 18th February

BB1008 :
In Memory Of
Thomas Williamson
Thursday 25th February

BB1009 :
Almost a Mountaineer!
Wednessday 3rd March

BB1010 :
The Beginning Of The End
Thursday 11th March

BB1011 :
The Free Men on Tuesday
Tuesday 16th March

BB1012 :
We'll Get Them In Singles,
Stanley
Thursday 25th March

BB1013 :
The Fools on the Hill
Thursday 1st April

BB1014 :
The Windmills on the Moor
Wednesday 7th April

BB1015 :
By Lake, Ridge and Wainwright
Sunday 11th April

BB1016 :
The Ten Lake Tour (+5Ws)
Thursday 15th April

BSB2010 :
BOOTSKIboys in Zillertal
Saturday 30th January
to Saturday 6th February

Click on the photos for an enlargement or related large picture.

Wainwrights

To download a log of which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys click on Wainwrights. 

If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!

Round, like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel.
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever spinning wheel
Like a snowball down a mountain
Or a carnival balloon
Like a carousel that's turning
Running rings around the moon

Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes on its face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind

Like a tunnel that you follow
To a tunnel of its own
Down a hollow to a cavern
Where the sun has never shone
Like a door that keeps revolving
In a half forgotten dream
Or the ripples from a pebble
Someone tosses in a stream.

Like a clock whose hands are sweeping
Past the minutes on its face
And the world is like an apple
Whirling silently in space
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind

Keys that jingle in your pocket
Words that jangle your head
Why did summer go so quickly
Was it something that I said
Lovers walking along the shore,
Leave their footprints in the sand
Was the sound of distant drumming
Just the fingers of your hand

Pictures hanging in a hallway
And a fragment of this song
Half remembered names and faces
But to whom do they belong
When you knew that it was over
Were you suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning
To the color of her hair

Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever spinning wheel
As the images unwind
Like the circle that you find
In the windmills of your mind

Pictures hanging in a hallway
And the fragment of this song
Half remembered names and faces
But to whom do they belong
When you knew that it was over
Were you suddenly aware
That the autumn leaves were turning
To the color of her hair

Like a circle in a spiral
Like a wheel within a wheel
Never ending or beginning,
On an ever spinning wheel
As the images unwind
Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind