BB1423
: The Cockpit and the Pulpit, Et Setterah
Thursday
3rd July 2014
Oh,
what an idiot! Not content with losing my gps
(BB1422), when we arrived at our start point
today I discovered
that I hadn't brought the maps that I had so carefully
prepared on the computer. Fortunately I had
my emergency Harveys 1:40k map that covers most of
the area and Martin had had the sense to print off a
1:50k one of the whole area. So although we lacked
detail, we ought not get too lost. Indeed where
we were going, it would be hard to get lost even without
a map.
But
that's not the end of stupidity. When I tried to take my first photo I discovered that
the memory card was missing- it was still in the computer at
home. Fortunately there is a camera on my phone
although it's a pain to keep having to wake the phone
up and navigate to the camera. Also the picture quality
is much poorer as is evident by the photos in this
report (especially when viewed at full size).
Things
would get even worse later but I will pass over that
for the time being.
We
assembled at Askham by the outdoor public swimming pool
(yes, you read that right- outdoor swimming pool- I
didn't know either but it looks a good community resource).
Objective
number one was the Cockpit. First we had to climb
Heughscar Hill which offers a fine view over Ullswater
and beyond. Pity my phone camera could not do
it justice!
The
Cockpit is a stone circle
on the "High Street ROMAN ROAD (course of)".
After a bit of fiddling around and experimenting
with people's smartphone maps we found it. What
its origins are, I don't know. I suspect not a
cockpit
Objective
number two was back east to Setterah. There is
little to report about it, I just wanted to link the
photo from Setterah Park Barn to the title of the walk!
Lunch stop was
by the bridge
over the River Lowther a little further on down a nettley
Lane. Angler
Tony peered into the river. Someone asked him
what sort of fish could he see?. A wag shouted
"Whale". And believe it or not the wag
was sort of right. It is the name of the village
that could be seen
across the river to which we were next heading. OK,
I know a Whale is a mammal, not a fish but never let
the facts get in the way of a story.
Crossing
the River Lowther
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The
beekeeping lesson
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From
Whale we followed the path downstream where we found
a large number of beehives. John, being a beekeeper,
was able to give Tony an introduction to the art.
On
reaching Lowther Castle it was clear that a lot of renovation work is taking place.
Perhaps it might soon be possible to have a closer
look at this magnificent ruin than is presently the
case.
I
don't like the family church in the grounds. Although
it looks ok from the outside, the interior is soulless.
Fortunately no-one seemed of a mind to explore
further than the rather splendid family mausoleum where
the Earl of Lonsdale (I think) sits patiently.
Work
in progress
|
Lowther
Castle Church
|
From
one church to another, this time across the river on
the outskirts of Askham, St Peter's. It has
always been closed on previous visits but not so today.
St
Peter's exterior.....
|
.....
and interior
|
Askham
is a lovely old village built around extended green open
spaces.
Askham.....
|
.....Village
Green
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Once back at its car park
I discovered two
things.
Firstly the swimming pool was now open.
Secondly that I had been an even bigger idiot than
I had thought. There, tucked away in the bottom
of my rucksac were the carefully prepared 1:25k maps
that we should have been using!
Next
on the agenda was Nine Kirks Church or, to give it its
original name, St Ninian's Kirk (this area was once
in Scotland). It is found about a mile from anywhere
along an old track that Lady Anne Clifford must have
once used. The village is long gone but the church,
although decommissioned is remarkable, being more or
less in the state it would have been in three centuries
earlier. Tony revelled in the closeness to her
Ladyship. Whether or not you share his fascination,
it is well worth a visit but do take a powerful
torch with you to explore its darker crannies.
The
kirk, hiding in the trees
|
Stuart's
inside photo
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By this stage
the batteries on my phone had run out so my smartphone
camera was dead. Idiot. Fortunately, Stuart's
phone camera was still working although neither of us
captured a close up of the noteworthy triple decker
pulpit.
Stuart
examining a tomb
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Elaborate
ancient tombstone
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Whilst
on the path from and to the car, we encountered a swarm
of small light blue butterflies (or are they moths?).
They must have have just hatched from the silken sort
of meshy webs that hung from the bushes.
Stuart
and I thought we had had enough history for the day
so repaired to the George & Dragon at Clifton but Tony was keen
to show John and Martin the Jacobite Tree
under which several
highlanders lie buried after the last battle
on English soil just round the corner.
|
It
is blue when its wings open!
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That
was enough culture for the day. We'd seen the
cockpit, the pulpit(s) et cetera.
Don
Thursday 3rd July 2014
LEJOG:
Ian's Report
Martin
and I have successfully completed Lands End to John
o'Groats bike ride. If you click on LEJOG
you will find the story of our expedition,
To
those who have donated, our grateful thanks. There
may also be those who fall into one of the following
categories:
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never received or read the original
email, but would consider donating
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read the email and decided to
donate, but forgot
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read the email, but haven’t got
round to donating
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read the email, but decide to
only donate if and when we had achieved
what we set out to do
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If
one of these applies to you, the good news is that there
is still time to donate and help us towards our target
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with over 50% of the target already raised. To make
a donation, click on JustGiving.
Any
further donations to this very worthy cause will be
gratefully received.
STATISTICS:
|
BB1423
|
Date:
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Thursday
3rd July 2014
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Distance
in miles
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8.4
+ 1.8 = 10.2
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Height
climbed in feet
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1,035
+ 210 = 1,245
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Features:
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Cockpit,
Lowther Castle
Ninekirk
Church
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Comitibus:
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Don, Martin, John H, Stuart, Tony
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BOOTboys
routes are put online in gpx format which
should work with most mapping software. You can follow
our route in detail by downloading bb1423a and
bb1423b .
To
discover which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing
- although it may not be that up to date - see: Which
Wainwright When?
For the latest totals of the mileages and heights (ditto) see: BB Log.
Photos
have been gleaned from many sources although mostly
from me! Likewise written comment. Unless stated
otherwise, please feel free to download the material
if you wish. A reference back to this website
would be appreciated. If I have
failed to acknowledge properly the source or infringed
copyright, then I apologise. . Please let me
know and I will do my best to put things right.
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