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BB2329
: Hundreds Of Reasons Not To Believe Everything
Wednesday
18th October 2023
“Wansfell”
agreed Martin when I suggested it as a destination.
Fine, but the challenge was to find
a new way there and back. After all,
this would be our 19th visit and I don’t
think we have ever repeated a route. Then
we had inspiration.
The
National Park’s Brockhole website had advertised
Free Parking for Locals during the winter
months. Let’s take advantage of the
offer, have a snack in their restaurant
then set off. Sounds like a good idea?
Wrong.
Free parking doesn’t start until November,
we were told. But, we pointed out,
your website says it is free now. “Sorry”,
was the reply. “You can’t believe
everything on our website”.
So,
rather than stump up £16 we sought
a Plan B. Troutbeck; the layby. Not
ideal as it would be more challenging to
find a new route, but at least it would
be free and had a good view of the Ill Bell
range.
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Consequently,
after parking, we walked into
the village where Tony
spotted a rare Edward VII postbox.
Next
to it was a sign that disturbed
him considerably.
If
you enlarge the picture you
will see why.
We
headed up Nanny Lane to The
Hundreds., the meaning of which
was not at all clear to us and
led on to a deeply meaningful
discussion.
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Stan
observed that it was the name of a form
of limited overs cricket. True but
it’s strange territory on which to play
cricket. Finding a level pitch would
be a challenge.
Tony,
being fashion conscious, proffered that
The Hundreds is a community-based streetwear
brand and media platform with an emphasis
on People Over Product. Yeah, Yeah!
Robert
and Martin agreed that a Hundred referred
to an historic administrative division that
is geographically part of a larger region.
However they couldn’t agree about
its derivation. One thought that referred
to an area of 100 hides, the amount of land
farmed by and required to support a peasant
family. The other was more inclined
to think that the Hundred had been an area
originally settled by one "hundred"
men at arms.
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I
pointed out that in the 1731
edition of “Magna Britannica
et Hibernia” by the Vicar of
Bromfield in Essex, Thomas Cox,
it is clearly stated that “In
the two Baronies of Westmorland
and Kendal, we find no Hundreds".
So
either he didn’t look hard enough
or the name came later.
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None
the wiser, the more important consideration
was whether to go up the “tourist” route
to the southern, better known Wansfell summit,
or to head for its slightly higher northern
top, Baystones.
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Having
forfeited a couple of miles thanks to the
Brockhole fiasco, we decided to do the job
properly. That was easier said than
done. Partly because the wind was
strong, bordering on ferocious, and partly
because it is difficult to ascertain which
is the actual Baystones summit. Purely
looking at the ground, you would think it
was south of the boundary wall. However
the OS map implies it is a little way on
the other side. Of course we did what
the map suggested but none of our eyes were
convinced. However you could see up the
Kirkstone Pass.
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Now
we had to battle our way south to the popular
top and what a battle it was at times. We
have been out in worse but not for a long
while. Fortunately we found a wall
to shelter behind to have our lunch stop.
Returning
to the battle, we made our way along to
the Wansfell summit.
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Having
achieved our objective and taken in the
view, we had another decision to make.
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Which
way to return to the car now that it wasn’t
at Brockhole? The way we came was
not even considered, nor was descending
down to Ambleside. The choice was
the little used Skeghyll Woods route or
the more popular Hundreds Road. That
word again. We chose the latter though
it still gave us no clue about the origins
of its name.
The
RAF were out on maneuvers and Typhoons kep
whizzing thunderously by.
Once
out of the wind, it was a straightforward
descent to Robin Lane. Tony and Martin
spotted a hunt in full voice across the valley.
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After
introducing Robert to the Victorian Viewing
Station cairn.....
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it was a simple descent to Troutbeck Village
and The Mortal Man. Sadly, the pub
is now missing its iconic sign but we knew
where the bar was to be found. The
beer was in good fettle so we settled down
for a session.
Sometime
later came the inevitable question. Home
beckoned. However, we could think
of hundreds of reasons to stay for several
more rounds.
So we did. Or
did we?
Don,
Wednesday 10th October 2023.
Thanks to
Tony and Robert for several of the photos
PS
Like Brockhole, you can’t always believe
everything on this website! Hic!!
PPS
Actually, a closer scrutiny of the
Brockhole website reveals that its free
parking offer referred to last winter! Helpful
timely information. Perhaps the answer
to its question “Who Qualifies?” should
be Time Travellers.
Relive
Wansfell
To
Relive our Wansfell adventure, click on
Robert's picture below.
Wet
Sleddale lives up to its name
Bryan
recce'd a walk up Longsleddale recently.
Click on the picture below to see
his short video of the dam in action.
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