BOOTboys

BB2613 : Avoiding Scarecrows

Thursday 30th April 2026

Lying on my bed in the University sickbay in 1967, I was listening to a song, the like of which I had never previously heard. It was about a man called Arnold Layne who had a strange hobby.

Those of you approaching a similar age to mine (today was the walk to celebrate the start of my 80^th year) will recall it was a by a group with the weird name of Pink Floyd.

Their first album followed soon after and was (and still is) called The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Those of the aforementioned ages might remember that this is the title of a chapter from The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I loved the book but that chapter always perplexed me. So did Arnold Lane.

On that album was a song entitled The Scarecrow which according to Wikipaedia contains "nascent existentialist themes", reflecting that he is resigned to his fate.

Or should that be fete?

Many villages in England hold Scarecrow fetes or festivals. This this week was the turn of Wray where Robin lives. Expecting a huge influx of visitors converging behind his house, he was understandably anxious for adventure a good distance away from home.

Sadly for him, apart from Holly, his dog, he only had one pal for the day: me, though we were hoping for more company later as I had promised celebratory beers. Seeking another WOLF*, we decided that Whitbarrow Scar could be an appropriate target, given its proximity to the Hare & Hounds.

I had a somewhat devious route in mind. Starting from The Howe, we made our way through the woods....

..... and fields.....

..... and damson orchards....

......round to Row, mainly to revisit the hamlet where I spent the winter of 1969. I found the house but don't remember all those weather vanes.

Next, we crossed over the Township Allotment and turned south to Bell Rake. We didn’t explore the mine entrance, though Holly would have done had she not been called back.

The descent down the slag heap was steep and in parts tricky. There was a sign warning cyclists.

But what does 10FOOT mean?

Once at the bottom, in High Park Wood, we turned south along a dappled track.....

..... as far as the Witherslack Hall (school). Being mainly limestone country, there hadn’t been any water for Holly to drink so we had a brief stop looking over the well-kept playing field with the Scar cliffs as a backdrop.

Now it was time for the big climb of the day, the ascent up a path that is steep and tricky in parts with a degree of exposure. In the wet, this can be very tricky but today it presented no problems.

On reaching the summit cairn.....

...... we met three guys from Stockport whom we had encountered earlier. I mention it not because it was my home town but because they had been impressed with the speed at which these two old men had climbed to the summit. Or maybe they were just being kind.

Two other things to mention, one good, one not so.

The view from the cairn is superb. A true 360 degree panorama.....

..... and, yes on a good day like today, you can see Blackpool Tower.

The one thing that surprised me, though it should not have done, is that Ingleborough is not as prominently seen as I had expected. I think it is partly obscured by Whernside.

The not so good is the scratching that some idiot has made on the plaque on the cairn that commemorates Canon Hervey, the founder of the Lake District Naturalists Trust. Why?????

Our return to The Howe was down the more gentle, wooded slopes of Wakebarrow and the Township Plantation.

Then it was off to the Hare & Hounds to be joined by John, Martin, Mike B and TV Mike for celebrations.

When I returned home, perhaps a little disheveled, the dearly beloved said “Where have you been? You look like a Scarecrow.”

Perhaps Robin hadn’t avoided them after all.

Don, Thursday 30^th April 2026

*WOLF= Wainwright OutLying Fell

Comitibus:

Don, Robin, Holly

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Map: OS 1:50k

STATISTICS	BB2613 : Avoiding Scarecrows
Date:	Thursday 30th April 2026
Features:	WOLF 10: Whitbarrow
Distance in miles:	6.7
Height climbed in feet:	1,450
GPX track:	BB2613.GPX
Comitibus:	Don, Robin (+ Holly)

For the index pages of our various earlier outings click on the relevant links below. They may not be right. Some links have been changed by Microsoft One Drive without me knowing. If you have problems, please let me know.

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