Furness Way

FW08: Low Wood to Lowick Bridge

Friday 3rd June 2011

Due to family commitments, Cynthia had to drop out of today's stage. Fortunately Ian was still keen to come along, thereby keeping going the two car logistical momentum.

Margaret and I had actually done rather more than half of this walk before when undertaking the Cumbria Coastal Path- see CCP08: Low Wood to Ulverston.

Just as well as it turned out..

Smart house across field near start

Irises by the river

Bend in the River Leven

Darth Vader in the woods

Not so much wood now!

My first navigational error was when we emerged from Roudsea Wood and for some inexplicable reason we headed north rather than west. Not that it mattered that much, logistically.

Distant view of Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man

The Leven Estuary

Fishermen .....

..... and their dog

The next error I am blaming on the passage of time. Or the author's vagueness as to what "A few yards" actually means. I just followed the path I could see and ended up at the north end of Greenodd's High Street, rather than its south end. Fortunately for Margaret and me, but not Ian, we had deliberately altered the route on CCP08 to divert through Greenodd so what we missed, we had seen previously!

As we arrived at Penny Bridge, first Ian spotted a drive with a little bit of a problem! Then he told us the tale of how awful the village pub was. He called in one time and ordered a pie which turned out to be filled with monosodium glutamate and little else. He got no sympathy from the disinterested 80 year old barman and vowed never to return. In the circumstances, it is perhaps not surprising that the Brittania is now closed and up for sale. A neighbour expressed the hope that it would be turned into a private rather than public house.

Who lives up a drive like this?

Approaching Bridge End

Britannia rules no more

After crossing the River Crake at Bridge End, we did as the guide book suggested and took the second path down into the fields near The Nook.

It warned of difficulties and that it might not be feasible to follow the official footpath.

However it failed to warn of the bulls that were gathered around the rise in the field looking forward to an interesting charge.

We beat a strategic retreat below the mill race and went round by the road instead.

The reception committee

At Spark Bridge we crossed back over the river and followed a path to Lowick Green that was perfectly pleasant for those with long trousers but increasingly fraught for those of us whose legs were exposed not just to the sun but now to the nettles.

Looking north toward Spark Bridge

Looking south at Spark Bridge

Spark Bridge washing

The Coniston range from Lowick Green

After some minor uncertainty in navigating the fields near Esps Farm we picked up the path that runs directly to the church where the village hall has one of the best designed solar panels I have seen.

Ian announced that sadly the manufacturer had recently gone into liquidation.

Lowick Church, Community Hall & Solar Panels

Team picture

From there, it was a short stretch to the Red Lion, a Robinson's house- my home town brewery although there were no Ginger Toms or Dizzy Blondes in my day.