|
MW04
: Shap Abbey to Clifton
29th
May 2014
|
Whilst she was serving a fine full English
breakfast, we asked the Crown & Mitre waitress about the Miller's
Way. Despite the fact it goes right past her door,
she had never heard of it. Maybe we are pioneers?
On meeting up with Ian & Cynthia we debated
whether to leave the pick up car at Lowther or at Clifton.
As we had walked further than originally intended,
we chose the latter, despite the fact that I had only
printed off the route as far as Lowther.
|
Squirreless
view of cottages from our bedroom
|
The drop-off car returned us to Shap Abbey. Or
rather to a sheep parade which we were enforced to watch
before we could reach our predestination.
|
The
new way of shepherding
|
The
old way of shepherding
|
Follwing
the inevitable examination of the Abbey, we took the path taken when Margaret
& I did the Westmorland Way. Indeed, that
was how we had first discovered the Miller's Way, from
some waymark signs
in this stretch.
|
Looking
back to Shap Abbey
|
Another
way marker
|
the
view up to Haweswater
We were soon back at Bampton.
Had the "Always Open (within reason)"
Mardale Inn actually been open the we might have paid
them a visit. However, reason has gone out of
the window and the place looks very sad and always (for
the time being at least) closed.
|
Bamton
Grange Church and the Crown & Mitre
Not
open
|
Inside
St Patrick's church
Open
|
Instead we were invited
into the caravan for a light lunch plus the danger of
a time consuming snooze. However, the mission
was resumed and we continued along the embryonic River
Lowther to the suspension bridge. Here we crossed
and climbed through the gorse, in full bloom, to the
red telephone box (see WW06.) This time there
was no display.
|
The
Lowther suspeonsion bridge
|
Knipe
phone box
|
Washing
photo for Margaret
|
Strange
summerhouse
|
Bluebells
|
Across
the fields to Helton
Our route took us into the Lowther Castle grounds,
past the souless church to the fork where left goes
across and up the river to Eamont Bridge and right returns
to Clifton
|
Ladies
and a Rape field!!!
Mr
& Mrs S
|
Lowther
Castle
Mr
& Mrs G
|
We
went right, north to Clifton where a surprising
number of historical events had happened. That
we
visited the George & Dragon was not surprising.
|
Lowther's
gothic cow shed.....!
Eat
at your peril
Clifton
Hall.....
|
....
and gatehouse
St
Cuthbert's church, Clifton
....
and interior
|
The
George and Dragon
|
Scottish
Burial Ground
|
What Ian and Cynthia (and Margaret as I haven't told
her yet either) was that I discovered on our return that the
authentic route had gone across the river to Eamont
Bridge.
This leaves us with a bit of a dilemma
as to how to plan MW05. However, as they say,
we will cross that bridge when we come to it.
Or
not.
|
Don,
29th May
2013
The
eagle-eyed reader who is following these narratives
closely may have noticed that the photo size ratios
have changed in this publication. Most such folk
(if they exist) will think no more about it. Those
somewhat aspergerly obsessive, like me, may find it
disturbing. All I can say is sorry for somehow
inadvertently messing up the settings on my camera.
Normal service will be resumed.
Thanks
to Ian for several of the (better) photos above and
right.
Here are a couple more of his.
STATISTICS:
|
MW04
|
Wednesday
29th 2013
|
| Distance
in miles:
|
10.6
(Garmin
E-trex)
|
| Height
climbed in feet:
|
721
(Memory Map / OS)
|
| Cumulative
miles:
|
30.7
|
| Cumulative
feet:
|
3,247
|
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