MW06
: Plumpton to Low Hesket
Wednesday
28th
August 2013
With
the Way now being some distance from the A6 bus
route plus pubs not being open at all or only in the
evenings, today was in danger of being logistically challenged.
However, it was saved by Ian suggesting that we
reversed the logic, starting by driving to and then catching
the bus from the end point pub (Rose & Crown at
Low Hesket), and alighting where we finished last time
at Plumpton. That would enable us to pick
up the Way alongside the M6. By careful timing
we would be able to arrive at the C&M just as it
opened at 6 p.m..
Poor
Margaret. When she flashed her bus pass, the driver
told her it was out of date. She had brought her old
one. But why do bus passes expire? I can
understand politically that a government might want
to withdraw the facility but, whilst the facility exists,
why do bus passes last only a short number of years?
It is not as if you suddenly become too young
to qualify. And anyone fraudulently using it would
have to look old enough to qualify and bear a passing
resemblance to the photo on the pass. The only
reason I can see for the retaining of this labour intensive
renewal system is that it keeps people in jobs. But
should we be keeping people in unnecessary jobs anyway?
Rant over. This is not the place to debate
such issues. On with the Way.
Actually,
it was some time before we got on with the Way. The
approach road contained a ruined house that interested
Ian and some washing for Margaret.
Then
we had to pass the The
Pot Place
garden centre (see MW05).
Or should have passed. Instead we
made a return visit.
Here
they have a novel way of relating the customers
to the orders.
We
were the parsnips! Plastic of course.
Soup
was spicy tomato and very good it was, too.
Not plastic.
Fuelled
up, at last we were really on the Way, walking
the lane north accompanying the M6 and railway.
|
|
At
a junction we turned right and, having passed under
road and over rail, we reached Plumpton Foot where,
immediately after the washing, we were at last off tarmac.
At
the back of a rather scruffy farm building were some
friendly goats. One billy with a harem of adoring
young nannies.
After
a field or two, some cockerel and a deer, there followed
a certain amount of confusion.
The
Way (supported by our OS map) talks about going under
the Motorway. There was a tunnel where stated
but you wouldn't want to go through it without disposable
full length leggings. And maybe a snorkel, just
in case. The visible path plus markers indicated to
keep to the same side of the M6. So we did.
The
section between Aik Bank and Petteril Green might best
be described as "interesting". Or diabolical!.
The first problem was that the path was obstructed
by the largest and tallest field of maize I have ever
seen. Talk about Elephant's eye! It was just about
possible to circumnavigate the field but skirmishes
with nettles were unavoidable.
That
was the easy part.
After
crossing the stream, all sign of a path vanished, hidden
by ever more nettles and obstructed by hawthorn and
the like. Ian became transformed into a Chindit,
brandishing a fallen branch as if it were a machete.
Eventually
we reached the back of Petteril Green Farm and fought
our way through even greater nettles to emerge to the
astonishment of an old farmer. "By heck"
he said. "I haven't seen anyone come through
there since the old king died".
More
nettles and more Chinditising were to come. We
had a similar experience down near the stream before
reaching the relatively tame path to Ling Farm.
There
is little else to report.
There
was a pleasant but unremarkable stroll along
country lanes that led us back to Low Hesket.
We
failed by two minutes to achieve our objective
of banging on the door at opening time.
Nonetheless we succeeded in enjoying
really good pub sat underneath a real indoor
silver birch.
Or
so it seemed, It had actually been
sawn and cleverly reassembled.
|
|
Only
one stage left. Carlisle here we come. One
day soon. No nettles please!
Don,
28th August
2013
STATISTICS:
MW06
|
Wednesday
28th August 2013
|
Distance
in miles:
|
9.5
(Garmin
E-trex)
|
Height
climbed in feet:
|
441
(Memory Map / OS)
|
Cumulative
miles:
|
52.5
|
Cumulative
feet:
|
4,452
|
E-mail addresses on this web site are protected
by
Spam Trawlers will be further frustrated
by Spam Blocker:
help fight spam e-mail!
|