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  When she flashed her bus pass, the driver told her it was out of date.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

 

   

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