The Meanderthals: SIZERGH

ARBOREAL ANTICS ! 6+ Miles

WOODENTOPS :- Danny, James, Mike, John Vic, Anthony. Paddy, Martin

We parked in a convenient lay-bye about half a mile from Sizergh Castle where Mick had been waiting for us after driving direct from Blackpool.

Just beyond the pub were the gates into Sizergh Castle (National Trust).

The road wound round until it reached the car park to one side of which, unfortunately, was a CAFE. It was 11 o'clock - Quick Vote - stop for coffee ! Thank you DANNY.

As well as coffees, the National Trust had , at great expense, hired a Robin , to look cute and photogenic. So we photographed it.

We left the Chirpy Chappie to beguile other visitors and set off across the fields.

Only to discover, when we stopped at the first gate, that one of our number, who shall remain nameless (VIC !) had left his stick back at the café.

Mick stepped in as a hero and volunteered to run back for it . Hip Hip Hurray for Mick !

Vic here holds the gate open for Mick to set off !

Once Mick was back with us our path led us up past a

large farmhouse and onto a path through a small wood.

This farmhouse had the typically overlarge chimney stacks often seen in the Lake District.. Once past this farm (Holeslack Farm) we broke out of the wood and onto an open hillside.
At this point we decided to leave the planned route and follow the track to the chapel overlooking the valley of the River Gilpin.

The churchyard was well populated with graves old and new and even had a "Military" grave within it. One grave spoke of great tragedy as it listed the deaths of a whole family of children all of whom died at very early ages.

The Military Grave.

Danny seems to have adopted a very military stance here.
As well as numerous graves the churchyard also hosted hundreds of daffodils.

Leaving the church we dropped down the grassy, trackless side of the valley. Here a kissing gate led through into another small wood. At the gate we found a rather macabre artifact.

Into the wood now, following a narrow but well trodden path.

Before a final set of rough hewn stone steps dropped us back onto our original footpath.

This broad but rough track climbed gently upwards and much to our surprise we had to step aside a couple of times to let cars pass. The track caught us by surprise as rather sooner than we expected it met a tarmacked road at the edge of Brigsteer.

Downhill now until we came to a junction with a rather inviting pub. We spurned the invitation and chose instead to eat our picnics by the roadside....Peasants !!!

Danny inspecting Martin's Bird and Flower identifiers.

Just across the road from our "Dining Room" was a further tempting invitation - especially to a bunch of elderly, easily tired old reprobates.

Lunch over we set off down an initially, almost parallel road, towards Sizergh. This took us along the "Main Street" of Brigsteer which was entirely picturesque and Paddy declared was "was like a film set".

As we walked along the road we passed what was either a collection of, or a dumping of, old tractors

We left the road after about 3/4 of a mile and followed a grassy track steeply down to the corner of a broad field,

To our right was a large area of wetland associated with the River Gilpin and the Lyth Valley and in the distance the steep end of Whitbarrow Scar.

At the end of the field we entered the large wood of Brigsteer Park. To begin with there was a broad and well shod track to follow but later we had to leave this and follow a rather less attractive soggy path for some distance. On this track we met two charming lady

" Botanists".

They politely informed us that JW's assertion that some plants were Wild Strawberries was incorrect. They were , in fact, the closely related "Barren Strawberries"...…… So "Ya Boo" to you JW !

The track quickly improved until we came to a gate out onto a more substantial public road.

The next photo shows the "Gang disappearing over the horizon whereas JW, being of "Ample" proportions, was unable to squeeze through the ultra narrow kissing gate and had to clamber (Nimbly of course) over the firmly locked gate. (It was his rucksack what did it he averred)

Half way up the hill water trickled down the rocky bank into what appeared to be a roadside well marked by a small white stone.

We had now arrived on the outskirts of the small village of Underbarrow where the cows took a great interest in our presence. One even raspingly licking Danny's hand.

We turned sharply left and only a few yards up the hill we left the road to take to the fields for the last section of our walk.

The large farm track took us over the brow of a hill and then steadily but gently down towards Sizergh Castle.

A final stop to finish flasks ? Of course.

Flasks emptied and Off we go to the finish. BUT NOT YET ! There was a tree !

The reader will remember of course that the writer does like to photograph unusual trees...….. this one however became rather special. "Daring Dan" decided that this particular hollow tree needed a tenant.

So he wriggled inside it

And then he re-emerged from the tree's base

But then "Valorous Vic" (Other words and comments are available) decided he would have a go.

Vic , however, is not quite as lithe as Danny and it took a lot of groaning, grunting and pulling to get him out. (see Danny's previous contribution.)

This little escapade over we continued to drop down to Sizergh Castle where the sun came out to greet our arrival

JW ….. just a shadow of his former self.... He wishes !

When we finally arrived at the car park the cars had been joined by two horse boxes and as we sorted ourselves out their owners arrive on...…… horses of course.