We got out for our first longish walk this year, a year which we started off by catching covid. Oh joy! Luckily for both Wil and I, our experience of the virus was pretty tame. We both had colds, runny noses and sneezed alot. We watched alot of Netflix. The End. Though I must admit, it was good to take our boots off when we finished this hike, it tired us out more than we care to admit….
Paythorne is a small village ( well more of a hamlet really) between Gisburn in the Ribble Valley and Hellifield in North Yorkshire. Theres not much there except a pub, a tiny Methodist church and a large Caravan Park. At the moment there is definitely some sort of dispute in the village regarding a proposal to extend the caravan park. Everywhere you look there are orange signs saying ‘ Say No To More Caravans ‘ , I think there are more signs than houses.
We parked in the village car park opposite the pub and set off. The walk is one of bridleways, fields and country lanes and is 6 or so miles long.
The Buck at Paythorne. Sign for the large Caravan park at Paythorne. A Bridleway through twisted thorns and Holly trees. I have decided to call it Hey Holly Lonnin. 😁Gorse can flower all year round. I do love an old freight train carriage. Growing up my sister, cousins and I were lucky enough to have one to play house in, until our Grandad gave it to the chickens! Quite a bit of road walking. Just liked the name. 😁Another farm ~ with chickens. Curious Shire Horse. The cutest 🙂 The Cockiest. Hen Harrier Sign for The Forest Of Bowland. I – Spy ~ a white pheasant. It is possible that these white coloured birds are bred for pheasant shoots as markers, to identify the whereabouts of other pheasants. Therefore they are usually safe from the bullet, unlike their more common cousins. View of the River Ribble. Sham Castle 🏰 ruins. These were once the kennels that housed the Lords Ribblesdales hounds. Hugo saying that living with us is much nicer than living in a sham Castle. Really! Gisburne Park estate is used for weddings and other events, hence the light bulbs everywhere. Fields. Woody path. Paythorne Bridge. Back into the village. Tiny Methodist Church. Grade 2 listed dating from the 1800s. The Route.
Sorry to hear you both caught Covid, hope you are well on the mend by now. I don’t know how I’ve escaped it.
Good to see that The Buck is still open, maybe helped by all those caravans! They must have had a difficult couple of years.
That stretch of the Ribble has mainly been denied to walkers by the fishing fraternity and wealthy landowners. A disgrace and the Ribble Way which should be a classic walking route is all the poorer for it.
Impressed by that horse balancing on the gate.
Sorry to hear you’ve both been poorly … I don’t know how we’ve manage to avoid it but it does feel to be creeping ever closer,with lots of friends having family members being hit with it lately. Looks like another great walk … I can understand why it fair wore you out though … but I bet it was worth it 😃
Sorry to read that you both caught Covid, I hope you’re feeling much better now. It looks like a good walk, a shame the weather was so cloudy and grey. I like the fake castle and the horse balancing on the gate 🙂 🙂
Glad you are on the mend and yes I have heard that post the latest version of the virus does leave you feeling weary. I’d seen the ruins of the dog kennels (sham castle) from the road and always wondered what it was 😀
I am sorry to hear that you have both had COVID, I do hope you continue to feel better. Your walk looks lovely, as all the walks you share are. That dog kennel is something else, nothing like an ostentatious dog kennel to let everyone know you have lots of money!
Glad to hear you safely negotiated Covid. Had it myself in September, symptoms much like yours, super-tired, could’ve been worse! Lovely countryside to walk in, interesting little church, looks like a converted house, makes a change from a church converted to a house! Posh dig for dogs too.
I think like you I’m just glad I got Covid out the way, lost a bit of my walking fitness being holed up for so long, but it’ll come back and these 6 mile walks look to be the right way to do it. I starting to love a mix of walks, woods, lanes, tracks, fields and a hill or two is exactly what I’m in to at the moment, this looks like a lovely version of that, plus a pub. Brilliant
Hugo is a very wise dog and knows which side his bread is buttered on! Sorry to hear you both had covid and hope you are fully recovered. We’ve both dodged it so far, but I think it can only be a matter of time.
Hugo definitely loves it here where he knows he has several beds to get into , including ours and the cats! Hope you continue to be well. Or if you do get it you just get colds like we did. X
Good to know that your brush with Covid was fairly mild. I’m not surprised you were tired after 6 miles…I’d have been on my knees trying to do half that, even though I’m (so far) Covid-free!
Oh dear about Covid, but hope you are both OK now. Your walk looks lovely & loved the old railway carriage & the kennels which are a bit over the top for dogs, but those were the days of lavishness if you were wealthy, I suppose. Thanks for sharing & as we may never get across again I certainly like seeing places I’d loved to have seen. Take care, stay safe & hugs.
Looks like a lovely walk. I guess Hugo was happy to go back for long walk after your Covid break. At home, Matt had it as well between Christmas and New Year. I managed to not have it.
Glad you recovered from the Covid, fast furious and rather nasty is how I’d describe it. Glad you got a walk in, and what a lovely route. Where else would one house hounds but in a sham castle? The bridge was most attractive. Never hear of White pheasants.
Thanks , in am fine now Cathy. Wasn’t too bad for me. Glad your ok too. 🙂 I have seen a couple of White pheasants. My sister had one visiting her once which was quite exciting.
sunshine and celandines 
Sorry to hear you both caught Covid, hope you are well on the mend by now. I don’t know how I’ve escaped it.
Good to see that The Buck is still open, maybe helped by all those caravans! They must have had a difficult couple of years.
That stretch of the Ribble has mainly been denied to walkers by the fishing fraternity and wealthy landowners. A disgrace and the Ribble Way which should be a classic walking route is all the poorer for it.
Impressed by that horse balancing on the gate.
I thought it was odd that there were no Riverside paths. Such a shame !
Sorry to hear you’ve both been poorly … I don’t know how we’ve manage to avoid it but it does feel to be creeping ever closer,with lots of friends having family members being hit with it lately. Looks like another great walk … I can understand why it fair wore you out though … but I bet it was worth it 😃
It’s rife at the moment. I’m kind of glad I’ve got it over with for now.
Sorry to read that you both caught Covid, I hope you’re feeling much better now. It looks like a good walk, a shame the weather was so cloudy and grey. I like the fake castle and the horse balancing on the gate 🙂 🙂
Haha, I never noticed that the horse looks like it’s balancing on the gate until I read my comments. 🙂
Glad you are on the mend and yes I have heard that post the latest version of the virus does leave you feeling weary. I’d seen the ruins of the dog kennels (sham castle) from the road and always wondered what it was 😀
Thank you and I’m glad I could clear that up for you. 🙂
I am sorry to hear that you have both had COVID, I do hope you continue to feel better. Your walk looks lovely, as all the walks you share are. That dog kennel is something else, nothing like an ostentatious dog kennel to let everyone know you have lots of money!
Thank you. That kennel is something else!
Glad to hear you safely negotiated Covid. Had it myself in September, symptoms much like yours, super-tired, could’ve been worse! Lovely countryside to walk in, interesting little church, looks like a converted house, makes a change from a church converted to a house! Posh dig for dogs too.
Sorry you had covid too. Sounds like we were very fortunate with our symptoms. The church is quite cute. 🙂
I think like you I’m just glad I got Covid out the way, lost a bit of my walking fitness being holed up for so long, but it’ll come back and these 6 mile walks look to be the right way to do it. I starting to love a mix of walks, woods, lanes, tracks, fields and a hill or two is exactly what I’m in to at the moment, this looks like a lovely version of that, plus a pub. Brilliant
Hugo is a very wise dog and knows which side his bread is buttered on! Sorry to hear you both had covid and hope you are fully recovered. We’ve both dodged it so far, but I think it can only be a matter of time.
Hugo definitely loves it here where he knows he has several beds to get into , including ours and the cats! Hope you continue to be well. Or if you do get it you just get colds like we did. X
Good to know that your brush with Covid was fairly mild. I’m not surprised you were tired after 6 miles…I’d have been on my knees trying to do half that, even though I’m (so far) Covid-free!
Oh dear about Covid, but hope you are both OK now. Your walk looks lovely & loved the old railway carriage & the kennels which are a bit over the top for dogs, but those were the days of lavishness if you were wealthy, I suppose. Thanks for sharing & as we may never get across again I certainly like seeing places I’d loved to have seen. Take care, stay safe & hugs.
I am always happy to see an old Railway Carriage Susan, they do remind me if my childhood. 🙂
Looks like a lovely walk. I guess Hugo was happy to go back for long walk after your Covid break. At home, Matt had it as well between Christmas and New Year. I managed to not have it.
Thats great that you didn’t catch it, I hope Matt didn’t suffer too much. Hugo is definitely pleased to be going on long walks again.
Glad you recovered from the Covid, fast furious and rather nasty is how I’d describe it. Glad you got a walk in, and what a lovely route. Where else would one house hounds but in a sham castle? The bridge was most attractive. Never hear of White pheasants.
Thanks , in am fine now Cathy. Wasn’t too bad for me. Glad your ok too. 🙂 I have seen a couple of White pheasants. My sister had one visiting her once which was quite exciting.
Very glad to hear that you weren’t badly affected by Covid and good to see that your 2022 adventures have got off to another great start.
Thanks, I was fortunate. 🙂 X