One of the great things about working a split shift is the fact that I have a good chunk of spare time going free during the day. If I can drag myself away from my latest streaming addictions on Netflix etc, there’s certainly the opportunity to do something more constructive. 😁
Pendle Steps.
Although I have made it up to the summit of Pendle Hill before, I’ve never done it the short sharp shock way. The Pendle Steps are steep stone steps that cut a quickish route up to the trigg point. I say quickish, because my sister who dragged me along was very kind and let us stop frequently to admire the view. 😃
We parked roadside near Pendle House Farm so we needn’t walk up from the car park in the village. It was then a short hike along a farm track to the start of the steps. Lapwings were busy twirling and tumbling from the sky, real aerial acrobats.
Information board at the beginning of the steps. Unfortunately 😕 not open. Love the name though. Sis at the kissing gate at the start of the steps.
Of course Pendle Hill is steeped in history which you do get a sense of whilst walking in the area. George Fox founded the Quaker movement after having an inspirational spiritual experience here in 1652 and previous to that, the infamous Pendle Witch Trials of 1612 are still ingrained in our lands myth and legend.
Looking back down the steps. A man and his doggo heading upwards. And look, we made it to the Summit, 557 metres.Witchy Pendle Way sign.We saw lots of Green Hairstreak butterfly in the bilberry.
There was definitely a sense of achievement after having conquered The Pendle Steps. And a sense of relief!
Breakfast & Bluebells.
The other half has changed jobs and shift patterns, so it means he gets some time off during the week too. One morning we decided to try out breakfast at a newish cafe in the nearby village of Whalley. Holdens & Co are an ice cream parlour, kitchen and deli situated in the village centre. We opted for The Breakfast Sharing Board which is laden with toast, croissants, pain au chocolate and fruit loaf. Quite the carbs overload, and probably big enough for 3 to 4 people to dive into actually. Hugo the labrador was only too happy to help! Holdens is clean and bright, I loved that we grabbed a window facing table perfect for people watching and dogs are made welcome in the cafe.
Holdens & Co.
Just outside Whalley is Spring Wood & Picnic Site , a semi ancient woodland which is a lovely spot for shady walks, especially when the weather is getting hotter. Bluebells and Ramsons ( Wild Garlic) put on an impressive display here in late April & May. Below are a few photos I captured on our walk.
I’m pleased to have seen the bluebells as they will soon be finished for the year.
Every Spring DalemainMansion in Cumbria turns Orange 🍊, the stately home near Ullswater hosts it’s famed annual World Marmalade Awards! A highly regarded competition in any marmalade makers calender, the awards have evolved over 19 years, attracting entrants from as far away as Brazil, India & Taiwan. There are even sister festivals held in Australia and Japan.
🍊Homemade Marmalade making categories include Tea Time marmalade, Merry Marmalade, Unusual additions marmalade, Octogenarian & Upward marmalade, Man Made marmalade, Children’s marmalade, Camponologists marmalade and Prison marmalade.
The Awards & festival were held a couple of weeks ago and the prize winning Marms are available to buy online here , some lucky winners creations even make it on to the shelves at Fortnum & Mason. You can also purchase winning jars of the orange stuff at Dalemains Tea Room. As we were in the area last weekend , we bobbed in after a bumble with Hugo along the lane to nearby Dacre. For an extended walk why not try The Four Bears Marmalade March, a lovely addition to The Ullswater Way.
The Barn Tea Room is a fab place for a brew after a walk and currently you can sample the award winning marvellous marmalades for free. What a treat! 🍊
The biggest ever fan of marmalade of course has to be Paddington Bear himself. Apparently he does attend the event personally every year. I was almost tempted to purchase my own Paddington.
Wil and I couldn’t resist sharing a piece of sticky gingerbread topped with marmalade. Yummy. 😋 Dogs are welcome in the tea room , very handy for walks with the pooch.
Wil even had a moment of marmalade madness and bought 2 of the winning fine cut marms. A Seville Orange & Lime with chilli and a Lime with creme de cacao. Plus he treated me to a box of Blood Orange Marmalade Organic Fruit Tea. Happy days.
I recall picking up a recipe for marmalade on a previous visit. I’ve never attempted to make any though!
At the weekend we drove over the North Pennines ( a scenic 45 minute journey from the van) into the Durham Dales. Our destination, a pretty waterfall walk in Upper Teasdale.
Low Force is a series of low cascades about three miles upstream from Middleton-In-Teesdale. Although not as dramatic as nearby High Force, the falls are still worth visiting.
We parked nearby at Bowlees Visitor Centre , it has a good sized carpark with a donations payment box. From there we crossed a wooden bridge and headed to the centre, which is in a lovely converted chapel. Next it was a matter of walking straight ahead down a lane and through some fields into woodland.
Wooden bridge near the carpark.
Once in the woodland we decided to cross Wynch Bridge, a chain suspension bridge over the River Tees. Erected in the 1800s, this Wynch Bridge was built to replace the original, which had collapsed under the weight of nine miners heading to Middleton Mine. The present bridge still comes with a ‘ Please Cross One Person At A Time !’ sign.
Wynch Bridge. Crossing Wynch Bridge.
Near the other side of the bridge there are two life-size Sheep sculptures stood on a dry stone wall plinth. The Sheep by local artist Keith Alexander look like they are off to view Low Force too. 😊
Sheep Sculpture.The writing on the plinth reads ‘ A Wonderful Place To Be A Walker.’
And here is Low Force! There are various natural viewing points from which to photograph the falls. Plunging over the Whin Sill ( layers of millions of years old molten rock) the water cascades into scenic rocky river pools.
Low Force. Low Force tumbles a small and mighty 18ft drop. River Tees.
We decided to walk along the riverside a while, which is part of The Pennine Way. You can easily carry on from Low Force to England’s biggest waterfall High Force, a couple of miles upstream. Now that Hugo can’t walk as far, we will save that for another occasion. There are certainly plentiful routes and trails in the Durham Dales to explore. 😊
Taking a dip. Cowslips growing along the riverside. Nature inspired art in a dry stone wall.A large rock pool.
I would definitely love to return, not least because there was so much wildlife to see, including curlews, lapwings and my first swallows of the year. The area has also been used as a filming location in the war movie 1917 and the supernatural series The Witcher.
Lapwing Riverside path.Low Force to the right of Wynch Bridge.
After retracing our steps back over Wynch Bridge and taking a few more photos of the waterfalls, we headed back to Bowlees Visitor Centre for an early lunch. The Visitor Centre is run by the North Pennines National Landscape team, and is a gateway to the North Pennines National Landscape and UNESCO Global Geopark. So any information you may wish to know about North Teesdales unique geology and wildlife can be found here.
Bowlees Visitor Centre. The stunning interior.
There’s a lovely gift shop and cafe downstairs too and an art gallery upstairs. Dogs are allowed on the ground floor. A toasty wood burning stove warmed us up, for despite the welcoming sunshine it was still chilly outdoors.
Lapwings in the rafters. The words read ~ ‘A Flock of Lapwings, Tumbling above the meadows, Flood the sky with sound.’My lunch was delicious 😋. Tasty tomato soup with a savoury cheese scone. So good.
Have you ever visited Low Force and The River Tees? I thought it was lovely there and can’t wait to return. 😊
We had ‘ Stay Home’ plans on Saturday and as it was actually sunny and dry ( Of course there had to be gusty winds too, courtesy of Storm Kathleen! ) we took Hugo up The Castle Keep, which has recently been undergoing ongoing repairs, and is now back open again.
Clitheroe Castle 🏰 is often described as ‘ England’s Second Smallest Castle Keep’ though to be honest, however much I look online, I cannot find any information regarding the actual smallest. Let’s just say, Clitheroe has a tiny Castle!The 12th Century Norman Keep stands on a limestone outcrop and has commanding views over the historic market town of Clitheroe and towards Pendle Hill. It is surrounded by 16 acres of parkland ,which include a bandstand, cafe, labyrinth, children’s playground, skate park and war memorial.
Heading up to the Castle Museum buildings. Daffodils and primroses. The Castle Keep. The landmarks infamous ‘ cannonball hole’ is presently boarded up…Inside the keep. Nope you couldn’t live here! This photo does not show how wild it actually was up there! Moments after taking this photo I was blown Mary Poppins style into the clouds. Honest! Pendle Hill & Clitheroe.
We next took shelter in the Stewards Gallery situated next to the museum buildings. At the moment the gallery is hosting a photography exhibition called Diamonds In The Landscape, which celebrates 60 years of The Forest Of Bowland as an AONB. The free exhibition continues until the end of April and dogs are welcome inside.
Attempting to get Hugo to pose for a photo doesn’t always work! Some photos in the exhibition. A more successful Hugo photo shoot. 😋
Continuing our town tourism adventure, we decided to go for a drink at Holmes Mill which contains one of the largest bars in Britain ~ Bowland Beer Hall.
Leaving the Castle. 🏰Leaving the Castle.Inside Bowland Beer Hall.
Because we live close enough to Bowland Beer Hall for the beer to be pumped across to our living room ( well, in theory! ) we very rarely pop over, just the two of us, preferring to save our trips for when we are with visiting friends and family. 😋 The Holmes Mill complex has lots going on including an Everyman Cinema, Duck Pin Bowling Alley, Hotel, Bistro and Food Hall.
Outside Holmes Mill.Enjoying a cider. Holmes Mill. We continue drinking inside.
It was still very blustery outside and when one of the table umbrellas decided to launch itself into the sky, we quickly moved indoors. We then ended up enjoying more drinks whilst sitting in a cosy nook by the bar. So that was us being tourists in our own town. It became quite the Saturday Session! 😁 I even bumped into a fellow blogger, Sophie who blogs at So Beau . She was with her lovely family in the mill and was very gracious, despite being spotted by a slightly tipsy reader. 😙😃
There’s a Lonning that runs between the villages of Melmerby and Gamblesby in the Eden Valley. Lonning is a word for Lane in the Cumbrian dialect, I rather like the name.
This Lonning gives off a rosy hue. Wellies at most times of year become caked in a clay coloured mud. The stone walls look almost pink and in Summer resting butterflies bask in their warmth
Here’s a recent outing in early Spring. The sun was shining, though the morning was a cold one. A soundtrack of chirping tree sparrows and chatty yellowhammers filled the air.
Along the Lonning. Still a wintery tree. Distant view of a Lakeland mountain ‘ Blencathra’ aka Saddleback.Blackthorn in blossom. Intriguing sign. ❤️The lane becomes a stream. Yellowhammer singing. Beautiful horses. A camp is set up. Heading back. Daffydowndillies.Waiting for me?
Apparently there are many lonnings criss crossing the Cumbrian countryside. Do you know of any ?
I have wanted to visit Bowland Wild Boar Park with our dog Hugo for quite a while now. This rural attraction in the Forest of Bowland is not that far from home and although I have been before, it was with a friend and her 1 year old son 15 years ago. How time flies!
I started off my time at Bowland Wild Boar Park looking around for Wild Boars. Sadly I didn’t spy any real ones, they may have been off somewhere digging in tree roots or wallowing in mud. I did however admire a rather nice Wild Boar Statue.
Happily there are plenty of other animals to meet around the park. You can buy special food to feed the goats, deer and llamas, many of which are only too happy to indulge your presence for a bit of grub. 😊
Dogs are welcome as long as they are kept on lead. Luckily Hugo is quite a calm gentleman when it comes to meeting farm friends. He wasn’t very sure of the geese but I think he quite liked the goats. There are various walks and trails around the 65 acre site, plus dogs are allowed on some of the farm rides too. Unfortunately there is a No Dogs sign in the cafe, meaning an outside bench for us if we had wanted a snack.
It is families who will get the most out of a visit to Bowland Wild Boar Park. Children will love the petting zoo and reptile house, the play areas, feeding the animals and being taken out on a tractor & trailer ride. It is nice though, that the family dog can join in too.
Admission £12 adults, £12 children 3-15, free children 2 & under, Dogs free, £20 family ticket.
I think Bowland Wild Boar Park is somewhere fun to take the kids and the dog during the Easter Holidays. Enjoy.
Just a short amble in the centre of the British Isles today. Or one of them! 😁
We in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley like to think that the tiny village of Dunsop Bridge is the closest civilization to the geographical centre of the UK. Though interestingly Halt whistle in Northumberland also claims the same.
Dunsop Bridge lies within the beautiful Forest Of Bowland AONB and there are miles of stunning countryside to explore by foot, by bicycle, with your dog, with a pair of binoculars. Such a peaceful gorgeous place.
We parked on the pay and display car park in the village and walked a few yards before turning right just after Puddleducks Cafe. The concrete path takes you up into the Dunsop Valley and you can walk for some miles without getting muddy feet. Its an excellent pram walk and tramper trail too.
As our labrador is still on shorter walks only, we didn’t walk too far into the valley. He definitely enjoyed his dips in the stream though and we spied so much wildlife including pheasants, partridge, dipper, tree creeper and goosander. There are sheep in the fields, so it’s always best to be mindful of livestock when doing this walk.
Last time I visited Dunsop Bridge, the cute cafe was serving take-out only, so it was good to see that Puddleducks is up and running as a proper cafe again. A roaring fire greeted us inside and their breakfast baps went down a treat.
There are lots of great walks to be done from Dunsop Bridge. I’m sure we will return to the centre of the British Isles soon.
We were lucky enough to have a wknd of fine bright weather ( hurrah!) , the perfect opportunity to head North to the caravan for the night.
Setting off bright and early, we stopped off at the Hot Snacks Van at Devils Bridge, Kirkby Lonsdale for breakfast. So good !
Everything looked fine at the van ,so we headed out to NT Acorn Bank at Temple Sowerby for a walk amongst the snowdrops. I’m glad I got to see those ‘ Fair Maids Of February’ in all their glory, before snowdrop season is over. The lovely wild daffodils are starting to flower there too.
Fresh wild garlic leaves. Crocuses.
The sun had felt quite warm in the early afternoon , we noticed that the high fells were covered in snow though. By the evening I was certainly glad of the toasty roaring fire in The Shepherds Inn, Melmerby.
View of Cross Fell from the A686. Shepherds inn. Prime spot.
The next morning was a frosty one. After leaving the van we visited relatives, then stopped off somewhere, where I hoped we might catch a glimpse of a Red Squirrel 🐿️.
Frost in Melmerby.Sitting room at the van.
In fact , apparently you are practically guaranteed to see Red Squirrels scampering around woodland in the grounds of the Shap Wells Hote l. Situated in a secluded valley on moorland in-between the busy M6 and the A6 , the hotel and the Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group keep an eye on the population here, which seems to be doing well.
Shap Wells Hotel.
There is a woodland trail straight from the carpark and well, we weren’t the only people looking for the Tufty red scamps.
Everyone was rewarded with the sight of at least 4 different animals, some leaping across the stream. They didn’t seem too bothered by our presence and it was amazing to see one, never mind so many.
The beautiful Red Squirrel population in Northern England hangs on precariously. Where I live in Lancashire,seeing non native Grey Squirrels ( introduced from America by the Victorians) , is the norm. But witnessing any in Cumbria fills me with dread. The Greys can pass on a highly contagious Squirrel Pox disease ( they are strangely not affected by it themselves) to the Reds, desimating surviving colonies in one foul swoop. I hope these little beauties carry on being safe.
A New Year and I imagine, new walks! I have also been looking back at walks I’ve done over the years ,especially those with a specific point of interest. Join me as I look back on walks to find…….
Snowdrops & Acconites at Dalmain in Cumbria.
Snowdrops. I don’t know about you, but the sight of snowdrops in January and February gives me such a lift. These dainty looking ( and very hardy) harbingers of Spring pop up alongside rivers and carpet woodland. Since Victorian times they have become a symbol of purity and hope. Quite a few stately homes and parks organise snowdrop walks ( usually in February ) , so it’s a good idea to check online if there are any nearby.
Two years ago we found swathes of snowdrops at Dalemain in Cumbria . Last years display at NT Acorn Bank was beautiful too and Eunice from Life In The Mouse house blogged about her walk around the grounds of Lytham Hall In Lancashire . Let me know if you have seen any snowdrops yet in 2024.
Anthony Gormley statues on Crosby Beach.
Naked Men. I think I am long overdue another visit to Another Place. 😊 This is the name of the Antony Gormley art installation on the sands of Crosby Beach near Liverpool, featuring 100 cast iron statues of the artists own naked body. Dotted along 3 miles of coastline and looking out to sea, the statues have become an iconic landmark since their arrival on these shores in 2005. My post is quite old now but here’s a promising looking Walk I found online.
Cotton Grass, Little Mell Fell near Ullswater.
Bog Cotton. Find a fell, any fell ,and you may just be lucky enough in early Summer to find yourself surrounded by Cotton Grass blowing in the breeze. The Wildlife trust describes this vision of loveliness as ‘ like someone has thrown a giant bag of cotton wool balls across the landscape’ , they are not wrong! We did the short hike up Little Mell Fell in the Northern Lakes last year. Check out The Hiking Household for this family friendly walk.
Swanside Packhorse Bridge, Chatburn, Lancs.
A Packhorse Bridge. Don’t you think there is something magical about an old Pack Horse Bridge. Packhorse bridges were built from the 17th century onwards to allow packhorses transportation over rivers and streams. They are often found deep in the countryside along old droving routes. The one above in The Ribble Valley features on my blog from 2021 Weekend Wanderings.
Meanwhile check out Michael’s blog Down By The Dougie for his post about Ashness Bridge in the Lake District and Devon & Cornwall blog Treks & Tors for lots and lots ( and lots) of bridges. 😁
Bluebells in Flakebridge Woods, Cumbria.
Bluebells. Is there a more beguiling sight in late Spring than a violet haze of beautiful bluebells carpeting the woodland floor. Our native bluebells are an indicator of ancient woodland , a symbol of fairy enchantment (some say fay folk ring the bells before meeting up) and they give off a divine fragrance too. I have loved walking through bluebell woods in Barbon , Whalley and Flakebridge . But where to in 2024….
Perhaps I can seek out the best Bluebell Woods via The Woodland Trust website.
Stainforth Force in the Yorkshire Dales.
Waterfalls. I do love a good Waterfall Walk and the UK has plenty of them. And there are varying names for the word Waterfall too. Around the country you may come across falls, forces, fosses, snouts and spouts! One of my favourite waterfall walks is The Ingleton Falls Trail in The Yorkshire Dales ,which passes 8 waterfalls of varying sizes. Another walk I enjoyed in the Dales featured Stainforth Force above.
So perhaps the best waterfall walks are in Yorkshire? Melodie from Our Lake District Escapades would disagree, here’s her post about Aira Force in the Lakes.
Mandarin Duck, Strid Wood, Bolton Abbey.
Autumn Colours. Come September and October, our woodlands become spectacles of colour, reds, yellows, orange and gold. The male mandarin duck above sports his striking ( quite autumnal shades, I feel) all year round , his photo is here because he looks especially dapper against an autumnal backdrop. I saw mandarin ducks, other wildlife and autumn colours on a spooky walk at Bolton Abbey back in 2018. For information about the best walks to admire the season in all its vibrant glory check out this country file article. 🍁
Trig Points. Many of the bloggers I follow love their walks, especially those that go up a hill! I can’t say I’m really one of those bloggers, however even I feel a sense of satisfaction when I’ve huffed up a fell and am rewarded by far reaching views. The concrete pillars known as Trig Points were erected by the Ordnance Survey , quite often at the highest point of a prominent hill, though I believe there are a few low level trigs too.
Are you a trig bagger? At the moment some friends of ours are seeking out all the Trig Points in Lancashire, there are over 100. Who knew!
Meanwhile here are a few bloggers trig point walks. Bowland Climber on a quest to find the Nicky in Nicky Nook. The Glasgow Galivanter hikes uphill to meet the Three Brethren and Ruth of Walking Away bags a trig atop Periton Hill.
Alice Nutter Statue in Roughlee, Lancashire.
Witches. If like me, you live in the shadow of Pendle Hill , you may have walked in the footsteps of 12 people, all accused of witchcraft in the 17th Century. The accused became known as The Pendle Witches and were led on foot through the Pendle countryside to be put on trial in Lancaster. Most were found guilty and hanged. Very insufficient evidence and mass hysteria contributed to their demise, and today most people would agree that those convictions were unsafe and erm, codswallop. Still, Pendle Hill remains a beautiful yet mysterious place full of witchy walks such as this Pendle & Clarion House walk.
As per usual before writing this round-up post , I had forgotten just how much of the Natural World I have seen in 2023. It’s always nice to look back on photos, although I don’t always manage to get photographic evidence!
Typically some of my favourite wildlife moments this year have not been caught on camera. Back in April on a walk over Melmerby Fell, we surprised a couple of Black Grouse , they soon scurried away into the undergrowth. Also in the Spring I saw my first ever Cuckoo! And whilst on holiday in Wester Ross Wil and I were lucky enough to witness a juvenile Golden Eagle.
I am not the most patient of wildlife watchers. Most of my photos are just quick lucky snaps, taken when out and about with a certain Black Labrador. So I’m hoping that in 2024 I will linger that little bit longer and appreciate the Natural world that little bit more. Anyway here are a few photos I have taken this year. 🐦⬛
The Yellowhammer is a sunshiney bird of heath and farmland, whose chatter resembles a request for ‘ a little bit of bread and cheese’. I often see them around the country lanes of Cumbrias Eden Valley. I spied a few sun basking Wall Brown Butterflies enjoying late afternoon rays in Melmerby, Cumbria. This Blue Banded Demoiselle joined me in a staring competition. Males are metallic blue and females are a shimmering green. Common Seals are in fact less common in British Waters than our other native species, the Grey seal. We saw both seals whilst holidaying in North West Scotland. Another mammal species we were lucky enough to glimpse in Scotland were Red Deer. These hinds look happy in the heather. The feeders at Dubwath Silver Meadows Nature Reserve near Bassenthwaite are often full of acrobatic Siskins. Collared Earthstar are just one of the fantastic fungi to be found in Weston Park, Staffordshire. The Hooded Crow is a striking grey corvid with a black head and wings. They are found in Scotland, Northern Ireland & the Isle of Man. Male Small Copper will rest on walls like the one above in Melmerby, awaiting passing females. Such pretty little butterflies.Apparently the Common Tern is also known as the Sea Swallow. This lonely one was perched on a rocky island off the coast of Gairloch. Not a great photo, but here’s a Canary Shouldered Thorn Moth I was surprised to see whilst at work in October. We walked amongst the most beautiful Bluebell display at Flake bridge Woods, Cumbria in May. Some of a small group of hares in a Melmerby meadow. They could collectively be known as a Drove, Band, Flick, Down or Husk of Hares. It’s always a pleasure to see Pink/Ballerina Waxcaps in November on Melmerby Village Green. Wheatears are a summer visitor to the UK and favour remote hillsides. There were lots of Common Blue Butterfly dancing around Salthill Quarry Nature Reserve in Clitheroe this Summer. I saw my first ever Guillemot this year, hanging out around Blackness Castle in Scotland.
sunshine and celandines 