15th January 2012 - Walk No.636

Area:	South Cumbria	Ascent:	470feet
Walk No:	636	Time:	3hours
Date:	15th January 2012	Parking:	Lay-by on A6 south of Beetham
6Distance:	5.25miles	Weather:	Fine & mainly sunny.

For those of you that are thinking of going onto the hills I would strongly recommend that you read the advice given by the Mountain Rescue organisation of England and Wales. To read this advice, which will open in a new page please click HERE. If you would like to make a donation to the Mountain Rescue organisation which is purely voluntary please click HERE. Please make the time to read the advice page.

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A cold and crispy Sunday morning had us making the short drive to Beetham in South Cumbria for this walk. We were hoping to see the deer in Dallam Park and fortunately were not disappointed. The walk was finished with a visit to the tea-room above the shop/post office in Beetham for a cuppa and some hot soup. All in all a thoroughly enjoyable few hours.

Route Map

A look down Morecambe Bay from the Yacht Club slipway as we pass. There wasn't a right lot to see across the bay at this point but this shouldn't bother us too much on our planned walk.

We parked in the lay-by on the A6 near Beetham Hall....

....where a short walk took us into the village. The village is mentioned in the Domesday book as Biedun. It has also gone under the names of Bethome and Betham, derived from the Norse word for table. A charter for a fair was granted to the village around 1480. The market was held in the churchyard.

From at least Saxon times a place of worship has stood where St Michael and All Angels church is today in the village of Beetham. Coins dating from the early 11th century were found buried in the church near the foundations of an earlier building.

A walk up the lane brought us to the Heron Corn Mill where parking is available at £1.00 per day. The present building, dated 1750, was restored in the 1970's after closing in the 1950's. It's now open for show milling, and flour is available for purchase. A mill existed on the site from as early as 1096.

From the mill we took the path leading up into Dallam Park to look for the deer.

Looking over to Haverbrack there was no sign....

...but we soon spotted them near the minor road that runs through the park. There was no way we could sneak up on them with all the open ground....

....but with the aid of modern technology, and a 24 X Zoom on the camera we brought them a little closer.

Edith's almost as tall as I as we make our way to the the highest part of the park known as Castle Hill which is the location of an earthwork.

A look back at the deer which were keeping there eyes on us.

Not a lot is known about the earthwork shown here on Castle Hill and I won't bore you by posting endless facts or fiction about it.

Descending from Castle Hill with Milnthorpe below us.

To our left the building of Dallam Tower. Dallam Tower was built in 1720, on the site of an earlier house, by Daniel Wilson (1680-1754), who was M.P. for Westmorland for nearly 40 years. In the distance is Whitbarrow one of AW's Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

We dropped down to the banks of the River Bela which runs through the Deer Park.

Looking back towards Milnthorpe.

We left the river to join the minor road running through the park which would take us to the Milnthorpe - Sandside road at Milnthorpe Bridge ahead. It was here that we saw the stags on the far bank.

You can't ignore the chance of a few shots at what really are a captive subject stuck between river and road.

Job done....we might as well go home....but let's not.

Having crossed the road we continued along the banks of the Bela.

There is some low claggy haze spoiling distant views but the sky is beautiful.

As the Bela turns southwards to merge with the River Kent we dropped down onto the shore to find a rock seat to enjoy our coffee on.

Looked good!....felt good!.....tasted good!.....and just as we were about to leave....

Edith was recognised by a couple who follow the Wainwright Wanderings website. Liz and Frank live nearby and are also members of the Arnside Ramblers group. Was a pleasure meeting you both.