| Area: | Arnside & Silverdale | Ascent: | 420feet |
| Walk No: | 642 | Time: | 3hours |
| Date: | 3rd February 2012 | Parking: | Leighton Moss Visitor Centre |
| Distance: | 5.25miles | Weather: | Fine & Sunny but at -6.0°C a bit nippy. |
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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We awoke to a glorious morning, barely a cloud to be seen but with an air temperature of -6.0°C. Edith thought I was barmy to venture out in it so much so that she refused to accompany me even though there wasn't a whisper of wind. My walk started at Leighton Moss RSPB and in turn I visited the nature reserves of Gait Barrows and Trowbarrow. A delightful walk despite the loss of my walking companion for the day.
Route Map
Bright sunlight as I make my way to the causeway across Leighton Moss.
I couldn't remember seeing this upturned fibreglass tank at the smallholding before. When I left the Merchant Navy I worked at a small fibreglass works in Morecambe for a short time while I was looking around for a small fishing boat. It is certainly one that was made there and I wondered if it was one that I had made.....If so it looks in better condition than I.
Looking over the grit trays for the Bearded Tits towards Heald Brown.
It was a glorious start to the day and didn't feel at all like -6.0°C as I made my way to the public hide.
The pool was frozen over and to my naked eye there didn't seem to be much action although I suppose those with binoculars would disagree.
The cormorants have abandoned the island probably to do there fishing elsewhere.
Out of the sun as I leave the causeway to make my way to Grisedale Farm.
From the farm there is a short walk along the single track lane for a short distance....
....before leaving it a the waymarked gate on the left....
...to take the path across the fields towards Yealand Storrs.
For the initial part of the walk the hedgerow is on my right....
..but at this point I took the gate to the right and was then accompanied by a wall on my left.
Passing by Brow Foot Farm.
My path continued towards the houses seen in centre picture...
to emerge onto the road at Yealand Storrs where a left turn and a few paces from me to the gateway leading into the area known as Yealand Hall Allotment.
On the main path through the allotment. There are paths off to the right, some waymarked which I will investigate when the weather warms.
I left the track to take the path down through the field with Arnside Knott ahead...
.....which eventually led me into....
....Gait Barrows Natural Nature Reserve. The main part of the reserve lays to my right and is home to a number of the rare Lady's Slipper Orchids and also some fine limestone pavement. All being well we shall be visiting there later in the year so today it was straight ahead and down....
....to reach Hawes Water with Challan Hall on the opposite shore.
From Hawes Water I walked through the woods...
....to reach Moss Lane where Ediths friends from our last visit were dining.
Looking over to Eaves Wood as I walked along Moss Lane.
Just before reaching the railway bridge I took a permissive path on the left which in a few yards joined the site of the old Trowbarrow Limeworks. There is not much to see here nowadays but this was once the site of a massive Hoffman Kiln and was the birthplace of Tarmacadam without which our roads might be a little more bumpier than they already seem.
From the site of the old limeworks a track leads upwards towards the quarry...
....and my third nature reserve of the day.....Trowbarrow
This huge rock is called the Shelter Stone under which the quarrymen would shelter when blasting was being carried out.
This a lovely spot to wander around and there is much to see. Below is a link to an article all about the area from its past to present. It will open in a new as a PDF file. There is plenty to interest the historian, geologist, botanist & rock climber here.
After a wander around I made my way to the south end of the quarry to take a path leading out...
...into a wonderful limestone trough...
....passing through this wonderful memorial gate shaped in the form of a Carabiner...
...and a plaque with what I think is a traditional Irish blessing.
From the gate it was but a few yards to the road and a short walk back to the car,
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Next Walk: 19th February 2012 - Lake District - Cunswick Fell
Last Walk: 1st February 2012 - Lake District - Rydal Water & Grasmere from Pelter Bridge.
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