SOULBY, STOCKBER LANE, GALLANSEY, NEWCLOSE LANE & LADLE LANE from CROSBY GARRETT

 


Summary

Date - 20th September 2016 Distance - 10 miles
Ascent -
730ft
Map - OL19 Start point - Crosby Garrett (NY 7284 0945)

 

Summits Achieved

No summits were reached on this walk

 

Preface

Southey and Allen were looking at the laptop, when Shaun Little Eric and Grizzly arrived with the flasks and cake tin.

"What are you on with?", asked Little Eric.

"Viewing then pictures Dad took on the walk with Uncle Bob, yesterday. There are plenty and many good enough for a story," replied Allen.

"There will be some that Uncle Bob took of Dad, which we will be able to include too once they are sent", went on Southey.

This was all said while they were both looking intently at the screen.

Now Allen looked up and called out, "tea." He and Southey then went to get the plates and mugs, Allen calling out, "I'm gasping for a cuppa."

"He's a tea belly just like Dad", said Shaun, letting out a bellow of laughter.

"I'll give you a paw to fill the mugs", said Southey.

"Thanks pal."

So what's for cake?, asked Allen.

"It's a scone day", replied Grizzly. "We have made a choice of three. Sultana, cherry & ginger, or apple & cinnamon."

"There is butter and raspberry jam too", added Little Eric.

So we all helped ourselves. Taking a bite of the sultana, Southey said, "they're scrumptious."

"As are the cherry & ginger", said Shaun with a look of ecstasy on his face.

Little Eric then said, "where's Tetley?"

Well no sooner were the words out of his mouth than our pal strolled in.

Here's your mug of tea", said Southey.

"Thanks pal", he replied. Then he helped himself to a scone. "The apple and cinnamon are deelicious!" After a little pause, he went on, "I have been with Dad. He has spoken to Uncle Eric to explain the situation concerning his back. Uncle Eric has mentioned a walk in the Westmorland Gazette, but this is a linear one the Brough area. Dad has tasked us with coming up with an idea to make it a round. Uncle Eric is also going to do the same, then when they speak tomorrow will decide which option for our walk on Tuesday."

Getting the map, Tetley then indicated the route of the published walk. "We will have to use a portion of this for our route", mused Grizzly.

After a bit of to-ing and froing, we finally got a route, starting from the village of Crosby Garrett. "Now we need to see if there is somewhere to park", said Tetley.

"I know", said Allen. "Let's search for walks from there on the Internet."

This done we were able to establish that there was a small area to park adjacent to the bus stop.

Having highlighted our suggestion, Tetley then went to see Dad again, returning shortly to say, "Dad likes our idea."

The next night he and Uncle Eric spoke. Uncle Eric's and ours differed quite a lot. After a bit more discussion, Uncle Eric said, "I am happy with your suggestion."

"OK", said Dad, "but we can do your route another time later in the year."

 

The Walk

We woke up to sunshine and although cool to start we were in for a warm day with hardly any wind, but clouding over in the afternoon.

We all lent a paw getting the picnic made and safely stowed in Allen's rucksack. When we heard Dad slam the boot shut, we dashed out to the car.

Then Dad drove to Uncle Eric's, and on arrival called out "good morning", to him.

"Hi lads", he replied, "good to see you."

Decamped to Uncle Eric's car for the drive to Crosby Garrett, where we parked, as expected, adjacent to the bus stop.

Our arrival was slightly delayed by a farmer driving his sheep through the village.

"What a lovely sight", said Southey.

Soon ready, Shaun said, "we cross the clapper bridge, go left and then soon right."

Very soon Allen pointed, "here it is."

"That's right", agreed Shaun. "Smardale Mill is on the far side of the river, but our route keeps us beside it on this side."

Up steps the path was narrow between walls for a few yards.

At the end of the house it opened out into the yard, then it was along a short walled grassy path to gate into field. Here it was straight across to a gate on far side, and then along by the fence on the left.

"We should go through the facing gate", said Shaun.

Beyond the enclosed track led to a gate. Then by the fence on the right crossed the field to a gate onto an enclosed track, with over arching trees that gave a tunnel like view ahead.

"Feels like were in Alice in Wonderland and about to got down the rabbit hole", laughed Little Eric.

The track was level at first, but then descended steadily to come to Scandal Beck.

"If we crossed the beck it would take us to Smardale Mill", said Shaun. "However we should climb the stile on left then go through that gate in fence on right."

As can be seen by the time Dad took the picture, Uncle Eric was already waiting patiently by the gate.

Through this, Shaun said, "we keep along by the fence across this larger field, which will then bring us beside Scandal Beck again."

A step stile was crossed then the path led on by the beck, to reach a house on the left. Passing it to the right, another step stile was climbed on to the road, Leases Lane.

Here we saw the lady who lives at house. She was taking her dogs for a walk, with her new born baby in a pram.

Dad said, "how nice to see a traditional pram. Is it silver cross?"

"Yes", she replied. "It was passed on to us by a neighbour who no longer needed it."

She then strode off across the ford.

"Our way is over the stone step stile opposite, and then keep on by the beck", advised Shaun.

So, we followed the stiled/gated way that then brought us to a stile on our right at Soulby Mill, into a field with three small horses. The owner was there so Dad and Uncle Eric chatted about the route of our walk, and how warm the weather is for the time of year. He commented that here, there had been little rain during the summer too.

Through a gate to the left we joined the mill's tarmac access road that was to lead up to the village of Soulby with the beck for company on the right.

The the sun was streaming down, and Grizzly commented at one point, "the reflections will make a nice picture Dad."

At the end the lane we turned right to the village beside this extensive green. "How nice said Tetley, and so typical of villages like this."

Shortly reaching the village centre, Shaun instructed, "we go left between the churches."

As we passed, Little Eric said, "this first is the Wesleyan Chapel, dating from 1893."

Taking note of the one to the left, Southey said, "there is no sign to indicate which denomination it is."

Dad and Uncle Eric circled round both sides, being none the wiser, the only date indication being this moulding of a coat of arms above the south porch bearing the legend PM1663.

"Well", said Allen, "it is a bit of a conundrum to say the least."

"I am determined to find out more via the Internet, when we get home", went on Southey.

It was once the single chambered St Luke's Church, built between 1662-1663 by Sir Philip Musgrave whose coat of arms are represented on the moulding. Musgrave was a Royalist army officer and prominent local politician. He is credited with taking Carlisle from Parliamentary troops in 1648, becoming the city's Governor. Now no longer a church, a stunning conversion has been made into a house.

Strolling on we passed Bonnygate Farm and then at the road corner, Shaun said, "we keep on ahead along that surfaced track."

It was signed Warcop via Ploughlands, Grizzly asking "do we go all the way to Warcop?"

"No pal. Not even to Ploughlands either, but just to the first road."

The track led soon to Sykeside Farm. "Look at that lovely sheep planter", called out Tetley."

"And those profusion of pots too", called out Allen.

Leaving the farm via a waymarked gate the track was open to the right where noisy cows and sheep grazed. The latter were very friendly, leaving Dad no option but to snap a picture.

"Hmph", grumped Allen.

Through the next gate and then a waymarked gate to the left of a barn and out across the field to a gate on the far side, with this lovely view of the Pennines before us. "Wonderful", said Southey.

More gates and stiles followed, finally to a stile in the fence. Looking over Tetley said, "there's no doubt as to the route!"

By the barn a track was joined, and followed to the road. "We go left", said Shaun.

This led across Intake Bridge and to the right of Black Hill to take a signed path on the left, that would take us across the fields to...

For some reason Dad delayed slightly, then walked to the ford, where Uncle Eric was standing on the far side.

Seeing his boots were dry, Tetley called out, "however did you get across?"

He just smiled back, then Allen called out, "I know. There is a wooden bridge over to the left. It is almost hidden in the grass."

A green path now led on between tall grass clumps. Uncle Eric, looking up from the map said, "we will come to a building called Hull Bank at the end of this path."

Well we reached a fence corner where there was a gate to the left, but no building. This made us doubt that we were in the correct place.

"Bearing in mind where we have walked we are surely on route, and it must be through that gate now", said Shaun.

"And, as for Hull Bank, it must have been demolished, and all trace of it has disappeared", went on Tetley.

Beyond the gate we went right to walk in the same direction. "I can see a stile in the fence on the far side", called out Grizzly, "so we are definitely on track."

Climbing this stile, it was immediately over a small footbridge to go ahead but drifting a little left to a stile midway in the fence. There were sheep and cattle in this field, the latter getting curious.

Looking back after we had crossed the stile, Uncle Eric said, "look how the cows have lined up by the fence."

From here it was diagonally right to a gate in the far corner, and out onto Mask Lane.

Directly opposite is Stockber Lane, "that's our route", instructed Shaun.

We do not think that it is walked very often, as it was quite overgrown in places and at times pretty boggy too. It ran straight for a little way before turning at a right angle and then running arrow straight again to the road opposite Woodpecker Farm.

Little Eric commented, "according to the map this used to be called Stockber."

Southey added, "just along the road is a property called Stockbar, so perhaps that is why the name has been changed."

Finally here we stopped for lunch, a strip of low concrete providing a seat."

"Thank goodness!", exclaimed Allen. "I am really hungry", as he slipped his rucksack off to pass round the picnic.

"You're always hungry", laughed Tetley, helping himself to a sandwich.

It was nice to have a rest and we all felt refreshed and ready to face the last part of the walk.

"I'll take your picture here, lads, as you have to appear in every story", said Dad

"Too true", cheered Grizzly.

Just before we set off Dad phoned Uncle Brian to see he was OK. The owner of the farm came out to enquire if we wanted any fresh water and even offered canvas chairs to sit on. How kind!

"This is Tewthwaite Hill Road", said Shaun. "We follow this to the corner at Stockbar and then continue to cross the railway, Then on Newlands Road we walk on to a junction by the house called Gallansay, where we turn right."

That took us past South House, and shortly Shaun called out, "we go left along this wide surfaced track, called Newclose Lane."

This climbed steadily and relentlessly, to pass an underground reservoir and drop to a cross roads.

"That field barn and tree, will make a nice picture, don't you think?", said Allen.

At the bottom of the hill there was no doubting the route as a sign reading Crosby Garrett, pointed left through a gate. Keeping by the wall to the right, this led to a gate onto the walled Ladle Lane, here going left round the corner and onwards.

Rocky and wet at first, as we descended it became drier and grassy, and finally a wide surfaced track that crossed the railway.

Uncle Eric said, "I'm sure this is the site of the long closed station", pointing out the retaining walls. As can be seen in the picture below, the inset section on the right is where a building once stood.

We looked in Dad's book on the history of the Settle-Carlisle line, finding this picture, looking in the opposite direction towards the bridge we were standing on.

Now on a road, this was just followed to the start, Dad and Uncle Eric making a short diversion to view and photograph the impressive Crosby Garrett viaduct. Dad's book tells us that it is constructed of limestone taken from a nearby cutting and is built on the skew across part of the village. Built in 1871, it has six spans and is 110 yards long and 55 feet high.

Returning to the car, a lady was at the bus stop waiting for her little girl coming from school, so Dad and Uncle Eric chatted. She told us she had lived in Kendal until marrying her husband. She also said that although there is a bus stop sign, there are currently no service buses to the village, just another casualty of recent cutbacks.

"That was a lovely walk", said Uncle Eric. "Thanks for devising it lads."

"You're welcome", Allen replied. "We always enjoy having your company."

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