It early Monday afternoon, and all was well. The mugs were charged with steaming tea, and we had cakes on our plates.
"Thanks pals for doing Yorkshire Curd Tart again", said Tetley. "I love it."
"Well coming from Yorkshire, it is not surprising", replied Little Eric, who was helping himself to another small slice.
"Little Eric and I love baking, so it is a pleasure to provide the cakes", said Grizzly.
All happy and content, our thoughts now turned to walks. Allen had the iPad in paw, and said, "there is a day down to walk with Uncle Eric tomorrow. The weather forecast is OK too."
"It will be just great to be with Uncle Eric again. The last time was September when we walked from Crosby Garrett", replied Shaun.
"Has Dad got any ideas for where we might we walking?", asked Southey.
"He is going to suggest a walk that he did 33 years ago, long before even I and Tetley started the walking club", replied Shaun. It starts from near Milness on the A65 and goes south along the canal then over the slopes of Farleton Knott to Lupton. Finally climbing the hill behind for the return leg."
"Sounds good and the majority at least will be new ground for us all", replied Allen.
"Of course Uncle Eric will have some ideas, so it is not certain we will do Dad's plan", cautioned Shaun.
That evening Dad spoke with Uncle Eric, and then came to see us.
"We are doing the walk I had suggested", said Dad. "What is interesting is Uncle Eric had been looking at a recent walk from the Westmorland Gazette that coincidently covers part of my suggestion."
"Great", cheered Little Eric.
"Can't wait", cried Southey.
The Walk
The drive to the start was via the new Bay Gateway link to the M6, going north to junction 36. Then taking the A65 towards Crooklands, where immediately after crossing the canal we turned right on to the old section of the A65 to park.
We were there first, Dad getting ready, and then Uncle Eric soon arrived.
"Hi", we called out, "good to see you Uncle Eric."
"Good to see you too, my friends", he replied.
He was soon ready, and we set off, walking to the end of this old section of road, to then cross the A65 and so under the tunnel..
...to join the towpath of the Lancaster Canal that were to follow down to bridge number 155 (Duke's Bridge).
"Look a pair of swans", pointed Southey. "They will make a nice picture."
The day was quite sunny, as we strolled along passing under the bridges, like this numbered 161.
Further on Southey asked, "what was this ruined building by the towpath?"
Tetley was quick to help out. "In the early days after the canals were built the barges were towed by horses, and this building was a stable. There would be a few such buildings, enabling fresh horses to take over the towing and allowing the others to be rested."
As can be seen, there is a seat, where we could have sat for our picture. However we thought, there was still much of the walk to do, and so we did not want to delay.
Dad and Uncle Eric ambled on, and shortly Grizzly called out, "look more swans and there are young too."
"The young are fully grown, and have almost shed their ugly duckling feathers", went on Allen.
This is a lovely open section of the canal, with Farleton Knott rising to the east and wide views to the west. The large complex in the mid distance is the new site of the Kendal Auction Mart close to junction 36 of the M6.
Finally coming to bridge 155 we left the towing path to cross the canal and walk left to then cross the A6070.
On the corner is a large house . Uncle Eric said, "this was once The Duke public house"
The owner was outside, so we chatted briefly, telling him where we were going. Then strolled along the lane at the side of the house.
Shaun said, "we leave the lane at first corner, walk through Townend and then via a gap stile into a field. There we keep by the hedge to the left and go though the stile at the corner of the wood."
Through the field we were climbing towards Farleton Knott, and at the wood corner took the path left that led for a mile along its lower slopes. This was an extremely muddy path and made for hard going. At one point Uncle Eric caught his foot on a stone that sent him tumbling down the slope, but fortunately his foot caught in a bramble and so stopped him suffering a larger vertical drop.
"Oh heavens" cried Little Eric worriedly. "Are you all right."
"Yes but my foot is trapped", replied Uncle Eric.
Dad carefully descended to try and free his trapped foot, eventually realising it was the bramble and breaking the stem. Then Uncle Eric was able to get up and return to the path.
Thankfully he was unhurt apart from a couple of small cuts, and maybe some bruising. "Thank goodness there is nothing more serious", said Tetley.
Carefully Dad and Uncle Eric walked on slipping and sliding on the mud, to then find the way blocked by three heifers.
By the time Dad had got the camera out, one had moved up the hillside and stood looking down on us
Keeping on the heifers trotted on before us, but finally they both moved off up the slope, so leaving our progress unimpeded. The track led on and on to descend to a gate on to Puddlemire Lane.
"Where now?", asked Southey.
"We go straight on ", replied Shaun. "This will take us past the property called Aikbank, to then follow the track down to Lupton Beck."
Shortly Grizzly said, "what is that numbered flag to do with."
"I don't know", replied Tetley, "but it is a hell of a difficult golf hole", he joked.
Further down in a field there were more of these, but we are at a loss to know what they represent. "I think that would be what is known as being in the rough", joked on Little Eric."
As we neared the beck, Shaun said, "there is a ford, but also the map shows a footbridge that we should cross."
That was before storm Desmond early last December that had caused such devastation and misery to so many people and their property. The footbridge here was one such casualty, and remains one of the many repairs still outstanding.
"The beck is too wide and in spate so cannot be forded", said Uncle Eric.
"Oh dear", said Southey."Whatever will we do."
A look at the map resolved this, Shaun saying, "we will have to walk back to Puddlemire Lane and follow it to Newbiggin, then go left along Jubilee Lane."
"I agree", replied Uncle Eric. "It will add a bit of distance too."
At the junction, before we strode out along Puddlemire Lane, Dad paused to take this view, saying, "the high ground we can see behind Lupton is where our return route is."
Because of the diversion Puddlemire Lane seemed endless, but finally the few houses of Newbiggin were reached and very shortly we were turning left on to Jubilee Lane. Quite soon we came to Jubilee Bridge, Allen calling out, "finally Lupton Beck is crossed."
Difficult to photograph, due to hedges and fences on either side, this is the best that Dad could do.
Further on, Little Eric pointed to a signpost on the left, "this must be where the path we should have taken comes out. So we are back on the route."
Shortly reaching the A65, we crossed, going a few yards right, to then take the grassy lane left, signed Public Way/Bridleway. The grassy lane soon ended at a gate, then we crossed a farm track by Fowlstone and it was on through a gate opposite, to walk a hedged track. This climbed steadily becoming open into a field after a while.
The correct way was via an old sunken track, to the left of the trees, but it was simpler just to walk up the centre. At the top we passed through the gate in the wall to follow a fenced track.
"We have not had out picture taken for the story yet", complained Southey. "Will you take us sitting by the fence?"
"Sure lads."
Soon now we came to Lupton High Farm. Past the buildings the access was ignored and instead the route was right through a gate to climb on by the wall on the left.
Suddenly a military transport plane soared by. "Get a picture please", called out Allen."
The path became walled on both sides and then just on the right, taking us to a wall junction, where Shaun instructed, "we go through the gate ahead and then on beside the wall on the left."
Ever onwards then downhill through gorse bushes and another gate. Entering woodland we crossed Sarah Beck by the site of a disused quarry, the lane now swinging left and on, to then go sharp right, passing on the way this nice tree.
About another half mile we reached a road. Shaun was quick with the instructions, "we go right and then first left, that lane leading us to the start."
"That was a nice walk", said Southey. "Thanks Dad."
"Yes" agreed Uncle Eric. "I have enjoyed it all."
"Refreshment time now?", asked Tetley.
"Yes", replied Uncle Eric. "We are going to Cafe Ambio at the Auction Mart Complex."
This was very nice, Dad said afterward. He had a scone with butter and jam, while Uncle Eric had a toasted teacake with butter and jam, and of course a pot of tea each.
