It was Monday afternoon, and we were all content, especially as the tea and cakes had arrived.
"Mmm", said Southey, "the blueberry slice is quite delicious, Little Eric. Totally irresistible." He promptly helped himself to another piece.
"So I can see. Your on your fourth piece now."
"Well, like Allen, I freely admit to taking after Dad for the love of cake and tea."
"Nothing wrong in that", said Allen supporting his pal, as he took another cherry and ginger scone that Grizzly had made.
"The scones are scrumptious", said Shaun. "Thank you both for all the baking you do. Be assured too, that we never take it for granted."
Tetley was looking at the iPad. "there are days down to walk with Uncle Eric, tomorrow and Wednesday. The weather looks fine for tomorrow if rather warm for the time of year. Not so settled on Wednesday."
Grizzly said, "I think Dad would rather walk tomorrow as he wants to get his haircut on Wednesday."
"Do we have to come up with and idea?", asked Little Eric.
"Well pal, Dad has got two possibilities to suggest, but also Uncle Eric will have quite a few suggestions too. We'll just have to wait and see, until after they have chatted on the phone later", replied Shaun.
As soon as the conversation was over Dad came to see us. "The plan is to walk tomorrow from Bowland Bridge The route takes us across part of Whitbarrow Scar. It is going to be a warm day so we will have to be patient as Uncle Eric will need to take it slowly. We have actually done this walk before back on 11th July 2007, a couple of months after it was published in the Westmorland Gazette."
"That's fine", replied Tetley, "I bet none of us will remember much about it."
"That date is before Little Eric and I were adopted, so for us it will be totally new ground", said Southey.
"I looked to see what pictures I took in 2007. There was only one of a stile across the corner of walls."
"So tomorrow you will take plenty no doubt, meaning we can write a story of the adventure", cheered Allen.
A warm day was in prospect with little wind, but the views were rather hazy.
The drive was familiar being the same route we took on our recent climb of Gummer's How and Birch Fell, but only as far as Bowland Bridge, where we parked in the layby opposite the car park for the Hare & Hounds.
"Good morning Uncle Eric", we called out. "Nice to see you."
"Hi lads good to see you too", he replied.
Barnaby and Lee who always come along to see Uncle Eric went for a little chat, before they settled in the car, to then go for a walk on their own after we had set off.
Before retirement Dad and Uncle Eric worked together. Barnaby came every day to work with Dad, bringing some of his pals. So Barnaby always comes to see Uncle Eric when they walk. Lee is Barnaby's best pal. Lee is wearing the jumper he got on a visit to the Kennedy Space Centre, with his NASA name badge.
We quickly settled in the rucksack, while Dad got ready. Shaun said, "we walk past the post office and take the narrow lane left."
Sadly since 2007, Bowland House is not longer a post office, all that remains is the wall postbox.
"Please take a picture", said Little Eric. "They make a colourful picture for the story."
"Due to out interest in postboxes, we have quite a lot of pictures from different villages we have visited on our adventures", commented Grizzly.
Bowland Bridge is a pretty village with many of the houses painted white that is common in the Lake District.
As we entered the lane, Shaun said, "in about 100 yards we go left over the stone step stile."
As can be seen Uncle Eric had crossed first and was reading the next route instructions. He said, "along by the wall to the next stile over the cross of walls."
"This was the sole picture you took in 2007", said Tetley. "Being such a large stile, the handrails are very helpful and make it safer to cross."
"OK", said Shaun, "now we keep by the wall to our left, and drop down to a wall gap, and then on to another ladderstile."
After climbing it, Southey said, "we go on passing left of the barn and to a stile onto Woodside Road."
There was a large herd of cows here that stood on the path we needed to take initially. "Best if we go round a bit to the right first to get past them, and then join the path left of the barn", suggested Dad.
Dad is not worried about cows but Uncle Eric is rather more wary, so it was a relief to get past without incident, even if they regarded us rather inquisitively.
At the road, Southey said, "cross and go left a few yards to what the author refers to as a difficult to open gate."
In fact a large double gate but Dad managed quite easily the opening and closing and then we paused to survey the route ahead.
Shaun said, "follow the tractor track and cross the bridge over Arndale Beck. There the path goes a little right and then bends left to a gate gap and by the right hand wall of the field left of the one where the grass had been cut."
Peering, Little Eric said, "oh dear there are more cows in that field, unfortunately."
Thankfully the cows completely ignored us as we crossed to the gate at the far side of the field. "Again, Mary Welsh indicates this is another difficult to open gate", said Grizzly.
In a way it was too, as it had dropped so Dad had to support it to get it closed properly again.
"We repeat this part of the walk at the end", said Tetley. "You're going to have to tackle this gate again."
Beyond walked a few yards, then went right along the track to Broad Oak, where Dad and Uncle Eric, for a little way became shepherds.
"Huh", groused Allen. "There goes the sheep picture free story."
Just before the end of the track that went right through the open gate into the field. "This is our route too", said Southey. "The path has been diverted round the farm."
"It's well waymarked", commented Grizzly.
Beyond a gate there were two options. "Which way?", asked Little Eric.
"Straight on", said Shaun. "Through that gate then go left to come to the access road."
There Southey was quick to say, "take the gate immediately right."
This was a grassy path between trees and a fence that soon took us via a gate onto the narrow lane.
"Turn right", instructed Shaun.
Soon we came to the pretty cottage that on the map is named Low House, but is now according to the name sign called Greenside. "What a lovely house", commented Allen.
"Go left", said Southey. "Along the reinforced access to Fell Edge and pass the house to the right."
Since 2007 the path has been diverted and is now left to circle round the rear of the house and then climb a steep path between walls to stile onto a path under Whitbarrow Scar and turn right.
The narrow path led on with the steep scarp left and fence right. On and on it led finally ascending to a stile in the fell wall onto Township Allotment.
The only real path from here led half right. As Dad strode along Shaun said, "I do not think we should be going this way, but it will eventually bring us to the track we want across the allotment, but adding a bit of extra distance."
The path led south past this large split boulder. "Reminds me of the one on Summerhouse Hill at Yealand", commented Grizzly.
"A good spot for our picture", called out Allen.
Onwards we passed cairns that seemed to mark the 173m spot height. "We are still too far west", said Southey. "We need to be over there where that lady is walking."
Finally coming close to the wall with Flodder Allotment, we picked up the wide tractor track and turning north. After a while it started to go east. "We need to ignore this and keep on north", said Shaun.
Soon we picked up the route again.
Southey was studying the map. "The track continues north then will swing east leading to a cross wall."
Reading some of the instructions, Little Eric pointed, "Mary Welsh mentions that there are some solitary larch trees by the route. Are those some of them?"
Grizzly replied, "it is Bracken and Moss that are the experts, but I have some knowledge. Larches are conifers. those however are deciduous."
"Well they are quite impressive. It would be worth including one picture in our tale."
Southey was quite correct, the track led to a gap in the wall and into pasture, where cows and calfs were sitting contentedly, and ignoring us, unlike the ones we had passed at the beginning.
The path led down to the right corner. "Look", pointed Tetley, "there's a robin sitting on the signpost. Try to get a picture Dad."
Dad tried his best against the very busy background, before it flew off.
Here we joined a wide track. "This is the byway called Whitbarrow Road that skirts round the northern end of Township Allotment", said Shaun. "We go left."
By now the day was getting very warm, and Uncle Eric was finding it harder going, and needed to make quite a few stops to catch his breath. We waited patiently.
Eventually the track joined the road near to Broad Oak.
"Look", pointed Tetley, "there's the limekiln. It's very tall."
"I love the signpost for Whitbarrow Road, indicating what modes of transport are allowed.", said Grizzly. "First time I have seen a legend for horse and cart", he laughed.
"We go left and then down the access to Broad Oak", called out Southey.
This was indicated by an old milk churn.
Here Southey told us, "now it is just the case of reversing our outwards route.
Here Uncle Eric makes his way down the pasture, after Dad had opened and closed the first of the awkward gates. Catching him up, he said to Dad, "the cows have gone from this field thankfully."
The barn on the far side of Woodside Road can be seen. Here the cows were very much in evidence and were still a lively as ever. As we approached they all galloped off left to the far side of the rise. Good we thought, and indeed Dad got over the ladderstile without trouble. However Uncle Eric was a little behind us and as he was closing in on the ladderstile, then began to return at speed.
"Quick Uncle Eric", called out Tetley. "The cows are coming back." He just managed to get over in time.
"Thank goodness there are no more damn cows to contend with", said Uncle Eric a little breathlessly.
So more leisurely now we crossed the pastures to the road and turned right up to Bowland Bridge.
"That was a super walk", cheered Southey. "Thanks for suggesting it Uncle Eric and for your company."
"You're welcome", replied Uncle Eric. "It has been enjoyable, if a little too warm. I need to rest a bit before I drive home."
In the evening Dad phoned Uncle Eric to make sure he had got home safely and was OK. Thankfully all was well.
