Tea and cakes had arrived and soon we had steaming mugs in paw.
Grizzly said, "the cake selection today is Chorley cakes from me and Little Eric has made tiffin."
"Ooh!", exclaimed Southey. "We've not had tiffin before", as he took a piece. Then just as he was about to take a bite he said, "where's Allen!"
"Not sure" replied Shaun. "Certainly not like him to miss tea and cakes. After all he is the President of the Teddy Bear Tea Belly and Cake Stuffer Society."
Tetley laughed saying, "he'll be along you can be assured. He can smell tea a mile off."
And how right he was a minutes later he came dashing in calling out, "I have news of a walk."
However getting his personal priorities right he took the steaming mug from Shaun and a piece of tiffin and Chorley cake. "Mmm, the tiffin is absolutely scrumptious", the look on his face confirming this.
"Thank you", replied Little Eric. "I thought I would try making something different."
"You can make it again for sure", said Tetley. Then saying, "the Chorley cakes are delicious too, Grizzly, as usual."
There was a little delay in giving the news as Allen had to have this third mug of tea poured before imparting it. "We are on for a walk with Uncle Eric on Tuesday. It will be our first with him this year and will be so good to have his company."
"Do we need to come up with and idea?" asked Little Eric.
"No pal. Uncle Eric has suggested a walk from Newbiggin on Lune."
"That will be super", agreed Tetley. "It's a long time since we walked in that area. When we were exploring the lonely northern valley and fells of the Howgills."
"Good days", agreed Grizzly. "We rarely saw anyone on those walks."
"Well here's to Tuesday", cheered Southey. "It will probably all new ground, certainly for me."
We are having a spell of settled sunny weather, so the day was cloudless blue skies but a bitter wind from the east making it feel cold when walking into it
As we called goodbye to our pals and settled in the car, Southey asked, "how do we get to the start?"
Tetley obliged, "north on the M6 to junction 38 at Tebay then along the A685 to turn off at Newbiggin.
Allen went on, "the walk instructions indicate starting at the Lune Springs Cafe, but Uncle Eric told Dad this is closed, so we should instead park in the cul-de-sac to the right as we turn off."
Uncle Eric can be seen getting ready for the off, and there is another group preparing for a walk. They set off through the village the opposite way to our route.
Dad had taken this shot returning from taking these daffodils, Tetley saying, "sign that spring is truly here even if the temperatures make it see still feel like winter with the cold wind."
All ready, Shaun advised, "walk up the path at the end to the main road and cross by the bollards to walk along the road to Great Asby."
Striding on, Shaun then instructed "we go through the gateway on the right. There should be signs to Brownber Hall Residential Home and Bents Farm"
As you can see there were now no such signs, but the the walk leaflet was written quite a long time ago. Still after some little debate it was clear this was indeed the route.
The drive curved left and soon we came to Brownber Hall.
"I wonder if it is still a residential home?", mused Little Eric.
Well our expert researcher Grizzly, was later able to answer his question. "A couple named Peter and Amanda took over as the custodians in 2016, and over the time have carefully reimagined aspects of the building and business. Up to 2019 it was a hotel, but now the Hall and House are private rental holiday homes. The house was originally built in the mid 1800s by the Fothergill family."
A signposted track went left past Home Farm. "That's our route", called out Southey.
"Rather surprising to see the pools of water after this long dry spell", commented Allen.
Onwards this brought us to the Great Asby Road again. Shaun was quick with instructions, pointing to the signpost reading Ewe Fell. "That's the route, right along Thorny Lane, round to the right of those trees."
As we strolled on Allen said, "those trees away to the left will make a nice shot against the blue sky. In another month all the little finger twigs at the end of the branches will be coming into leaf. Natures cycle starts again. So important too as they take the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. "
Ewes with their lambs were all about, this little lamb being inquisitive enough for Dad to snap this shot.
"Huh", grumped Allen. "There goes the sheep picture free story."
"Well", replied Southey. "You must admit it looks so cute."
"Suppose so."
Coming to the access to Intake Farm, Shaun advised, "ignore the access and keep to the right of the fence to that gate. Then follow the grassy path that soon bears left by the wall.
"Just look that enormous tree", pointed Grizzly. "Must be very old. And just about coming into leaf."
The track led to another gate, where beyond it was diagonally left across the field to the three armed signpost, we could see.
Reaching this we paused to look back to the Howgills.
"Tetley said, "we had some amazing walks exploring those summits and valleys."
"Yes lad" replied Uncle Eric. "Very lonely walks seeing hardly any other walkers. Probably even now they are little frequented."
"A place to really get away from it all", added Dad.
Looking left Allen said, "that's Wild Boar Fell above Mallerstang."
"I recall the day we climbed it with Uncle Bob. It was April 2007. However first we climbed the far side of the valley to High Seat etc., then descending to the valley to climb to Swarth Fell and Wild Boar Fell. It was 13 miles."
"Aye lad", replied Dad. "Doubt I could do that walk now!"
"We did just Swarth Fell and Wild Boar Fell again in June 2013", went on Tetley.
"That was so I could bag it", replied Little Eric, "in my quest to complete the Howgill challenge, which I did thanks to you Dad."
Through the gate then right by the fence passing this tree.
"Leave the fence and head to that gate on the far side", called out Shaun.
"Looking at the map, Allen said, "that is Great Ewe Fell with the path running up to the cairn."
"Yes", agreed Tetley looking at the map. "But that cairn in not the summit. It's quite a bit further. Maybe a summit for another day."
The gate led onto a grassy track.
Oh noooo...." cried Allen seeing the sheep, and seeing Dad getting the camera out. "No more sheep pictures after this", he commanded.
They were totally unfazed by us and happily posed for Dad.
"Right along the track following the wall", advised Southey.
Looking right Little Eric pointed, "that's Bents Farm. We are heading for that."
As we got nearer, the track dropped down on a short rough path through a rocky outcrop to a gate. Beyond the track was by the wall towards the farm.
"That is Bents Farm Camping Barn", pointed Grizzly. "It was the original farmhouse dating from the 1600s."
If you look carefully at the far left of the picture, you can just see the flagged path in the grass leading from the barn. We however continued on the path by the wall to a gate into the farm. Here a sign told us the path was diverted to the right leading to a gate at the top of the paved path.
Uncle Eric remarked, "it would have been helpful if the diversion was indicated from the barn to avoid crossing the rough ground."
"Quite", agreed Tetley.
Through a gate we joined the farm access known as Whitber Lane. Grizzly told us reading from the leaflet, "Whitber Lane may have been a drove road for moving cattle or a packhorse route. The route was traditionally used by gypsies travelling to the Appleby Horse Fair."
This wound right then left down and up passing through some trees and coming to t-junction by Tower House.
Again Grizzly educated us. "During the Second World War evacuees arrived by train to be billeted at this once fortified farmhouse. Long before in 1621, the house was the birthplace of Elizabeth Fothergill, later Elizabeth Gaunt. She was the last woman to be burned at the stake in England, at Tyburn in London in 1685. Her death resulted from her activities as an Anabaptist, a small religious group."
"How awful", said Little Eric shuddering.
Shaun said, "we take the track left."
This passed Brownber Farm to the left. "It was built in 1783", informed Grizzly.
Shortly we passed under the trackbed of the long closed railway.
To the left is a stile leading to steps onto the trackbed. Not our route and Allen commented, "we have not encountered any stiles today."
"Good place for our picture", said Little Eric.
Dad tried to balance Shaun on the stone barrier of the stile, but with a cry he overbalanced and tumbled on the far side.
"Ha", he called out laughing. "Now you are going to have to climb over Dad."
He was none the worse for the tumble and finally all settled Dad took the obligatory shot.
The path led out out to the A685, that we crossed carefully by the bollards. On the far side is Lune Springs Cafe and Garden Centre, which at present is closed.
"We went there together a long while ago", commented Uncle Eric.
"Yes", agreed Dad. "I remember buying a resin figure of a ewe and lamb that sits on a display case in my bedroom."
Just a matter now of walking through the village.
This building is called Aidans.
Reading from the nearby information panel Grizzly told us, "now a private house it was built in 1892 by wealthy John Fothergill as St Aidan's Church. As an elderly man in poor health, he didn't want to travel to the church in neighbouring Ravenstonedale."
A building that looked rather ramshackle had once been the Methodist Chapel, but was replaced in 1935 by this building just across from where we had parked.
Pointing Allen said, "what is the plaque about on that recently planted tree?"
Trotting across Tetley called out, "it was planted in 2022 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II."
"Thank you Uncle Eric for suggesting this walk. It has been lovely", said Shaun on behalf of us all.
"You are welcome Lads, glad you liked it."
We said our goodbyes, and Dad drove back to Tebay where he went and had a meal at Junction 38 Services. We had our picnic in the car. Lots of nice sandwiches and cake and mugs of tea.
"It's been a grand day out", said Tetley, as Dad continued the journey home.
