All was well. There was steaming tea in our mugs, and cakes on our plates.
"Thanks for doing the scones, Southey, and for giving Little Eric and I a day off", said Grizzly.
"You're welcome. You both deserve it", he replied.
"We never take it for granted, all the effort you put in to provide us with the delicious creations", went on Shaun.
"Being the arch cake stuffer, I am particularly appreciative", said enthused Allen. "As I am of you Southey. The cherry and ginger scones are scrumptious.
"As are the cheese too", said Tetley. "And the sultana ones."
"Looks like we are about to run out", said Little Eric. "That must be your fourth Allen."
"They are just so irresistible."
"No worries about supplies", called out Southey, as he produced another tin filled to the top.
"Always room for another", cheered Allen.
"Hmm", said Tetley. "You never fail to live up to your reputation."
Then our thoughts turned to the prospect of a walk. "It was so good to walk with Uncle Eric again. The walk from Newbiggin was really interesting", said Shaun. "The weather is set to be good for days to come. Perhaps we will get out this weekend.
"Dad has not been feeling too good lately following the untimely death of this friend of nearly 70 years, Paul", sighed Allen. "But I am sure a walk will help to take his mind off the the grief and the funeral to come."
"I have and idea", said Tetley. "There's a walk, number 49 in the index, that we have never done as according to the sheet Dad last did it on August 1992."
"Sounds interesting", enthused Grizzly.
Tetley went on, "it is 5 miles and starts from the small village of Lowgill in Tatham. The start is from the school, where there is bound to be parking. And being a weekend and the fact that it is school holidays, that will present no difficulties."
"I am sure Dad will agree", cried Little Eric. "We just need the persuasive power of you Allen to convince him."
He drained his mug and trotted out of the room. "Please fill my mug again", he called.
Turning to do this and laughing Shaun said, "that will be his sixth."
"I've said before that he must have hollow legs" replied Tetley with a bellow of laughter.
Allen soon returned, with a smile on this face, "It's on for Sunday." Then said, "thanks Shaun", as he took the refilled mug.
"Great" cheered Southey. "Here's to the best Dad in all the world."
We awoke to blue skies on another glorious spring day. Once Dad had loaded his gear, we dashed out to the car, calling our "goodbyes" to our pals.
"Take care" called back Craig. "Make sure Dad keeps safe."
"We will", replied Tetley.
Setting off, Little Eric asked, "how do we get to the start?"
Shaun was ready with the answer. "Take the route as if going to Elaine's, but at Wray turn right through the village on the back road to Bentham. After some miles we will pass a house called Ashleys, and then shortly take the right turn. This will lead us to Lowgill and the school where we park".
Dad ready and us safely tucked in the rucksack, Shaun instructed, "continue along the road to the chapel."
Grizzly told us, "this is the former Wesleyan Chapel built as the date stone shows in 1866. It closed in 2010 and as can be seen has been converted into a private residence."
"Contrary to the written instructions, you have made a note that we go left on the drive before the chapel", advised Shaun.
"There", pointed Tetley seeing the signpost.
At the end it was left past houses and to a gate into the field and along the walled/fenced track to a gate.
Beyond Southey said, "follow the wall down to the footbridge."
"Oh look", called out Tetley. "There's one of those Peak and Northern Footpaths Society signs. We haven't seen one for a long time. They are more common over here as we saw a few when we explored the Bowland Fells."
Peering closely Little Eric said, "there is a dedication. It was placed here on 6th October 2010, to celebrate the 90th birthday of Esther Horsefall (nee Halstead). She walked this way to school from Higher Thrushgill in 1927-1931."
Crossing the bridge Dad paused to take this of the stream. "Unsurprisingly very low after all the dry weather", commented Allen.
"Turn right", advised Shaun.
This took us up the banking via the Platinum Steps. So called a sign told us, because the path improvement was completed in June 2022, to mark the Platinum Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. The work was carried out by local volunteers with support from Tatham Parish and Lancashire County Councils.
At the top, Southey told us, "cross to by that building that was old school, and over the stile in the wall."
Now in a large field, Shaun advised, "we should make our heading towards that distant clump of trees."
At the corner the route was over this stile. "That's quite an impressive one", stated Allen. "Worth a picture for the story."
Once over, Southey said, "round the left of the barn and head towards the buildings of Rantree Fold Farm."
However progress was stopped by Little Eric pointing, "just look at those two lambs. They are so young. Aww."
"Oh well", sighed Allen. "There goes the sheep picture free story once again. But I must admit they are very cute."
Over the field it was on through the buildings of Rantree Fold passing the farmhouse that was built by someone with the initials T T in 1617.
The drive brought us to Rantreefold Road. Tetley pointed, "there's the old milk churn stand. Good place to have our picture taken."
Settled again in the rucksack, Shaun issued the next instructions. "Through the gate opposite crossing the field the direction of the same trees to a stile onto Whitepits Lane."
There Little Eric said "Ok, where now?"
"Over that stile and across the corner of the field onto the drive to Usherwoods", advised Southey. "Although it will be easier to just walk right on the road and left down the drive."
This was what Dad did. At the first bend seeing the stile to the right, Shaun called out, "that's our route."
Straight on across the pasture and through the distant gate to keep on in the same direction and eventually through a gateway by buildings onto a track. During this and at the track we had the pleasure of seeing the Yorkshire Three Peaks.
First Whernside (2416ft) the highest fell in Yorkshire.
Little Eric called out, "I climbed that just one day after Dad adopted me from Auntie Wendy Sue. It was terribly windy, but I managed to hang in by the trig point for a picture. It was 2nd March 2008."
"You may be small, but you are tough pal", replied Grizzly. "And now a true veteran of the mountains and fells."
This below, the unmistakable shape of Ingleborough (2373ft). "Last climbed by us all on 10th April 2021", stated Tetley.
And, finally Pen-y-ghent (2278ft). "Last climbed on 31st March 2016 so that you could bag it Southey", went on Tetley. "At the left end of the ridge is the subsidiary summit of Plover Hill."
"Gee", exclaimed Dad. "I can't believe it is so long ago. How time has flown."
"Time now to visit the Great Stone of Fourstones", called out Allen, pointing to it poking up over to the right. Dad made short work of getting there.
"We must have our picture here", called out Southey. "I am sure I have never been here before."
While we sat Grizzly told us, "it is known locally as the Big Stone, and is a glacial deposit. The name suggests that there were once four stones. The other three were possibly broken up for scythe sharpening stones, or building stone, centuries ago. Large stones such as this were useful as boundary markers in the open countryside, and this one was used as a boundary marker for the Lancashire-Yorkshire boundary between Tatham and Bentham parishes. A local myth tells how the stone was dropped by the devil, on his way to build Devil's Bridge at nearby Kirkby Lonsdale. It is not known when the fourteen steps we are sitting on were carved, but it must have been long ago as they are well worn."
"Thank you pal for the most interesting information." replied Southey.
As we got settled again, Little Eric asked, "where do we go now?"
Shaun and Southey huddled over the map, then having agreed, Shaun said, "return to the where we joined the track by Fourstones Barn. Then follow the wall as it bends left and walk the track by it."
After a few minutes this brought us to the access to Moorlands. "There are waymarks" pointed Allen. "One pointing along the access."
By the buildings though there seemed to be no way forward, the written instructions being of little help either. We were to find out later when we talked to a lady at Fleet House that the paths had changed.
"What to do?", mused Grizzly.
Tetley said, "the instructions say we go to Fleet House over there", he pointed.
"Right" said Shaun. "We should go through that gate on the left then follow the boundary right to see if we can find the slab bridge."
Doing this brought us here...
"Hmm", said Allen. "That looks like a small gate and there is the makings of the said slab bridge."
"Seems a viable option", agreed Dad.
Squeezing through Dad was soon over the stream, and following the wall up that became a fence found a stile into field with a clear route to Fleet House.
Rounding this we walked up to a gate but looking over, Grizzly said, "not the route I think."
So this was where Dad asked the lady working in her garden for advice. She replied, "just go across to the right to that wall and stile with the signpost." Mentioning our difficulties at Moorlands, she went on, "oh yes they have changed the paths. Also here where I am standing there would have been a building when your walk was written, so adding further to the confusion."
Thanking her we headed to the stile onto Whitepits Lane once more, crossing and over the stile opposite. There was a good path Allen saying "seems sensible to head to those buildings on the far side."
In fact this brought us to the gate we had used earlier opposite the access to Rantree Fold. "Oh", said Little Eric surprised.
"Ah", said Shaun. "We should actually have gone to the left, at the cross of paths, which was not signified in any way. However it does not matter. We merely go left along the road and then take the first drive on the right to Beethams."
Indeed when we got there we saw to the left the stile with steps down that we should have come to.
"Those daffodils will make a nice picture", suggested Southey.
Dad strode off and in 5 minutes we passed Beethams....
...the track leading on towards Foss Bank.
At Foss Bank it was left through the yard to a gate and then follow the path down to a footbridge. On the far side the narrow path was rather awkward clinging to the steep bank. Tetley remarked, "if there is a storm it is possible the path may be washed completely away."
"Aye lad, you are not wrong there."
After a stile the path was by the fence to the right via gates and over the field to Brackenbottom, passing these sheep that sat and posed for Dad.
"Huh" grumped Allen.
At Brackenbottom we climbed the stile, having let a lady and gentleman with their dog coming the opposite way cross first. Going right by the wall it was shortly left through waymarked gate and down the pasture to the farmyard and road at Lowgill.
"Can we find the post box Dad, for my collection?", asked Little Eric.
"Sure lad. There it is to the left on the opposite side of the road."
Opposite stands the telephone box, Grizzly peering in. "It's still a working one too. Mobile reception must be iffy here."
Adjacent is the War Memorial.
There are inscriptions on three sides. First reading - Erected by the people of Tatham Fells and Botton in proud and ever grateful remembrance.
Second reading - To the glory of God and in honour of the Tatham Fells men who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918.
Third names of the men who fell - John Thomas Carr, Lawrence L Dowbiggin, John Emmott, Alfred Gunn, followed by R.I.P.
As we passed and started back to the car, Allen pointed to these lovely flowers. "Ahh Primroses. Makes me always think of dear Uncle Brian."
At the car Allen said, "we are going to enjoy our picnic. Nice sandwiches, cake and tea. Are you going to call somewhere Dad?"
"Aye lad, Bridge House Cafe at Wray."
"That was where our pal Wray was adopted in December 2012", said Tetley. "He was sitting looking all forlorn on the dresser opposite where you were sitting Dad. you just had too and we are so glad you adopted him. He is such a good pal to us all."
When he arrived today there was just one customer before Dad, but it then got very busy with a queue to the door. "Phew, I timed that right", said Dad to himself.
To eat he had nice steak pie and chips with carrots leeks peas and cauliflower. Pot of tea and rounded off with a delicious piece of tiffin.
A gentleman with his wife who was in a wheelchair, and their daughter came in. There was not much available seating downstairs so she asked if they could share the table.
Of course", replied Dad, who was glad to oblige.
Dad got into conversation and it turned out that the couple live in Nether Kellet, we having walked past there house many times. The conversation turned to walking, and Dad explained about us and his teddy collecting.
The gentleman said, "I shall keep and eye out for you passing with them in the rucksack."
Further nice conversation with them all about other things too. A lovely time here in such good company and a nice way to round off his day.
He briefly brought us in, and we were admired. They loved Little Eric.
So a grand day for us all and a very happy group we made our way home.
