Allen and Tetley were huddled over the laptop, as Southey strolled in. "What are you on with pals?"
Allen replied, "we are looking at the pictures Dad took on the walks from Newbiggin and Lowgill."
"There are plenty of good ones for our stories", went on Tetley. "Now all we need is for Dad to have time to write them."
Just then Shaun arrived with the flasks and Grizzly and Little Eric with the cake tins.
"Ooh tea. Just the ticket", cheered Allen, as he went to get the mugs and plates.
The mugs were soon charged and passed round.
Little Eric said, Grizzly has made mincemeat slice, while I have made tiffin again.
"Super", said Tetley. "The tiffin is scrumptious."
After a few minutes and a few slices of cake each, Allen and Southey said, "pals both the cakes are delicious. Thank you as always for making them. We never take your efforts for granted. We are so lucky to have such expert bakers."
Picking up the iPad, Little Eric after a few taps, said, "there is a day down to walk with Uncle Eric tomorrow. Are we going to need to come up with an idea?"
"I don't think so", replied Grizzly. "Uncle Eric has suggested a walk from Bardsea near Ulverston. When Dad speaks with him tonight he intends to suggest we do that."
"That will be good, we have not walked from there for a while", went on Tetley. "Here's to tomorrow."
The Walk
Another day with sunshine throughout and for once this year warm, as the cold wind had dropped.
Taking the route along the ever so familiar A590 to Ulverston, we turned left on to the A5087 coastal road to park in the large layby on the beach side, just below the village of Bardsea above to the right.
Shaun remarked, "at the end we will come down that road from the village."
Looking out across the Levens estuary, the views were hazy, but the tower of Heysham Nuclear Power Station could be seen. Just down the road from where we live. Dad laughingly says that is where our electricity comes from.
After a few minutes Uncle Eric arrived and our pals Barnaby and Lee went to say hello as usual. We meanwhile got settled in the rucksack ready for the off.
To avoid as much as possible walking along the busy road, it was along the beach in a southerly direction.
Uncle Eric had told us that the first part of the walk was through Sea Wood owned by the Woodland Trust. He pointed "that is Sea Wood ahead, but what we can see is on the shore side of the road. We are not walking through that part, but rather we will have to cross the road to find the entrance to the other part of the wood."
It did mean a little way on the road, but soon we came to the entrance through the wall.
The path led ahead lined with wood anemones.
"How pretty", said Southey.
There are a number of paths crisscrossing the wood, but Uncle Eric and Dad agreed that we should always keep left at any junction, thereby keeping at times close to the boundary stone wall.
We looked about, Tetley pointing, "there are a few bluebells beginning to flower. I guess there will be many more in a few weeks time."
"Also lots of wild garlic", called out Allen, seeing banks of it just waiting to come into flower next month.
There were scattered limestone boulders like these two.
"Brought down during the ice age?", mused Grizzly.
Delightful to walk through there are lots of very mature trees like this impressive example.
An information sheet tells that there are large numbers of oaks in the wood. This may be a clue to its working past. The site manager Heather thinks they were planted to serve as timber trees. It's said that oaks were once felled and moved to the beach so they could be floated down to the shipyards at Ulverston.
The delightful stroll through the wood took just over and hour from the start to reach the exit gate onto the road to Sunbrick.
Turning left along the road, Southey said, "that limestone rock will be a good place to sit for our picture."
We quickly scrambled out and got settled.
The road leads past the tiny community of Sunbrick.
"I recall we have walked through there" said Tetley. "It was 22nd December 2020."
"I never cease to be amazed how you remember these things pal", said Little Eric with awe.
The common stretched away to the right, this sheep that was baaing loudly, posing nicely for Dad.
"Oh darn", huffed Allen. "I was hoping for a sheep picture free story."
At the road corner this signpost points the routes across the common.
"We want the path to Bardsea Green that skirts to the right of Appleby Hill", instructed Shaun.
This eventually brought us to a wall corner, with a fine view across to Ulverston and the Lakeland Fells distantly behind.
Allen said, "the pointed fell is Dow Crag with Coniston Old Man right and far right Wetherlam. Happy days summiting them in the past."
At the corner we kept by the wall on the right to descend to the wall corner, just to the left of which is the impressive tree. "Magnificent and old", commented Grizzly.
"The route is through the gate on the right into the walled lane", advised Southey.
"Look at that Blackthorn hedge in blossom. Worth a picture Dad", urged Tetley.
"Why is it called Blackthorn?" asked Southey.
"Because the blossom comes out before the leaves", replied Grizzly.
With Uncle Eric before us, we made the steady descent of the walled path.
"Look" cried Allen. "Primroses. They were a favourite of our dear Uncle Brian. I always think of him when I seen them. Still miss him so much even though it is nearly six years since he died."
At the end we joined the road at the few houses of Bardsea Green. From here we followed the road down and then up towards Bardsea.
Dad's progress was stopped a few minutes before the village, by Shaun pointing, "That clump of bluebells will make a nice picture."
Dad said, "they are not the native English variety, but the Spanish ones like we have in our garden."
The final ascent brought us to a t-junction by the pretty houses of Bardsea.
Studying the map Shaun said, "go right, then take the narrow road off left. That will bring us out opposite where the cars are parked."
"A lovely walk, Uncle Eric", said Southey. "Thank you for devising it. We have all enjoyed as has Dad."
"I'm glad" he replied.
So goodbyes were said but this was not quite the end of our adventure, as on the drive from Ulverston, Little Eric had spotted two post boxes, and had asked Dad to get pictures.
So first here is one on the very outskirts of Ulverston near Croftlands.
And this dating from the reign of King George VI set into a wall near an area known as Dragley Beck.
