Allen and Tetley were sitting quietly reading their magazines. Allen looked up, and called out, "Here comes Shaun Grizzly and Little Eric. Must be tea and cakes."
"Just the job", replied Tetley. "I'm gasping for a cuppa."
"Ha ha", laughed Allen. "Using my line."
"Aye pal", replied Tetley, giving Allen a pat on the shoulder.
"Ramblears tea", announced Shaun.
"Here's the mugs", said Allen. "I'll help fill them."
Thanks pal."
Tetley paused with the mug half way to his mouth. "There are no cake tins."
"No pals, not had time to make any", replied Grizzly. "Sorry."
Allen's face dropped. "No cake! I suppose we will just have to go hungry Tetley."
Southey appeared saying, "you're face is a picture Allen. Well we were just having you on. Indeed Grizzly and Little Eric have not baked, but I have given them the day off and made scones."
"You all really had us going", replied Allen, laughing.
Southey went on. "there are cheese, sultana or cherry and ginger. Butter and raspberry jam too. And clotted cream."
"Ooh pal. Now you are spoiling us", cheered Tetley.
So we all dug in. There were murmurs of contentment, Tetley saying, "delicious pal."
"Oh yes", agreed Little Eric. "You are the ace scone maker."
Soon the box was nearly empty, but unsurprisingly Allen was still hungry, so his face lit up when Southey produced a second box full to the brim."
After a while we were all satisfied, and with steaming mugs in paw our thought turned to walking. Little Eric had the iPad in paw. "There is a day down to walk with Uncle Eric on Thursday. We should think of a suggestion."
"It will not be necessary, as Dad told me that Uncle Eric has a route planned from Sedbergh.", said Shaun.
"That will be nice, it's a long time since we walked from there", stated Tetley.
"Roll on Thursday", cheered Grizzly.
We met Uncle Eric at Loftus Hill car park. "Good morning" we called out. "Lovely to have your company today."
"Likewise lads. Nice to see you", he replied.
While Dad got his boots on, we got settled in the rucksack. Then ready, Uncle Eric said, "turn right out of the car park and opposite that impressive building take the path left."
Grizzly said, "the town is famous for its school that was founded in 1525 by Roger Lupton, provost of Eton College and Chaplain to Kings Henry VII and Henry VIII. Folklore tells that as there was no local school for Lupton to attend he walked the 270 miles from Sedbergh to London to gain an education. This building is likely the earliest school house built in 1716, and had a simple wooden upper storey inside. This drafty building had one fireplace which the sole master sat beside. The pupils sat in rows with the oldest boys closest to the teacher and fire, whilst the youngest boys sat at the farthest end of the room. Now the school library it is a much more welcoming building that includes scholars' booths and private study areas. It is Grade II listed."
"Thanks pal", said Southey, who was peering at the crest above the door.
"The words must be Latin. Dura Virum Nutrix", read out Allen. "I wonder what it means?"
When we got home Grizzly did some research. "It means 'A stern nurse of men'. The Latin motto of Sedbergh School. The motto speaks to the school's history of fostering resilience and rugged kindness amongst its students."
Taking the path indicated by Uncle Eric this had to the right St Andrew's Church.
"I have some brief notes on this too", Grizzly said. "The present church dates mainly from about 1500, but fabric from earlier churches has been incorporated. A major restoration was carried out in 1885-86 by the Lancaster architects Paley and Austin. This included rebuilding the south aisle, its arcade and parts of the walling, lowering the floor and removing the gallery. A new pulpit, altar and altar rails were added, which were made by famous furniture maker Gillow. It is designated as a Grade I listed building."
To the left is Sedbergh School cricket ground...
...with its impressive pavilion.
Coming to a junction, the path was left behind the cricket pavilion and through a gate into a field and so down to road.
Here the instructions state to cross the road and through the kissing gate opposite. Uncle Eric said, "the walk was published years ago, so things may have changed."
This was the case here, as opposite now is a wide drive that leads to a building that is a fitness centre.
"Good views looking back to the fells that dominate the town", called out Tetley. "That's Winder."
And that's Crook", said Allen pointing to the right of Winder.
"Both part of the Howgill Fells challenge", said Little Eric. "We have all completed it too, with the exception of you Southey. This is because it was before you were adopted."
Passing a barn the narrow path led Birks House.
"That's a fine copper beech tree" pointed Southey. "Make a nice picture?"
Passing below the garden wall of Birks House a gate took us onto the lane in the hamlet of Birks.
"Turn left", advised Shaun. Then after a little way he pointed, "here is the signpost for the route."
"Take the leftward path for Brigflatts", instructed Southey.
By this stile, Shaun set out the route. "Keep by the wall to the left, and over or through the intervening cross walls, then drift away right to pass under the bridge of the old long closed railway."
On the way we had passed sheep grazing, and despite Allen's calling out of "shoo, go away", this one stood and posed.
"Ahh well", he sighed, "there goes the sheep picture free story again."
At a gateway we arrived at the very peaceful hamlet of Brigflatts. Home to this Friends Meeting House.
Grizzly read the notes from the walk instructions. "Brigflatts, a former flax-weavers settlement, has this Friends Meeting House built in 1675, making it the second oldest in the country. When it was built, non-conformist meetings were illegal and meetings took place at great personal risk."
Going inside...
...Grizzly went on, "the gallery was added in 1711, which allowed an enclosed area between the gallery and the porch to accommodate the sheepdogs of Friends during meetings."
Outside again Little Eric pointed, "what's that on the pillar."
Reading the inscription, Grizzly told us. "it's the top of the old Sedbergh Market Cross, 1550-1854."
Pointing to the seat, Tetley said, "come on pals, let's sit there for our picture."
"I wonder why we cannot just walk down through the hamlet to join the Dales Way?", mused Little Eric.
The reason soon became plain, as it is the private access to a house. So in accordance with the instructions we made our way to the main road, passing the Quaker Burial Ground.
Grizzly said, "in line with Quaker principles, burial grounds are simple, functional enclosures with minimal landscaping and planting. The headstones are all the same size, reflecting the desire for the graves to have equality, reflecting humility in death. Only Friends names and dates of birth and death are including on them."
At the road, Shaun said, "turn left to pass houses and come to the signed path and join the Dales Way"
This path narrow but well surfaced, took us on and on passing Brigflatts. and coming to Jackdaw Viaduct, spanning the River Rawthey. This impressive structure that once carried the railway is securely fenced off at each end, as it is in a poor state of repair and potentially dangerous.
A stepped path climbs the embankment, at the top of which, Allen called out, "that hawthorn tree is worth a picture."
"Look, primroses", called out Southey. "Always a reminder of our dear Uncle Brian, who we miss every single day."
We met a lady and gentleman coming the other way here, and Dad and Uncle Eric had a little chat, before we descended and continued by the River Rawthey, passing its confluence with the River Dee.
Reaching Birks Mill, it was along the road to the gate we had passed through earlier at Birks House.
"Drop down right to keep on the Dales Way", instructed Shaun.
The path led on through woodland, where wild garlic and bluebells had lined the route, and across the rugby field. Then we came to the Pepperpot Summerhouse.
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Its original purpose is unclear but it is known to have been part of the larger Akay Estate. Charles Edward Taylor bought the estate in 1893, moving into the mansion house.
In 1901 work began to double the size of the existing building. The new Akay House included 8 household bedrooms and 5 servants' bedrooms as well as 5 reception rooms and a large domestic department for the servants to work in.
It is believed the Pepperpot was built as and isolation house for his daughter Anne who is believed to have contracted tuberculosis at 18. This avoided her having to be sent to a sanatorium, and for her to remain close to her family without contaminating them. Anne is believed to have survived for three years before dying at the age of 21.
In the early 20th century some estates had 'dining suites' built in the grounds, that offered family and visitors a chance to dine outdoors or in naturally lit buildings, to feel close to the environment in which they lived. Servants would carry the furniture
and refreshments for the party. The Yorkshire Dales National Park consultant working on the restoration project believed the Pepperpot was likely to have been built as a 'dining suite' for the family at Akay House.
After Mr Taylor's death in 1924 the family put the house and contents up for sale. Although selling the contents proved successful, the house was not sold and remained empty for over a decade. in 1938 Akay House was sold for demolition. Every part of the house was sold at auctions including the staircase, oak panelling and stonework and wrought iron weather vane.
The last resident of the Pepperpot is thought to have been E.G. MacPherson, a master at the preparatory school Sedbergh who lodged in the house during the summer months of 1931. The sale documents from 1936 record that the annual rent for the Pepperpot, known only as the Summerhouse, was £2. The building fell into disuse sometime after this. In 1948 a cow grazing in the field forced its way into the building and up the spiral staircase. It took five men with ropes to get the cow down the stairs. The owners Sedbergh School, removed the stairs and upper floor to prevent other animals getting stuck.
The Pepperpot was restored in 2015 following generous grants from Yorkshire Dales National Park and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Strolling on we passed on the left the Sedbergh School 1525 Society Wood. This has been created as a lasting tribute to the generosity of Sedbergh School 1525 Society members and others who have left a gift to the school in their will since the launch of the society in 2002. The commemoration plaque features the names of all those individuals in whose memory a tree has been planted in the '1525 Society Wood'.
At a junction Tetley shouted. "just look at all that wild garlic. Absolutely beautiful. How wonderful is nature."
Minutes later Southey pointed, "there is the remains of a mosaic floor. I wonder what once stood here?"
Determined to answer Southey's query, later Grizzly set to research. "I've got it" he called out. "What we saw it a tiny remnant of Akay House."
"Thank you pal for taking the time to find this out."
Shortly we arrived at the road by Millthrop Bridge.
"I have notes", informed Grizzly. "The bridge spans the River Rawthey. It probably dates from the 17th century with subsequent alterations. It has two arches of unequal span the north one being shorter. They spring from a pier that had a triangular cutwater on the east, upstream side, and a similar cutwater on the west side carries up to form a triangular refuge to the deck. It is Grade II listed."
Here we turned left to walk into Sedbergh and the car at Loftus Hill. On the way this mirror provided Dad and opportunity to take his own selfie. Well we cannot begrudge him, as we appear in every story!
Suddenly Little Eric called out. "A post box. Please take a picture Dad. A colourful one to end the story."
"What a lovely pleasant walk", said Tetley. "Thank you for suggesting it Uncle Eric."
"You are welcome."
"Thank you for your company too", added Allen.
"Likewise."
So goodbyes after making sure we had another date for a walk with him. We had come via the M6, but Dad said, "I'm returning through the Lune Valley so that I can stop for a snack at Bull Beck."
Here he had a large bacon sausage & egg bun. Chorley cake and tea. Lovely! Meanwhile we had our picnic.
Another grand day out. Thank you Dad.
