Tea and cakes had arrived, so all was well with the world. "Mmm, Ramblears tea. Delicious", said Allen draining his mug and holding it out for a refill.
Shaun obliged, Grizzly commenting, "that's your fourth. Really living up to your reputation as the arch tea belly and cake stuffer."
"Aye I truly do take after Dad" he replied. "Uncle Bob used to refer to Dad as cake stuffer."
"Ahh dear Uncle Bob. We had so many adventures in the Lakes and Yorkshire Dales with him", said Tetley. "I miss his company."
"The chocolate caramel shortbread is quite delicious, Little Eric", said Shaun. "Thanks as always for the baking you do, and of course you Grizzly too."
"Love the cherry and ginger flapjack, Grizzly", said Southey. "A new recipe?"
"Yes one I made up. Came out ok too."
"Make it again", enthused Allen, taking another slice. "It is scrumptious."
So by now all content we turned the conversation to our next walk. "Dad has said we can go on Saturday", said Shaun. "I have an idea. This is no.352 from the walk books. From Settle is goes south to Mearbeck the east to come to Lambert Lane, where then we go under Attermire Scar to Victoria Cave. The first section will be new. We have been to Victoria Cave, but quite a long time ago now."
"Great", cheered Tetley. "Another adventure in my home county. And it will mean we get to go to Elaine's again."
"There's just one issue", replied Shaun. "Since losing the bookmarks for OS maps he has not been able to print the section for the walk. Looks like we might have to resort to taking the old paper map again."
Allen piped up. "I can update you all about this. Dad has spoken to a very nice lady at the Ordnance Survey. She was aware of the issue and suggested that Dad temporarily delete the app. This will allow us to access the maps and facilitate printing. Then when done he just reinstates the app."
"Oh great", cheered Shaun. "The problem is solved. Dad never lets us down."
Allen drained his mug then picking up the instructions said, "I'll go and see what Dad thinks about our suggestion."
He was away for a little while, Little Eric saying, "where has he got to?
Then a couple of minutes later he trotted in. "Dad is happy with the walk. He also printed the section of the OS map ready for Saturday. That why I was longer in coming back with the news. He has also saved a bookmark, so hopefully he will not have to keep deleting and reinstating the app."
"That's great", cheered Southey. "Here's to Dad and Saturday."
So we drove that ever so familiar route, ignoring the narrow lane to Feizor for now, and turning off the A65 onto the old road Buck Haw Brow that drops down into Settle. At the market square we branched left along he narrow street and at the crossroads kept ahead to enter Greenfoot car park.
"Gosh", exclaimed Southey. "It's so busy already."
"Well it is Saturday and for the full day the charge is only £3.50", replied Dad.
"A far cry from what we had to pay in the Lake District", replied Tetley. ,
While Dad was getting ready, we sat quietly chatting. Grizzly said, "it is the Flowerpot Festival just now here."
"Oh yes", replied Little Eric. "We should encounter some of the exhibits. They will make nice pictures to enhance our story."
"I'm ready" called out Dad.
That was our signal to get settled in the rucksack.
Shaun said, "We walk out of the rear of the car park, but rather than take the exit road go through a small housing estate."
Seconds later, Tetley called out. "look a flowerpot dinosaur. Wow, it head and the top of the neck are lost in the tree. Get the camera out Dad please."
Soon we reached the left turn into the housing estate, but our progress was halted by Little Eric calling out, "there's a post box just a few yards along the road. Will you take a picture please Dad?"
"Sure lad."
Wandering on Allen pointed, "there's another flowerpot exhibit."
"Is that a bear or a dog?" mused Dad. "I like the pig. Very cute."
"As far as we are concerned it has to be a bear", insisted Grizzly.
Reaching the road, there was yet another. "Wow, just look at that giraffe!", exclaimed Southey. "Amazing and so realistic."
Shaun issued instructions. "Walk a few yards right then go left along Brockhole Lane."
Here shortly we met a lady who we were to find out a little later was called Nellie, with her lovely dog that Dad fussed. This started a conversation about different things including the weather and that is was nice for it to be cool after the heatwave, Originally from the south, they moved here 10 years ago to get away from the ever hotter temperatures there. A lovely social start to our walk for Dad.
Striding out the lane was bordered by this stream for a short way.
Then away to the left was one of the many field barns that dot the Yorkshire countryside. "Sad to see it in such a ruinous state", sighed Southey.
Open either side on some sections the lane was bordered by trees. Note too how tall the wall is on the left.
We met another couple along here and it was the lady who told Dad Nellie's name. Another lovely chat. It came out that they go through Milnthorpe periodically. So Dad told them about the River Bela Cafe, and how good the food is and how reasonable. We feel sure that they will give it a try.
Coming to the end of the lane by the farm buildings, Southey advised, "over that stile opposite, then cross the field to the next stile."
It proved to be a little awkward to climb over, but we were successful as this picture was taken looking back.
After the next stile we were welcomed by the Woodland Trust to...
Shaun said, "the path is clear near the wall but will then drop down right as we are going through the part of the wood that when the walk was published in 2008 had just been planted."
Shortly the path passed between a gap in two walls, and beyond there was a gate on the left that led on a wide track in the wood. It was a nature trail and there was an information board. Dad started along this, but Shaun called out, "on our walk this is not the route. We should walk along by it on the other side of the wall now on our right."
The path was wide and grass strewn. "Looks like it had been cut which is good", commented Tetley. "We do not want to have to force our way through vegetation."
Southey was looking at the instructions. "it says that where the path bends right we should leave it and go ahead into a small valley and stride the gill and on up the far side to a stile, and then skirt Mearbank Wood and reach a gate."
Grizzly said, "I don't see the path going right but the valley is clear."
"When we come to the gate we then go over the ladderstile on the left", advised Shaun.
At the gate there was no sign of the ladderstile. "Oh dear", said Little Eric worriedly. "What now?"
Shaun said, "I know what has happened. We have dropped down too much. Climb left Dad."
Sure enough he was right and there was the ladderstile.
"Keep left parallel with the wall", called out Southey. Here for a short way Dad had to force his way through bracken, to then join a wider track coming in from the right. This led through a gate and on with Cleatop Wood ahead.
"We are looking for the gap stile into the wood", advised Shaun.
"There", pointed Allen.
Over there was no apparent track nor any sign of the footbridge. "Don't think this is the way", said Dad.
"I agree", said Tetley.
So rejoining the track we continued and in a few minutes, Grizzly shouted, "there's another stile."
Over this we could immediately see the footbridge.
"A mistake in the walk instructions. Better note it in case we do the walk again or we lend it to someone else", stated Little Eric.
We climbed the steps beyond to a wide path. Here we met two ladies and there was a brief chat and we were introduced.
"We go right", said Shaun. "I reckon that if we had followed the nature trail it would have brought us here. Dad strode on along the path...
to exit and then cross the wide pasture towards Lodge Farm.
Before doing so we stopped to take in the views. "That's Settle down to the left", pointed Grizzly.
"And Pen-y-ghent to the right", said Allen. "There are couple of patches of sunlight shining on the slopes."
"That clump of trees will be a nice picture", suggested Little Eric.
"It's called Pond Plantation", said Southey looking up from the map. "Looks like there is a pond inside as a small stream runs through."
"That nice shaped tree too will be a nice shot", suggested Grizzly.
Striding towards the farm sheep were grazing and Dad could not resist snapping these.
"Oh bother", grumped Allen. "There goes the sheep picture free story."
"Well you've not done bad lately. I don't think Dad took any such pictures in the last three stories", replied Tetley.
Passing the farm, we joined a track. "Turn right then shortly at the Y-junction take the right branch", instructed Southey.
"Fine view to Ingleborough", called out Grizzly. "Some patches of sunlight. Nice."
The walled track led on past some larch trees and we climbed on.
"Ahh that patch of heather will be a colourful picture", said Little Eric.
The track ended at a gate, and joined another track. Tetley said, "that's Black's Plantation on the far side, and we are now on the track we took from Long Preston on the walk last week. Keep on to the road then go right along Lambert Lane."
Along this we had a fine view of High Hill.
The track bent left to take us past the ruinous Preston's Barn to the road.
"Turn right and at the corner go ahead along Stockdale Lane. Then where it turns right we climb the ladderstile and follow the path with High Hill to the left, and on to pass Sugar Loaf Hill to the right", instructed Southey.
Part way we stopped to take in the view looking to the Ribble Valley and Pendle Hill. "Stunning", said Little Eric.
Ahead was Warrendale Knotts. "We climbed that with Uncle Bob on 22nd March 2009", Tetley told us.
Eventually the path brought is to a stile onto a cross path. "Go right the then just follow it round left and on and on under Atttermire Scar", said Shaun.
After a while we joined a narrower path with a wall on our left. Looking up, Allen called out, "there's Victoria Cave."
Dad climbed the steep slope for a closer look.
Tetley remarked, "on that day we climbed Warrendale Knotts we came here too. Then there was an information board about the cave. I am sure in that story we included the information. We could copy that into this story."
‘Few other British caves show so strikingly
the changing cycles of the world’s weather. We have probably heard of the Ice Ages but just to try to imagine a time
in between the glaciers when it was warm enough for hippopotamus
and elephants to wander across the rough pastures you are
surrounded by today.
It is perhaps easier on a
winter’s day up here, to imagine the wind-swept arctic
tundra occupied by brown bear and reindeer, which followed the
last Ice Age, 12,000 years ago. It was this landscape which the
first Dales people hunted across and just like the glaciers,
hippos and hyenas before them they left their mark in Victoria
Cave.
By the time the Romans
arrived, the climate had warmed, and brown bear no longer
hibernates in the cave. It became instead a shrine and workshop
area for people from nearby forts and settlements. Then the
humans moved and out and the foxes and badgers moved in for the
next 1500 years.
All that changed in 1837
when a dog sent in after a fox led to the cave being rediscovered.
Since then the cave has been altered almost beyond recognition.
The original narrow entrance was enlarged and literally hundreds
of tons of material dug out by hand.’
Here is a shot of the interior.
"A good place for us to have our picture taken", suggested Allen.
Settled again Dad carefully descended to rejoin the path.
"Look there's a narrow cave", pointed Southey.
Can you get a shot of the interior?", asked Grizzly.
"Yes if a set the film speed to 6400."
Onwards the path led to a wide track, close to Jubilee Cave.
"Join it and go left through the gate and walk on to eventually reach the road", advised Southey. There he then said, "We want the Pennine Bridleway through the gate to the left."
This good path was to lead us all the way to Settle, with this nice view of Langcliffe...
...and passing this cottage into the town.
At the junction Shaun said, "Go left for the car park."
"Please take pictures of the flowerpots", enthused Little Eric.
"There's Stitch", called out Tetley.
"Vikings", pointed Allen.
At the Folly, Shaun called out, "there's a clown.
"And an acrobat hanging from the scaffolding", said Little Eric.
Walking up past the Market Square, we saw Minions. You can see Dad reflected in the window.
As we entered the car park, Allen said, "look Telly Tubbies."
Then halfway to the car,"Triceratops", cried Grizzly.
And finally away to the right on the banking, Tin Man.
"Thanks Dad for a super walk", said Southey. We are such a lucky group to go on all these adventures."
Aye it has been a grand day out", said Tetley. Then,"Elaine's now?"
"Aye lad."
We came in too and here we are sitting on the table.
Dad had fish and chips and mushy peas. Tea and apple pie and custard. Lovely!
Sue was serving. She told us that it had been very busy. We timed it right as it had quietened off. Dad had a nice chat with Sharon about the girls. Then a long chat with Elaine!!
Super day.
