It was a beautiful spring day yesterday and where better to spend it than the Lake District?
We were on the road early and by 9:00 we found ourselves sitting down for a full English breakfast in Keswick...very nice too.
Back in the car for the short drive beside Bassenthwaite Lake with eyes peeled for the Ospreys which nest in Dodd Wood (more on the Ospreys to follow), a few minutes later the car was parked and we were on our way over lovely pastures to pick up the ridge for Ullock Pike.
Ullock Pike and the ridge.
The ridge itself was a delight, lovely grassy paths lead over several bumpy bits with views of Bassenthwaite Lake and the surrounding fells opening up all the while.
Looking back towards distant Binsey
Ullock Pike provided the steepest walking of the day but it was such a pleasure on a day like this and there was no need to hurry. Once over the Pike the going is very easy along Longside Edge under the shadow of Skiddaw.
Ullock Pike from Longside Edge
A short stroll from Longside leads to Carl Side, which unbelievably was our third Wainwright in the space of a mile with hardly any effort required.. I can't recall an easier 2000 feet of ascent than this.
The views all around were superb and we spent quite some time wandering around on the top picking out hills that we recognised. The Scafells, Helvellyn and Skidaw were all in view
Snap happy on Carl Side
The path from here up to Skiddaw didn't look very inviting at all, however this was not our concern as we were headed downwards towards Dodd, our final Wainwright of the day.
AW dedicated 14 pages in his Pictorial Guides to this fell and it appears that it has changed considerably since the book was written. Today the upper part of the fell has been stripped bare the pine trees which completely enveloped it back in AW's day. What is left behind is a mess of fallen trees and tree stumps and an ugly road which more or less goes to the top of the fell..
What it lacks in height and beauty though, it more than makes up for by providing a superb vantage point of Derwent Water, Bassenthwaite lake and the surrounding fells.
Derwent Water and memorial stone on Dodd
The path down to the forest was a little tortuous and Mark took a nasty tumble at one point, luckily no harm done. The view of Bassenthwaite Lake was grand though.
Bassenthwaite Lake
Jumble of fallen trees on the descent
Eventually the forest tracks were gained and we came across the RSPB Lake District Osprey project in a clearing. Lake District Osprey Project
Osprey watch
The Ospreys were down in the valley, perched on a tree to the east of the Lake and we got good views from one of the scopes that the RSPB had set up....stunning.
The walk back to the car was pleasant enough through the forest and completed a lovely day out in the Lakes.
Conscious that the TGO Challenge is looming, I decided it was about time to get out of the house and start putting in a few miles and make a futile attempt to be fit for the start of the Challenge on 13th May.
So, with that in mind I was up early yesterday to do a local walk taking in all four of the Wentworth Follies.
The Wentworth Follies are; Hoober Stand, The Needles Eye, Kepple's Column and Rockingham Mausoleum.
The Monuments, or "follies" are situated in the locality of the village of Wentworth and were all built during the 18th century on the orders of Charles Watson-Wentworth the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham and twice Prime Minister of England, and his father, Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Marquis of Rockingham, formerly Earl of Malton.
It was spotting with rain when I left the house but the weather forecaster promised better as the day progressed.
Just a few hundred yards from my house is the Waterloo kiln which is all that remains on the site of the famous Rockingham Pottery which operated from here for about 100 years from the mid 18th century onwards.
From here it's just a short walk to Wath Wood where the remnants of "The Roman Ridge" are still intact. The history of this Rig Bank is unclear but it is thought to predate the Roman period and was probably built as a boundary line around 2000 years ago.
Link The Roman Ridge
Walking along the Roman Ridge in Wath Wood
Once through the wood it is about two miles along lanes and paths to the first Folly, Hoober Stand.
Normally Hoober Stand can be seen for miles around and is the most prominent of the local land marks in South Yorkshire, not yesterday however as the weather had deteriorated to steady drizzle and I did not get sight of it until I was about 100 yards from it.
Hoober Stand emerges from the gloom.
Hoober Stand close up.
Wall plaque
It's less than a mile from here to the next Folly, The Needle's Eye which, local fable has it was built as a bet by the 2nd Marquis of Rockingham that he could drive a coach and horses through the eye of a needle.
The Needle's Eye
The Needle's Eye
Backtracking slightly, I walked down the road into the village of Wentworth where I then entered the grounds of Wentworth Park and the once magnificent Wentworth Woodhouse which was home to the Fitzwilliam family. The mansion is now privately owned and stands empty and seemingly falling into an irretrievable state of dis-repair.
Continuing through the park I came across the Wentworth deer herd who were taking shelter from the worsening weather under the trees watched over by an attentive stag
Deer in the park
The next stretch was, in a word...miserable. From the fishing ponds at the bottom of the park the route then goes over fields using a muddy path for about a mile and a half. I passed The Penistone Ramblers going in the opposite direction and from the look on their faces they appeared to be enjoying themselves even less than me. A nice collection of bushy grey beards though!
Once over the quagmire there was some nice woodland which climbs steadily to Folly number 3...Kepples Column.
Approaching Kepple's Column
Kepples Column close up
The persistent drizzle had stopped now...it was pissing it down! so I didn't hang around for long and headed back to the fishing ponds feeling sorry for myself.
From the ponds I picked up a vague path to final Folly of the day.. The Mausoleum
The Mausoleum
This is apparently open to the public during summer months and I may return on a dry day to have a closer look.
I had had enough by now though and got my head down for the final 3 miles or so back to my house and a welcome hot bath.
Points noted from yesterday's walk.
I will not be fit for the TGO Challenge on 13th May. I will get fit on the walk as usual.
I will maintain a good level of fitness through June and will then gradually degenerate into a physical wreck for the next 11 months.
Walking in the rain for 5 hours is not much fun!
South Yorkshire has some interesting buildings and nice countryside...best saved for a sunny day.
The weather forecasters don't know what they are talking about.
Once dried out, I headed off to Leeds to see Frank Turner play a "secret" gig in a pub. He played this song which sums up how I felt at times during the walk yesterday.
