Oddendale

Autumn at Oddendale

A wild walk east of Shap, having parked beside the plantation of Castlehouse Scar we headed through the plantation and on to the low ridge. This has several antiquities on it, a cairn and a cairn circle, both were visited. The circle is composed of Shap Granite boulders, there are many erratic's in the area so they would certainly be handy for the circle builders. The footpath enters a walled lane, and this bridleway takes you across the fell to "Oddendale", several homesteads and a working farm. This must be a bleak spot in winter, confirmed after a chat with one of the residents. The route led us down the shallow valley to "High Dalebanks", here a path took us upward via the farm of "Haber". This was a desperate spot, an air of decay, desperation and vicious chained up dogs. My advice to anyone walking this way is BEWARE! Ascending a good track "High Haber" was soon reached this was a barn conversion to eco-home which looked like it had run out of money, a shame as it occupied a grand location.Just a simple walk back over the low ridge remained to bring us back to the car.

RSF ride from Low Newton

Bridleway at Low dale Park

A great day out with the RSF, we met at Low Newton at 10am, our target the low fells south of Grizedale forest. A better turnout than my last ride out with the South Lakes group, seven of us in total. The "Hat Trick" cafe was closed so we rode down to the "Mallard" cafe for our morning cake stop. Cake consumed we rode by Beckside and Bigland before dropping down to cross the river Leven to Haverthwaite. Onwards across "The Causeway" to Bouth. An old County Road took us over to Colton, lunch was taken near the top looking out over the Rusland valley. Then on a bridleway to High Ickenthwaite, and a descent to the valley floor at Force Forge. Crossing to Low Dale Park another bridleway up and over to Field Head, then down the road to Lakeside for the afternoon cake stop. Having watched the lake steamer "Swan" arrive and depart, we cycled mainly on the cycle path back to our cars at Low Newton. For anyone wanting to know more about the Rough Stuff Fellowship, lots of info can be found at http://www.southlakesgroup.org.uk/index.html

The Settle Loop

Scaleber Force

A daywalk from the end of Mitchell Lane, just east of Settle. The plan was to walk a couple of the bridleways between Settle and Long Preston, some of these form part of the Settle Loop of the Pennine Bridleway.Lambert Lane and High Hill Lane led us to Scaleber Force which was in spate and made a grand sight. Back on our route Langber Lane was a surprise this byway has a tarmaced surface, certainly as far as Book Gill Beck, but seems to be very rarely used by vehicles. We followed the beck and eventually arrived on Edge lane. After a break on a handy seat sat in the sun we followed the lane across the low moor back to the car. A splendid walk on mainly new terrain.

Foulshaw Moss

Across the moss's

This is an area of raised bog just south of Whitbarrow Scar on the edge of the Lakes. Although close to home I had never explored this reserve, which is managed by the Cumbria Wildlife Trust. The permitted path, much of this is on boardwalk to protect the bog is only short, but full of interest and worth an hour or so of anyones time. Unusual terrain for the Lakes, similar to Roudsea, for those who know it!