The April Ramble – Lupton Circular
After a number of local walks, we decided, this month, to spread our wings somewhat and explore a little of the splendid countryside on the Lancashire / Cumbria border.
Our meeting point was where the A65 crosses the Lancaster canal. The turnout was a splendid dozen plus two dogs and from here we headed south, enjoying the warm spring sunshine and clear skies, along quiet lanes and field paths towards Aikbank, where we picked up a little stream and followed it to where it joined the pretty Lupton Beck. Here, we stopped for photos and to allow the dogs to have a play in the water and then it was onwards towards higher ground and past the square turreted Lupton Tower. At this point, the anti-walker farmer had taken every inch of a large field and put the narrow path along a steep banking between two rows of barbed wire. Later, after crossing the busy A65, we were met by a couple who were adamant that we weren’t going to pass through their garden via the public footpath and directed us on a route around their property.
Now, we were heading North-West, along rolling hills towards our lunch stop, but some of the party had got too far ahead, so lunch was taken in something of a war zone. Crabtree Farm is a clay pigeon shooting centre, so our party dined amidst a pile of concrete rubble to the accompaniment of endless gunfire, some of which seemed rather close for comfort. A lone Buzzard circled overhead, which seemed in keeping.
Leaving the Somme, we stopped to look at a very large and handsome pig and then entered fields, walking northwards and enjoying splendid views of the south Lakeland fells and around to Morecambe Bay and Arnside Knott. It was here that we heard that Neil had lost his ferrule, which sounded painful, but turned out to be the round bit at the end of his walking pole.
Our route now took us under the busy M6 and past the pretty St Gregory’s Church, with its churchyard carpeted in Daffodils and on to the canal where, as we headed south, the waterway is bisected by the motorway, and on back to the start. As we were about to leave, Neil drove past, waving his retrieved ferrule.
This part of the country always provides good walks and today was no exception. After the exceptional weather over the past months, we all thoroughly enjoyed the spring conditions. Why go to the Lakes?
Linda & Eddie Grange
2 Comments
Edward · 21 July, 2010 at 2:05 PM
Hello, I have read your interesting piece of writing about your walk through Lupton. I would just like to let you know that the anti-walker farmer is not anti-walker at all. The fence was put up to stop sheep from entering a neighbouring farmers fields, not to stop or make it awkward for walkers at all as there are many footpaths through our fields, I will be putting a style in the fence to make it easier for people to walk through the field. We do not mind walkers at all as long as gates are shut and dogs are on leads around livestock. As for the clay pigeon shoot, it is all very safe as many footpaths pass through the farm and only takes place twice a week for a few hours at a time.
I am really pleased that you enjoyed this beautiful countryside.
The Plough · 8 January, 2011 at 11:41 AM
Glad you had enjoyed your walk in the local countryside since you last wondered through this way, The Plough Inn has opened. Hopefully you will make us a pit stop on your next ramble through the our local lupton & Farleton countryside.
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