Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 1st October 2017

B Walk

Church Brough & Villages

9 Miles Grade 3/4

Leader: Heather Perrin

Reports by Heather Perrin & John Mckay

Photos by John McKay

Heather's Report

Three walkers turned up in spite of the weather forecast.  And because of the dire weather forecast, we actually thought the weather was wonderful, considering what it might have been.  We welcomed Lynn on her first outing with the club.  The mud warnings on the walk description were, sorry, somewhat inaccurate – multiply them by about a hundred to take account of the recent rain.  The bull was not there.  The cattle were there in many fields.  We enjoyed the huge variety of gate fastenings and it was noted that the heavy stone which stopped a gate opening on a right of way, which the walk leader had previously removed so that the group could walk through unhindered, had been replaced.   Re-label the walk leader as Mrs Unamused.  The stile experience and paths down to St Theobald’s Church were enhanced by slithery coatings of waterlogged moss.  But – what a truly lovely walk; by the banks of the River Eden, by the banks of the River Belah, on the village green in the quiet village of Winton, past the ruined building of such potential with its great sandstone blocks before Brough Sowerby, the awesome view of Brough Castle as we crested the last hill before descending to Church Brough and its welcoming tearoom and Ice cream parlour.  Thank you to participants for turning up and thank you to the two friends who went on recces with me so they could protect me from the cows! 

Heather

John's Report

With the A walk being cancelled due to the terrible weather forecast it would seem that the fair weather walkers in the club, which there seems to be rather a lot of, decided to stay at home today. What a treat they missed. The bad weather seems to have been confined to the Lake District and didn’t extend to Church Brough.  We had a wonderful day, a little bit of light drizzle on occasions, no wind to speak of, nice and warm and the odd sunny spell, all in all a good day for walking. Only four of us on the walk, Heather, Stephen, me and Lynne, a first time walker with the club. It was an eventful day for Lynne, she hadn’t walked for many years and realized after a few miles that nine miles was a long way. It didn’t help that the sole of her boot fell off but fortunately Heather had a spare pair of laces in her rucksack and we managed to do a repair job and tie it back on. Lynne struggled on as far as the village of Winton. We had lunch sitting on a bench on the village green and we had a surprise guest, a chicken decided to join us. I’ve often had lunch when chicken was on the menu but this is the first time I’ve had one join me for lunch. Lynne decided she could go no further and we phoned a taxi, which promptly arrived to take her back to Church Brough. This was an absolutely wonderful walk, beautiful countryside, lots of lovely little villages and full marks to Heather for working it out, it’s quite amazing she managed it, lots of twists and turns and hidden paths and stiles, rather like a nine mile long maze, it must have been difficult to recce.  It took in sections of Lady Anne's Way ( Lady Anne Clifford) a 100mile walk from Skipton to Penrith, which Heather completed earlier in the year. Fortunately we were only doing nine miles but a lovely nine miles it was. Brough Castle was a welcome site as we came over the hill back into Church Brough, were we joined Lynne in the coffee shop/ice cream parlour. A wonderful day and a wonderful walk, many thanks to Heather, Stephen and Lynne for their company, I hope Lynne wasn’t put off by her experience and we see her again. A special thanks to Heather for coming up with a wonderful new walk.

John