TALES OF THE RIVERBANK 1 17/11/2019


Along the Eden beneath Eden Brows

 

Leader, Trish writes:

 We met up in the High Stand car park to a very mild morning. Thirteen of us started a gentle ramble through the woods, using some of the smaller tracks. One path was inaccessible as the forest was being thinned to allow better tree growth. Alan who was nurturing a damaged knee ligament returned to his car, as planned.

We headed to Cotehill, turning right past my house, through the Narrows and then right again following the footpath over styles, streams and re-joining the lane.

Over the railway and across the road taking the turning to Brackenbanks and going down the steps to join the footpath that follows the south bank of the River Eden. Coffee break complete with bribery for the next section! Lots of obstacles due to the enormous land slip and Storm Desmond. Work is due to restore this section up to Eden Brows, hopefully to be completed before February 2020.

Although muddy the mildness and still air made this an enjoyable walk with lots of autumn colours to admire. The river was full, but no flooding here at the moment.

Lunch stop took advantage of a fisherman’s bench below Wallace Field. The last section of riverside path was a good surface and quick progress was made to Drybeck Farm.

We followed the road into Armathwaite with a welcome stop at the shop for hot drinks and refuelling. Out of Armathwaite is always uphill! And re-crossing the railway line, a bit of emergency bramble removal to access the style. Keeping to the line of the footpath and unable to cut the corner as the field was very puddled up by the feeder, we balanced along a walled edge, keeping an eye on the barbed wire. A short section of farm track, then across fields, some of which were newly planted, to Aiketgate

Back onto the road heading for Blackmoss Pool and then into High Stand up the small path that runs parallel to the road and to the carpark.

In total 25k taking about 7 hours and several challenges!! 12 happy smiling walkers at the end.