2017 08 26 Lancashire Mountain Reversal
SP LDWA on Eskholme Pike above the Upper Lune Valley.
Five on the walk Saturday 26th August, Dave, Norman, Helen, Freddie and myself.
This was a repeat of last years successful walk the opposite way round, with a little tweeking to avoid more tarmac.
We set out at 8.30am from Cowan Bridge with a very overcast sky, passing through the Hamlets of Ireby and Masongill.
Then the long trek up onto Gragareth, (Lancashires only Mountain) in cloud and light rain, on reaching the top the cloud began to lift and views began to appear.
Our first refreshment stop was along the ridge towards Great Comb against the county boundary wall, with views of the Lakeland Fells.
By the time we had reached Cragg Hill, with Norman setting a good pace around the horseshoe ridge, the views where excellent and the weather improving all the time.
We then had a difficult Yomping section down to the road in Barbondale.
And then the very difficult climb up Weather Ling Hill and onto the range of hills forming Middleton Fell, Barkin Top, Calf Top, Castle Knott and Eskholme Pike.
It was along this section we had our lunch stop and to our disbelief a convoy of four by four vehicles emerged coming towards us, forming a shooting party, it really did seem a bizarre sight up there.
The views where excellent all along with Dentdale, Howgill Fells, Lakeland and down the Lune Valley to the Sea at Morecambe Bay all very clear.
Returning to the Barbondale road through Barbondale Wood and up to Bull Pot, where we had our third and final refreshment stop.
Then it was the easy and attractive walk back to the start, down the valley following Leck Beck.
24miles.
Moderate Pace.
Leader Peter Smith.
