Dales Way Revisited 4

Dales Way Revisited 4 – Dent to Lincoln’s Inn Bridge

7/4/2017

Between the last section and this one, I had acquired some replacement boots as not only did mine obviously let in water, but they hadn’t dried out either!

OH dropped me at the car park and I walked down past the church and back to the bridge. 

Just by the bridge is a narrow ‘squeeze stile’ on the left (so named because you really do have to squeeze through them). 

I took a photo of the bridge, then set off through the field.

A farmer was busy cutting the hay, making the most of the dry weather. It really has been incredibly wet this year so far L

The path follows the river (on my right) across the top of a bank built to minimise the amount of water flooding the fields when it rains and the river floods. It seemed to be doing a pretty good job so far.

There were some pretty wild flowers growing along the edge of the path. The pale ones are harebells; the yellow ones are a vetch of some kind, but I have no idea which variety.

Barth Bridge came into sight, where I crossed a road

Then followed the edge of the river again, passing over a footbridge, spanning a stream that flowed into the river

Then through fields and a nice example of a field barn

After this, the path became covered in tree roots, making passing more difficult and concentration was centred on where I was putting my feet rather than on the views around

Ellers was a lovely farm house, just renovated. It is pretty isolated in terms of other houses around it, but it would suit me perfectly!

I was now walking on a narrow lane, but there was no fear of traffic. However, I was not entirely alone

Eventually the lane met a country road which I crossed at a place called Gate. On the opposite corner was indeed a gate, which seemed to serve little or no purpose, except to house a letter box in its surrounding wall

The path headed up past the right hand end of the wall

…before opening out to lovely views, with farms, fields and trees all around

It was somewhere along here that I encountered a familiar face

There are some odd signs in the countryside – this one being no exception:

If I am to keep the gate closed, then how am I to get through it? Do they expect me to climb over it? J

Still plenty of signposts; this one to Frostrow Fell

The gorgeous garden of this cottage definitely deserved a mention:

Not to mention the quaint cottages

And, of course, the red phone box

Arriving at the place where the road and the lane met, a car and trailer came tearing round the corner at quite some speed; I had to jump into the hedge to avoid being clipped by the trailer! We were now at Milthrop Bridge and it was time for dinner. There was an interesting church and tower as we walked into Sedbergh, to where the van was parked:

Finding nowehere serving food in Sedbergh, we drove into Kendal, which was about 10 miles away and ate at a Wetherspoons:

Once dinner was eaten, we drove back to Milthrop Bridge and I continued on towards Lincoln’s Inn Bridge. It was approaching dusk, but I wanted to complete this section of the walk today, so I set off anyway. OH was to meet me at Lincoln’s Inn Bridge and we would camp for the night

Over the bridge and through a narrow gate on the left

Through some woodland and along a walled trench; this was quite off because the trench seemed to have been dug deliberately right in the middle of the wood and a wall built either side to support the earth:

I missed my way slightly and found I was unable to exit the wood, but a short (100 yards or less) backtrack and I found the branch in the path that took me to the gate and alongside the wall of the woodland, but on the outside of the wood.

I passed a curious structure known as the ‘Pepperpot’ (for obvious reasons, when you see it). Oddly, it is not mentioned at all in my guidebook.

Passing round the edge of some school playing fields (probably the same fields my nephew played rugby on, as he attended school at Sedbergh), I saw a lovely house that I couldn’t resist photographing:

Climbing up past the house, I came to another narrow country lane between at Birks, which is little more than a stone built farm house

Sometimes, the signs appear less than helpful:

... and lower down on the same post:

Turning left, I passed a huge factory that had been a former cotton mill, which appeared to be having some renovation work done on it:

After the mill, the path left the lane, branching left, and ran alongside the river.

The path then ran through fields and a section through some light woodland. I heard a deep rumbling noise and wondered if it was thundering somewhere. The noise went on for some time, so I looked around to see if it might have been some farm machinerly. As I turned, a huge herd of pigs, snorting and rumbling, came rushing towards me. I was very thankful there was a strong fence between them and me!!

Shortly after that, I crested the top of a rise and the view ahead of me was stunning – the Howgills are among my favourite hills anywhere:

A railway once ran across this area. There were steps provided in the steep bank

After crossing the track and descending the less steep bank on the other side, I turned to look back at the bridge that took the trains across the river:

The river was very calm at this point and mirrorlike:

Again, the path led through meadows and in the distance the hills:

Eventually, the path led back beside the river. One gate through to the riverside path was so firmly shut I had to climber over the gate, rather than opening it; the gate clasp is firmly embedded in the trunk of a tree!

As I approached the road at Brigflatts, I saw what I presume to be Ingmire Hall in the distance:

Almost immediately after this, I found myself on the road again:

with a signpost to assure me I was still on the right track:

A little way along the road, I passed a familiar campsite – where Sandra and I had camped when we tried this walk in March and where we had finally reached the decision that I would not be walking again L

Past the campsite and a little further along the road, the path turned off into fields again:

From here I could clearly see the Howgill fells, lit up in the late evening sunshine:

Finally, a signpost naming my destination:

It was getting dark now, but there was still some beautiful light in the sky:

I walked along what had once been a green lane, with ancient hedgerows either side, but all that remained now were the old stumps, which were valiantly trying to regrow:

I passed through a farm and set several dogs barking. I couldn’t see them and presumably they couldn’t see me, but they certainly knew I was there! The path reverted to open meadows by the river once again, as Lincoln’s Inn Bridge came into view:

Within a few more moments, I could see the stile that led onto the road where I was to meet OH

The van was parked just to the right of the bridge

but OH was nowhere in sight; neither of course was Storm. Not having any keys to the van,I waited a while, all the time being eaten alive by midges – ugh! Then I realised where they were, as I could hear the dogs from the farm setting off a cacophony once again. About ten minutes later, Storm and OH came into view, but it was by this time too dark to take a photograph. We climbed into the van and drove back to Sedbergh to find somewhere to sleep for the night.