A Day Trip to Barrow in Furness and Walney Island

Two years ago we had planned to have a day trip to Barrow-in Furness and then walk on Walney Island. Originally our plan was to go by train from Carlisle to Barrow and then to Lancaster and from there back to Carlisle on the West Coast main line so completely circumnavigating Cumbria.It was of course delayed due to Covid-19 and eventually we went on Wednesday this week. That circumnavigation  proved to be too expensive so it was just a return ticket to Barrow costing £14 each. On arrival at Barrow Station we immediately came upon this statue of Barrow's most famous sportsman Emlyn Hughes the footballer.

After about a mile walk we crossed the bridge over to Walney Island just as the weather started to get worse. The middle section of the bridge lifts to allow large ships to pass through

The main employer in barrow is BAE Systems who build Nuclear Submarines.

It was high tide so their was plenty of water between Barrow and Walney Island

After another mile walking from the bridge we reached the sea and by this time it was windy and wet, but Tom insisted on dipping his feet in the sea so John and I left him to get on with it. 

John and Tom with Emlyn Hughes. The journey to Carlisle had been very quiet with few passengers on The Northern Service Train from Carlisle and for about half of the journey we were able to see the Solway Firth. The journey back was much busier as we picked up a load of passengers at Sellafield and dropped them off at Whitehaven and Workington. When we left Carlisle Station it was very quiet but on our return at 5.00pm it was very busy and we soon discovered why. 

 

The Flying Scotsman had made a special excursion to Carlisle along the Settle Line from Yorkshire and Lancashire and it was departing back from Carlisle around 5.00pm and as we headed to the Car Park to pick up Tom's car it was just shunting back into the station to pick up its passengers. 

We only had a few seconds to catch it going past but it was certainly a wonderful sight. 

Altogether a wonderful day despite the poor weather with a 6 mile walk and then seeing The Flying Scotsman at Carlisle and we finished up by having a grand meal at the Eskdale Hotel on our return to Langholm.

Round Castle Loch at Lochmaben and a Good Crack with Irving Bell

Our Wednesday walk this week was at Lochmaben and a walk round Castle Loch.

A lot has been done to make this such an excellent walk.

Near the end of the walk going back into Lochmaben

Tom at the yacht club

We enjoyed an excellent walk and met up with our old friend Irving Bell on the way round and we relived our our many happy times when we all played Squash at Langholm.

 

A Walk Through Gelt Woods and then to Castle Carrock

Tom and I headed to Carlisle to pick up Peter at Aglionby and then go on a walk through the Gelt woods. After two days of heavy rain the Gelt was running quite high and in places it was a little tricky underfoot, but its a lovely walk and the Gelt is a spectacular river.

There are several waterfalls on the route through the woods

What makes the Gelt so interesting is that it flows over rock rather than gravel. At the side of the river there is an area where the stone was quarried that they say was used in building Hadrians Wall.

This is the most spectacular section and probably yesterday would have been inaccessible.

 

Once we left the Gelt woods we crossed the Carlisle to Newcastle railway line and then headed to Castle Carrock via quiet roads and country lanes.

St. Peter's Church in Castle Carrock is very small but very attractive

The stained glass windows are very nice and Peter is enjoying looking at a Church with the same name as him.

A side view of St Peter's Church

Our route to Castle Carrock was along country lanes with many Hawthorn berries displayed so the birds should be ok this winter.

More Hawthorns and a field of Maze but its used for fodder rather than Corn.

The Duke of Cumberland Pub where we enjoyed a lovely lunch.

We again crossed the Carlisle to Newcastle railway line and this time just in time to catch a train

This was an old barn but covered in an Ivy

Near the end of our 8 mile walk and the weather has been glorious and a lovely Rowan Tree in the background.

A Sand Quarry near Low Gelt at the end of our walk