Monday, 29 June 2026

A Walk to the Top of Warbla

I had been asked to inspect a seat on Warbla or Warb Law as it is shown on the OS map. The seat was broken and my anonymous sponsor had requested this as they would pay for repairs to it. It was a bit overcast this morning and the light was not good for photos.
Foxgloves are appearing everywhere and they add lovely colour to the landscape
It's an excellent road up Warbla Hill, but I hadn't been up for many years as the hills do seem to be getting much steeper these days. I was however spurned on by the efforts of The Princess of Wales who yesterday climbed the 3 peaks in 24 hours so if she could do that I can certainly climb Warbla, even if I am in my 80th year. As it turned out I was in fine fettle and managed it with no bother except for sore knees on the way down. The power of mind over matter.
I did however stop to admire the view many times on the way up
The seat in question and it is in a bad way so my anonymous sponsor will be prepared to pay for its repair and I will contact our local joiner Rab, who has already repaired a seat on Gaskells Walk and is working on another on The Lodge Walks.

I discovered this new seat on the road up to Warbla just before the gate that takes you onto the hill. I think I know who placed it and built the wall and he has made a superb job of it. There is no hiding the work of a retired master builder.

The road down from the new seat towards Buccleuch Park. It was a 2 hour walk and I enjoyed in immensely but will stick to flatter ground for a while as my knees are now quite sore from walking downhill.

Just to prove I made it to the top.





 

Sunday, 28 June 2026

Bruce the Parson's Jack Russell Terrier

On our last evening of the week's holiday in Cartmel we dined in the Cavendish Hotel in the village and had an excellent meal. Almost all the hotels in Cartmel welcome dogs and Bruce was very well behaved.
Brucel likes to greet female dogs, but boy dogs get short shift.
In a hotel sitting with Gaye
Bruce enjoying a walk off the lead on the Old Causeway near Flookburgh
I could have brought him home to Langholm
In a wee shelter made from a tree trunk
Enjoying time with Gaye
At Cartmel car park next to the Racecourse

On our first morning walk with Norman. We managed to walk up to 3 miles every morning except the last one before we came away. He was a great companion and so well behaved and the dog was well behaved as well.
 

Friday, 26 June 2026

Another Promenade Walk at Grange over Sands

This was Thursday morning very early on what turned out to be the hottest ever June day. The flower displays along the Promenade are brilliant. This Goose is a superb carving from wood.
This was high tide, but they are very low high tides at the moment
Norman with Bruce the Parsons Jack Russell Terrier. He gets on well with other female dogs but growls at the male dogs. 
In a few tides time the sea will create islands at these rocks
Long stretches of sand on Morecambe Bay
Grange over Sands railway station next to the Promenade. In Victorian times this would be a very busy station bringing loads of day trippers from the industrial areas.
This marshy area can be quite dangerous
The Promenade
Loads of beautiful shrubs bordering the Promenade

A lovely display of yellow flowers




This was a most enjoyable 2.5 mile walk but the heat was building up and it was only 8.30am when this was taken. We headed back for breakfast and later in the day I brought Gaye back for a short walk but we didn't stay long as it was unbearable due to the humidity.
 

Wednesday, 24 June 2026

A Visit to Lakeside on Windermere

Rather than start at Haverthwaite and leave the car there we drove to Lakeside to see both Steam Trains and Steamers. We didn't want to spend in excess of £60 on tickets so enjoyed watching everybody coming and going as we sat in the shade on a nice park bench.

It was another glorious day with signs that the temperature might reach 30C in the early afternoon.
This Steamer was full of pensioners with hardly anybody under 70 years of age.
It is a 30 minute sail to Bowness on Windermere and most of the passengers have taken the steam train from Haverthwaite for an 18 minute journey to Lakeside.
A pair of Swans with only one remaining signet
The Steam Train from Haverthwaite
The Steam Train was very busy
The top end of Lake Windermere
Looking down the lake to Bowness on Windermere
Loads of smaller boats running private excursions
Departing for Bowness on Windermere. We thoroughly enjoyed the 2 hours we spent people watching seated in a nice shaded area and near a cafe providing us with Coffee and in Gaye's case Cake as well. Out of the shade it was getting very hot so we headed back to Cartmel where there was not one parking spot to be found, so we just went back to our chalet for a seat on our lovely veranda and a cup of tea.
 

Tuesday, 23 June 2026

An Old Promenade Walk at Flookburgh

Norman and I set out at 7.30am this morning to walk along the Old promenade at Flookburgh near Cork Airport. It is actually an earth and grass mound to save the farmland from being flooded at Neap Tides
This is the OS Map of our walk. I don't usually like coming back the same way and it could have been a circular walk, but it would have been far too long. It was about 2.6 miles and perfect for two old men and a young dog.
That is probably Morecambe in the distance
Looking across the fields to Flookburgh
A nice copse of trees
The Old Causeway
I would imagine the area in this picture would only flood at the very high tides

A little bit of Morecambe Bay
A salt water pond.
Bruce having a great time off the lead and very well behaved. He may end up being smuggled back to Langholm as he really is a lovely wee dog.
Are you two going to catch up with me.
This was a perfect early morning walk and the temperature was creeping over the 20C mark by 8.30am
 

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