Gavin and Peter's Birthday Walk

A combined Birthday Walk for Peter and myself with just John and Sandria managing to come down from Edinburgh. Peter collected them from Carlisle Station and the rest of us met them at Armathwaite to start our 7 mile walk in the Eden valley. The weather was perfect and we gave the Fox & Pheasant our lunch order to save time when we got back as the Edinburgh contingent had to be back at the station for 4.00pm. This is taken at Armathwaite Bridge and you can see the Fisherman scarecrow sitting on the fence or maybe it is Ken in disguise. 

Up river from Armathwaite this posh building is taking shape. 

Another fisherman standing patiently for a fish.

This is the Benchmark sculpture and it represents the theme of walking and being at one with nature.  The corner part represents a rucksack.  

A Slow-worm crossed our path

A nice view overlooking the Cumbrian Fells

Time for a short break at Ainstable Church. There has been a church on this site for 900 years. 

The Carlisle to Settle railway line crosses this viaduct in the distance 

Back at the finish we get a good view of the bridge over the river Eden at Armathwaite 

This Copper Beech is a lovely specimen on our route.

This is the perfect way to collect a field full of silage with one machine picking up the grass and chopping it up into very small particles and then feeding it into the waiting trailers. There were 4 trailers continually filling up and coming back in time to take their turn so the big piece of machinery never stopped.