Autumn walks weekend: Barbon Low Fell, Sunday 11th September 2022

Leader: Dave Miller

Reporter: Catherine Beardsall

Start time 10.30am in the Barbon Inn car park.

The walk initially advertised was deemed unsuitable on the day and it was decided to walk round Barbon Low Fell anti-clockwise. Walkers were Dave and Vanessa, Andrew, Dave Shepherd, Steve, Paul and Liz, Christine, Brian Richardson, Barry, Brian and Catherine. Also present were the dogs Jim, Freddy, Fossie and Peddar (in order of size).

We left the pub on a lovely autumn morning, walking south and turned off across the fields. Within five minutes we had lost four of the party as Brian B's pole came apart and they retraced their tracks to find the missing bit. Reunited we had a very pleasant walk through lush meadows and orchards, all well recovered from the prolonged dry spell. At Fellfoot Road bridleway Brian B. left the party and returned home along the bridleway and Barbon Beck Bridge.

The group continued on and turned off the road and up the bridle track where we stopped for a tea break. We carried on uphill along the bridle track where we came upon an enormous bull who Andrew decided had been crossed with a sheep as it was so woolly. A little further on we reached a junction where, as we had made good time, Dave decided that we would go up onto Brownthwaite and up to the Trig point (437m). We had lunch here having descended a little off the track to find a sheltered spot to eat and Steve very kindly provided us all with Eccles cakes.

We descended down to Bullpot Farm and then followed the contour through high bracken and down to Barbon Beck Bridge. We opted to cross the stream via the stepping stones which proved a bit slippery with some people ending up with wet feet. The dogs chased happily around in the water, except Peddar who just yapped. The journey home followed the bridle way through the Barbon Manor Estate to re-enter Barbon village next to the church.

Back at Barbon Inn we were entertained to tea and cakes by Paul and Liz at their camper van. It was a multi-birthday celebration, it being Dave Shepherd's birthday, with Steve's birthday on Monday and Liz's on Wednesday. Later we were joined by Helen and Jonquil who arrived with yet more cake.

Many thanks to Dave and Vanessa for organising another great walking weekend and to Dave for being especially calm and even tempered!!