Walks 31 what’son Walks & Gowbarrow

Walk Information were laid out as a pleasure garden by the Duke of Norfolk in the 18th Century, Distance: 6.75 km (4.25 miles) whose ancestors had inherited Grey- Time: 3 hours stoke Castle as well as Gowbarrow Maps: OS Explorer Sheet OL5 Park through marriage in the 16th ‘English Lakes, North Eastern area’ Century. On the southern boundary Parking: Roadside parking area, of this old deer park lies Lyulph’s just to the south of Dockray along Tower, a Georgian hunting lodge that the A5091, Grid Ref: NY 397 211. stands on the site of a much older Refreshments: No facilities en route. tower. According to legend, many Pub at nearby Dockray. centuries ago a beautiful lady called Emma lived in this tower. She was Terrain: Clear paths all the way betrothed to a knight called Sir along riversides, through woodland Eglamore, who was often away fight- and across the rough and rocky ing battles. Emma was so distraught Gowbarrow Fell, with boggy ground at not seeing Sir Eglamore that she in places. Gowbarrow Fell is exposed would often sleepwalk at night to to the elements, and there are several places that they had spent time small stream crossings. together. One night, Sir Eglamore How to get there: Follow the A66 returned unannounced and went in westwards then, at Troutbeck, turn search of Emma, only to find her near south along the A5091, passing Aira Force. He touched her arm and through Dockray to reach the parking woke her from her sleep, however, she area (parking areas on both sides of was so startled that she fell into the the road). waterfall and drowned. Sir Eglamore Caution: Many of the paths are was broken-hearted and lived the rest muddy underfoot. There are steep of his life as a hermit in a cave beside or sheer drops to the side of the path the waterfall. This legend inspired in places, particularly around Aira Wordsworth to write the poem ‘The Force and across the eastern flanks of Somnambulist’. Gowbarrow Fell. This walk includes down to the right), with the wooded Immediately before this ruined (plantation ends on your right). Head The walk around Gowbarrow Fell is valley of Aira Beck falling away to 4Shooting Lodge the path forks – through this gate and walk straight a number of steep inclines. Do not one of sheer delight, with superlative attempt this walk in snow or ice. your right, for 200 metres to reach a follow the left-hand path (passing the on down to soon reach a clear path views across followed by fork in the path, where you take the ruins on your right) and follow this across your path, with Aira Beck just an exciting path around its steep, left-hand path straight on to quickly heading up into the shallow valley of ahead. Turn left along this path and Points of interest eastern flanks. The summit itself is reach a gate in a fence at the end of the upper reaches of Collierhagg follow it across the field, with Aira Aira Beck is born on the flanks of a superb viewpoint. the woodland. Head through the gate Beck (wall across to your right) – the Beck down to your right, to reach a (843 metres), a and walk straight on down across the path is clear all the way as you steadi- gate in a fence that leads into wood- rounded grassy fell that forms part The Walk open pasture to soon reach a junction ly rise up through this valley (wall land (stream crossing). Follow the of a larger group of known as From roadside parking area just to of paths, where you follow the path to across to your right) then, as you clear path straight on for 500 metres the Dodds that lie at the northern end 1the south of Dockray, take the path the left that leads along the foot of near the head of this valley after 400 through woodland and then alongside of the range of mountains through the bridlegate (National the bracken-covered slope to join a metres, follow the clear path as it Aira Beck (passing High Force) back that separate Ullswater and Trust sign ‘Aira Force’), and follow fence on your right. Carry straight on curves gradually round to the left, to reach the footbridge across Aira Thirlmere. The landscape of the the path to the left down across the for 200 metres to reach a fork in the climbing more steeply up for a further Beck above the narrow ravine and Dodds is more in keeping with the rough, muddy field to reach a gate path – follow the left-hand path climb- 350 metres across rough, boggy moor- waterfall. Cross the footbridge then Pennines than Lakeland due to the just above the wooded banks of Aira ing quite steeply up across the steep land to reach a clear, stony path turn right and re-trace your steps rounded fells and deep valleys. Aira Beck. Head through the gate and follow hillside. After 600 metres of steady across your path, with the Trig Point back up along the riverside path Beck flows north-eastwards through the clear path to the right, which climbing, the path levels out and on the summit of Gowbarrow Fell (Aira Force on your right) to reach Deepdale to reach Dockray where it soon heads through a wall to join the leads on across the steep hillside just up to your left on the top of the High Force, where you head through turns south, through a dramatic riverside beside the impressive High (take care) for a further 300 metres, outcrops. the wall then up along the path for a ravine before draining into Ullswater. Force waterfall. Continue down along with wonderful views across Ullswater, short distance before bending sharp It was around the confluence of Aira the riverside path (take care), with to reach a memorial seat (1906) and As you reach this clear, stony path left to reach the gate in a fence. Head Beck and Ullswater that William Aira Beck on your left, for approxi- a fence on your right, just before a 5just below the Trig Point on the back up across the muddy field to the Wordsworth walked through carpets mately 250 metres to reach a foot- small promontory of land (viewpoint). summit of Gowbarrow Fell, follow parking area. of wild daffodils in 1804, an event that bridge across the beck above a narrow this clear path to the right down inspired him to pen perhaps the most ravine and waterfall (take care: sheer Just beyond the memorial seat, across the rough moorland to join the Mark Reid famous poem in English Literature drops). Do NOT cross this footbridge, 3follow the clear path curving round wall on your right – follow the clear Author of The Inn Way series. that begins “I wandered lonely as a but follow the clear path to the right to the left following the contours of path heading down alongside this innway.co.uk Cloud...”. heading down alongside Aira Beck the hillside – continue along this clear wall to soon reach the brow of the The waterfall of Aira Force is a on your left for a further 300 metres path as it contours around the eastern steep hillside, with the village of spectacular sight, where the waters to reach the stone-built bridge span- side of Gowbarrow Fell for 1.3 km, Dockray in the distance ahead. of Aira Beck cascade some 70-feet ning the top of the dramatic waterfall heading across steep slopes and cross- Follow the clear path heading steeply Get into the outdoors with through a narrow rocky chasm with of Aira Force. ing a couple of small side streams set down alongside the wall (pitched path Mark Reid. Navigation skills overhanging trees. The top of the in ravines, before gently dropping in places as you descend down across weekends, map reading, mountain waterfall is spanned by a stone Cross the bridge and follow the down to reach the foundations of the outcrops), passing a plantation, to adventures, guided walks. bridge, which creates a beautiful 2gravel path straight on through ruined Shooting Lodge just before a reach a gate in a wall across your teamwalking.co.uk scene. The environs of Aira Force woodland (ignore path sharp left and gate in a wall (that leads into forest). path at the bottom of the fellside Countrydiary Birdwatch

HIS has been an exceptional winter enter and search for nectar and so HE mild winter we have enjoyed, in Last Thursday my colleague on this page, so far for wild flowers blooming out transferring pollen onto the stigma, sharp contrast to the last two years, Phil Gates, wrote of plants prompted into T of season but there’s one native plant allowing seed set to occur. There were no Thas been kind to birds relying on soft early flower by the mild weather. Birds ‘gorse’ that always reliably blooms in bees about last week, but maybe the ground to feed. Lovely northern thrushes, have also been affected and in the past winter, whatever the weather. buffeting of the wind is sufficient for some Fieldfares and Redwings, which then had week I have heard Blackbird and Robin There is an old saying that “when gorse is accidental self-pollination to take place. to flee because of heavy snow and sub-zero in full spring song. I also noticed a Black- not in flower, then romance is out of Perhaps too the presence of these long- temperatures, have remained in good headed Gull already in breeding plumage. fashion”. It’s certainly true that this lived flowers, whose numbers will increase numbers across farmland, even up to The long-staying Desert Wheatear at ubiquitous plant will usually produce a as days lengthen and we move closer to moor-edge pastures where the other day Bempton remained but the other at few flowers even in the most bitterly cold, spring, gives gorse some benefit in the I noticed a flock of over 100 at 1,000 feet Newbiggin disappeared. Two Bitterns snow-bound season but this winter its competition for the few bee pollinators above sea level. were found at Coatham Marsh and two floral performance has been exceptional. that emerge in March. And maybe any Fieldfares, in soft but rich tones of grey more of these most secretive reed-bed Last week I took a walk along the Durham seeds produced by premature flowers have and brown and Redwings with their orange species were at Gosforth Park, Newcastle. coastal path southwards from Dawdon, a better change of escaping the attentions flank patches, always seem to me to be in Snow Buntings, scarce so far this winter, where gorse thrives on the edge of the of the tiny seed weevils that infest the colours appropriate for the season, included seven at Seaton Common. A cliffs, and the bushes were golden with a flowers later in summer and whose larvae brightening up a winter landscape. Mixed Black-necked Grebe was a great find at display of hundreds of blooms. If it hadn’t consume the seeds. Whatever the reason flocks seem widespread although just how Seal Sands. A Slavonian Grebe was at been for the bitingly cold wind, I’d almost for this precocious floral display, it many currently winter in Britain is a Hartlepool while, more typically, good have believed that it was spring. certainly lifts the mystery. The last national figures showed numbers appeared further north with 23 spirits in the depths about one million of each but that was off Bamburgh and eight at Holy Island. It’s an open question as to whether this of winter. unseasonal display of flowers is wasted from survey work back in the 1980s. We Ian Kerr effort on the part of the plant. Gorse Phil Gates should soon have updated information blooms normally need bees to ‘trip’ the as the British Trust for Ornithology is flowers, forcing the petals apart as they proposing a national survey next winter.