Friday, 19th January 2018 - Travelling and settling in
The weather gods are against me. I booked my accommodation after seeing the Met Office's wall-to-wall sunshine for Saturday report. By the time I set off, the forecast was for snow, rain and weak late afternoon sunshine, with Sunday's forecast being absolutely grotty. Hmmmmf!
After a fairly grim drive through Bradford (blame SatNav) I arrived at The Boar's Head in Long Preston for my 2 night stay. All the rooms had names of the "Dales" and I was in room 5 which was called "Swaledale". I was secretly overjoyed to discover it was en-suite as, when I booked, it was unclear. The room was lovely. Clean. Big squishy bed. Telly and, most importantly, decent teabags. I thought £40 per night was quite reasonable, and it included breakfast. I'd stay here again for that price
My evening meal (at the Pub) was a Salmon fillet on a bed of Prawn Tagliatelle, washed down with a glass of Rose wine. Perfect start to a weekend of walking.
After a fairly grim drive through Bradford (blame SatNav) I arrived at The Boar's Head in Long Preston for my 2 night stay. All the rooms had names of the "Dales" and I was in room 5 which was called "Swaledale". I was secretly overjoyed to discover it was en-suite as, when I booked, it was unclear. The room was lovely. Clean. Big squishy bed. Telly and, most importantly, decent teabags. I thought £40 per night was quite reasonable, and it included breakfast. I'd stay here again for that price
My evening meal (at the Pub) was a Salmon fillet on a bed of Prawn Tagliatelle, washed down with a glass of Rose wine. Perfect start to a weekend of walking.
Saturday, 20th January 2018 - Long Preston's Lanes and Fields (6.8 miles)
After a wonderful night's sleep, despite being able to hear noise from the pub downstairs (somehow this seemed comforting to hear the murmur of voices and laughter), I awoke and had a delicious cooked full English breakfast.
By the time I set off for my walk, it had stopped raining, which was a bonus, though conditions under-foot were a bit slushy and squishy. I headed east down the main road and turned north up Church Lane:
St. Mary The Virgin Church
I followed the road around the Church where it changed into New House Lane and crosses the busily babbling Long Preston Beck:
Easy but slushy walking
Long Preston Beck
A little further on, the tarmacked lane turns into a typically winter, typically Dales muddy track, from which, I took "an interesting detour". Yes, moving swiftly on....
I popped back out onto New House Lane (track) near Little Newton and passed through a farmyard before turning north to follow Newton Gill:
Easy walking alongside Newton Gill
It was still fairly easy-going under-foot, albeit a bit muddy, on gently undulating grazing pasture. Just before the open access land at Newton Moor there is a fine example of some sedimentary rock layers near a small weir (with a waterfall behind, sadly hidden by trees):
A bit of geology - buckled and twisted sedimentary rock
From this point, if anyone is thinking of doing this walk, DON'T follow the route I took (clearly visible in the pic below) which hugs the banks of the beck. It is severely eroded, boggy and with steep drops down to the beck in many places, and, if I'd paid any attention sooner, would have noticed the luminous green dots on the newly planted stands of trees encouraging a higher and safer route (access land now):
Picturesque but quite dangerous walking along the beck
I spent far too long clinging to them tough chive-like plants that love boggy areas, whilst standing on their neighbours and scrabbling up steep banks to avoid flooded gullies in the path which made me start to think about cutting my planned 9 mile route short, given that it was now lunchtime and I'd only done about 2 miles.
Had the weather and visibility been better, I would have headed up to the trig point on Newton Moor Top as I am led to believe there are some far-reaching views from this small, heart shaped hill (look at it on the 1:25k OS map
). Seeing as the top was covered in cloud, and the inside of one cloud looks very much like the inside of any other cloud, I didn't bother. Perhaps I should have done, if only to avoid the scary beckside path 
After a short but equally unnerving, eroded descent to cross Newton Gill, the wooden bridge of which is fairly hidden at the bottom of a grassy gorge, it was up and away across nice, broad and reasonably well drained fields towards Bookilber Barn. Seeing as the only clue you got was a stile in a wall and faced with an amount of uphill immediately after this, I thought I'd have a practice at pacing and walking on a bearing to my exit point onto Langber Lane (track).
Some views of the murk over the hills above Settle - it was heading my way
:
Drab weather (and a hair on the camera lens)
Even the sheep have to concentrate when fording becks
Langber Lane (track) with Bookilber Barn in the distance
I was to follow this lane for EVER if I was going to do my original route which was to take in the waterfalls of Scaleber Force. (If I followed it far enough though, I'd end up in Settle.)
Weak sunshine trying its hardest to shine through
Instead though, I meandered along, looking for somewhere with a view to have my sarnie and cuppa. Having found a likely looking spot, I sat and pondered the map, and assessed my ability and speed, given that it was now gone 1pm and it gets dark around 4.30pm and I still had about 6 miles to go, did I carry on with my original route, past the point of no return (no shortcuts and potentially walking in the dark at the end) or did I change my plans?
Nice view for a sarnie and a cuppa
Looking down onto Bookil Gill Beck
I decided to cut my walk short and head down the path along Bookil Gill Beck - hopefully it wouldn't be as eroded as the last "beckside walk". Immediately, I spotted a problem... crossing Bookil Gill Beck. I needed to be on the other side of it and the stepping stones were under water. Hmmmm...
Hmmmm.... where to cross?
By the time I set off for my walk, it had stopped raining, which was a bonus, though conditions under-foot were a bit slushy and squishy. I headed east down the main road and turned north up Church Lane:
St. Mary The Virgin Church
I followed the road around the Church where it changed into New House Lane and crosses the busily babbling Long Preston Beck:
Easy but slushy walking
Long Preston Beck
A little further on, the tarmacked lane turns into a typically winter, typically Dales muddy track, from which, I took "an interesting detour". Yes, moving swiftly on....
I popped back out onto New House Lane (track) near Little Newton and passed through a farmyard before turning north to follow Newton Gill:
Easy walking alongside Newton Gill
It was still fairly easy-going under-foot, albeit a bit muddy, on gently undulating grazing pasture. Just before the open access land at Newton Moor there is a fine example of some sedimentary rock layers near a small weir (with a waterfall behind, sadly hidden by trees):
A bit of geology - buckled and twisted sedimentary rock
From this point, if anyone is thinking of doing this walk, DON'T follow the route I took (clearly visible in the pic below) which hugs the banks of the beck. It is severely eroded, boggy and with steep drops down to the beck in many places, and, if I'd paid any attention sooner, would have noticed the luminous green dots on the newly planted stands of trees encouraging a higher and safer route (access land now):
Picturesque but quite dangerous walking along the beck
I spent far too long clinging to them tough chive-like plants that love boggy areas, whilst standing on their neighbours and scrabbling up steep banks to avoid flooded gullies in the path which made me start to think about cutting my planned 9 mile route short, given that it was now lunchtime and I'd only done about 2 miles.
Had the weather and visibility been better, I would have headed up to the trig point on Newton Moor Top as I am led to believe there are some far-reaching views from this small, heart shaped hill (look at it on the 1:25k OS map
). Seeing as the top was covered in cloud, and the inside of one cloud looks very much like the inside of any other cloud, I didn't bother. Perhaps I should have done, if only to avoid the scary beckside path After a short but equally unnerving, eroded descent to cross Newton Gill, the wooden bridge of which is fairly hidden at the bottom of a grassy gorge, it was up and away across nice, broad and reasonably well drained fields towards Bookilber Barn. Seeing as the only clue you got was a stile in a wall and faced with an amount of uphill immediately after this, I thought I'd have a practice at pacing and walking on a bearing to my exit point onto Langber Lane (track).
Some views of the murk over the hills above Settle - it was heading my way
:
Drab weather (and a hair on the camera lens)
Even the sheep have to concentrate when fording becks
Langber Lane (track) with Bookilber Barn in the distance
I was to follow this lane for EVER if I was going to do my original route which was to take in the waterfalls of Scaleber Force. (If I followed it far enough though, I'd end up in Settle.)
Weak sunshine trying its hardest to shine through
Instead though, I meandered along, looking for somewhere with a view to have my sarnie and cuppa. Having found a likely looking spot, I sat and pondered the map, and assessed my ability and speed, given that it was now gone 1pm and it gets dark around 4.30pm and I still had about 6 miles to go, did I carry on with my original route, past the point of no return (no shortcuts and potentially walking in the dark at the end) or did I change my plans?
Nice view for a sarnie and a cuppa
Looking down onto Bookil Gill Beck
I decided to cut my walk short and head down the path along Bookil Gill Beck - hopefully it wouldn't be as eroded as the last "beckside walk". Immediately, I spotted a problem... crossing Bookil Gill Beck. I needed to be on the other side of it and the stepping stones were under water. Hmmmm...
Hmmmm.... where to cross?
Luckily for me, a couple of local ladies were out walking and shouted to me to cross where they were crossing (further back, out of shot to the left of the above pic). It was still a bit of a hop, skip and a jump but they kindly loaned me a walking pole and inelegantly hoyed me across.
I must get some poles...
We walked together for a while and I learned that they met at Hull University some 40+ years ago and had been firm friends since but missed the hills and moved to a nearby village in the Dales.
Looking down on the beck from t'other side
I must get some poles...
We walked together for a while and I learned that they met at Hull University some 40+ years ago and had been firm friends since but missed the hills and moved to a nearby village in the Dales.
Looking down on the beck from t'other side
It seems as though the grim weather over Settle decided to pay elsewhere a visit as the sun came out for the final part of the walk back over the fields into Long Preston.
This tree trunk was more interesting in real life than the picture leads you to believe
:
Hollow tree trunk
The remaining walk was squelchily avoidable, easy, undulating walking across fields:
Easy walking now on the fields above the beck
After having another "I wish I had walking poles" moment crossing the ford near New Pasture Plantation it was a steady uphill climb to the next muddy track.
Looking back down to the ford (lower centre of pic) from the top of the climb
This tree trunk was more interesting in real life than the picture leads you to believe
:
Hollow tree trunk
The remaining walk was squelchily avoidable, easy, undulating walking across fields:
Easy walking now on the fields above the beck
After having another "I wish I had walking poles" moment crossing the ford near New Pasture Plantation it was a steady uphill climb to the next muddy track.
Looking back down to the ford (lower centre of pic) from the top of the climb
I'd caught up with the two ladies again and they gave me "insider knowledge" that walking across the fields was easier under-foot than New Pasture Lane (which I was planning to follow). More easy walking along broad, grassy fields although I lost count of the number of wall-stiles for giants there were to clamber up and over
Fantastic views north towards Langcliffe Scars covered in snow
Finally, we (I'd continued walking with the two ladies) descended back into Long Preston where a cuppa and bun was almost to be had in The Maypole - newly refurbished and advertising they were open as a tea room as well as a pub. Bizarrely though, they didn't do cake - only pudding. The two ladies decided not to "do" pudding and headed off home. I stayed and had a cuppa though... and made use of the facilities.
The Maypole pub with a real, live maypole in front
Apparently, the maypole on the village green is still used every May Day. I thought this was a lost tradition and had to hide the expression on my face of my amusing, if stereotypical, mental image of blokes dressed in weird clothes and jingling bells, prancing around it
I checked ViewRanger and saw I'd only done about 5.5 miles. I felt rather disappointed to be honest. However, seeing as it was still daylight and my achilles tendon wasn't giving me any gyp whatsoever, I decided to go for a little wander around some of the quiet lanes on the other side of the main road and headed down Back Lane and over the Settle-Carlisle railway (sadly no steam trains went by). It wasn't until I got to the end of Back Lane and was about to join the B6478 Mill Lane that I came across the most enormous puddle ever with a wholly inadequate bit of "two bi four" floating uselessly in the middle as a way of crossing. Yet again, I wished I had some walking poles as I could have sort of stepped and vaulted over it but, instead, I took a leap of faith. The wood sank. I got wet feet
Thankfully I was near to my accommodation now and soggy-footedly squelched the remaining half a mile up the road. I still couldn't resist seeing where a little alleyway led though before turning off up near the Post Office and back to The Boar's Head where a lovely shower and meal of curly Cumberland sausage, mash, veg and onion gravy was waiting. I washed this down with a couple of glasses of wine to complete my idea of a perfect day out.... Walk - shower - food - wine - bed. You can't beat it
Fantastic views north towards Langcliffe Scars covered in snow
Finally, we (I'd continued walking with the two ladies) descended back into Long Preston where a cuppa and bun was almost to be had in The Maypole - newly refurbished and advertising they were open as a tea room as well as a pub. Bizarrely though, they didn't do cake - only pudding. The two ladies decided not to "do" pudding and headed off home. I stayed and had a cuppa though... and made use of the facilities.
The Maypole pub with a real, live maypole in front
Apparently, the maypole on the village green is still used every May Day. I thought this was a lost tradition and had to hide the expression on my face of my amusing, if stereotypical, mental image of blokes dressed in weird clothes and jingling bells, prancing around it
I checked ViewRanger and saw I'd only done about 5.5 miles. I felt rather disappointed to be honest. However, seeing as it was still daylight and my achilles tendon wasn't giving me any gyp whatsoever, I decided to go for a little wander around some of the quiet lanes on the other side of the main road and headed down Back Lane and over the Settle-Carlisle railway (sadly no steam trains went by). It wasn't until I got to the end of Back Lane and was about to join the B6478 Mill Lane that I came across the most enormous puddle ever with a wholly inadequate bit of "two bi four" floating uselessly in the middle as a way of crossing. Yet again, I wished I had some walking poles as I could have sort of stepped and vaulted over it but, instead, I took a leap of faith. The wood sank. I got wet feet
Thankfully I was near to my accommodation now and soggy-footedly squelched the remaining half a mile up the road. I still couldn't resist seeing where a little alleyway led though before turning off up near the Post Office and back to The Boar's Head where a lovely shower and meal of curly Cumberland sausage, mash, veg and onion gravy was waiting. I washed this down with a couple of glasses of wine to complete my idea of a perfect day out.... Walk - shower - food - wine - bed. You can't beat it
Sunday, 21st January 2018 - A short walk up Green Gate Lane (1.3 miles)
I can't believe how un-achy I feel, given that I've not done any "hills" since about October last year. My plan was to simply pack up and go home, especially given the forecast of heavy snow - I wanted to get home ahead of that. But no! I felt on top form and decided to go for another little walk before the drive home.
I got my car packed up and I paid my dues at the pub and headed off towards the Maypole / village green and a walk up Green Gate Lane. It started snowing.
Luckily, I was sheltered by trees on the lane and continued up and up and up until I reached a bench and path off to the right. This turned out to be the other end of New Pasture Lane (track) that I was advised had big muddy puddles and should be avoided. However, there was a good grassy bit in the middle and the ground was pretty much frozen, so I headed along it. It stopped snowing.
New Pasture Lane (track)
I reached a barn and stood and pondered whether or not to carry on further round or cut back across the fields. The weather made my mind up for me. As I was pondering, the snow started to come down quite heavily and, although I was wrapped up all cozy and warm, I kept in mind I had a just shy of 3 hour drive home which might not be such fun if I have to try and peel off soggy waterproofs, etc. without the luxury of my (now checked out of) room.
Yet again, a helpful local chap, out walking his dogs confirmed that I could cross the fields and head back down into the village (even though I couldn't see the fields, or the village in the blizzard
).So that's what I did. There were no tracks in the freshly laid snow so I just pointed my compass at random walls on the map and followed the edges until I reached either a stile or a gate. Eventually I joined a track and, unsure what track it was, I headed downhill which seemed to feel like the right choice. Turns out I pinged out onto the village green and the Maypole.... and my parked car .... which was now covered in an inch of snow.
I de-snowed my car and quickly shed my jacket. My walking shoes were the cleanest they've been for a while and my feet were still dry (no massive puddles to leap across today) so I kept them on.
I decided to head home via Skipton and Harrogate then the A1(M) rather than the god-awful, but shorter, route through Bradford.
I dragged the blizzard behind me all the way home
Ponderings.....All said and done, a great weekend escape
As an aside, since I've been on the e-cig, my breathing has improved 100%. Yes, I got out of breath going up the hills because, generally, I am unfit, BUT, I wasn't wheezing. I didn't need to stop and cough to clear my lungs (granted, I've just recovered from that horrid cough/cold that's been going round and I think my lungs got a good clearing out then). I also noticed I didn't get cramp in my calves. Now, that could have been because I walked at my own pace rather than trying to keep up with a group but not once did I feel any tightness in my muscles. And finally, the only time I felt a twinge in my achilles tendon was when I was walking along the roads at the beginning of Saturday's walk. Even waking up on Sunday, apart from it feeling a little stiff when I first got up, once I was up and about, any stiffness vanished completely. I'm not sure if it's all linked to the ciggies (or lack of) but this is the best I've felt after a walking weekend away ..... ever .... and a whole week's worth of mileage done in 2 days for my Mile A Day For A Year Challenge365 project
Thanks for reading 
