March Ramble – Abbeystead
For this month’s walk, we ventured a little further from home to explore the pretty landscape to the north of the county around Abbeystead.
Starting from the car park at Stoops Bridge, we entered the estate of the Duke of Westminster, following the Wyre Way, a good path which crossed the Marshaw Wyre a number of times. To our left appeared the imposing manor house, one of the Duke’s many properties. Pheasants were a regular sight, reminding us that this is a shooting estate.
Eventually, we arrived at the Trough Road. We walked along this road for a little while before entering a parallel path through the fields, with the river to our right, and the fells beyond, accompanied by a lone Oystercatcher and Curlew. This is a very scenic area and we were blessed with good weather throughout. After a while, we arrived at Tower Lodge and the start of our ascent of the fell through The Tower Plantation. Here we left the path and headed cross country, negotiating three high stiles to reach the top of the fell, with its splendid views of the grouse moors to the north and Morecambe Bay to the west.
Now it was lunch time and the usual disputes about where to stop. Democracy isn’t always the best policy, but we finally decided on a fallen, dead tree which provided ample, comfortable seating for all.
Back on the trail, we descended to the quaint farming hamlet of Tambrook and onwards through fields and over stiles, until the path took us through a private garden and on to the road down to Stoops Bridge.
Altogether, a splendid day out for the seven of us. I believe seven and a half miles was recorded, the number of stiles counted must be a near record and the mud wasn’t too bad, was it?
Linda & Eddie Grange