Thursday 28th to Sunday 30th March 2024
We have taken Fufu away for Easter to the northern part of Morecambe Bay, on the River Kent estuary. Our campsite is at Carr Bank House Farm, Hazelslack, where we are attending a meet of the North East Lancashire District Association of the Camping and Caravanning Club. Our thanks goes to the stewards of the meet, Dave and Margaret.
We are just across the road from the 14th century Hazelslack Tower. The tower, which is grade II listed, is described as a peel tower, likely built as a defensive structure when this area was being raided by the Border Reivers. It is close to two other such towers, the one at Beetham Hall, the site of which houses a crematorium, and Arnside Tower which is described in the blog post dated 11th June 2023. You can view that post <here>.
Thursday 28th March
After heavy rain over that last few days (weeks), we arrived to find the field in a very soggy state. We chose our pitch carefully with our slip-mats under the driving wheels. Soon after our arrival we witnessed a 4×4 car pulling a caravan, get completely bogged-down, needing the help of other campers and their 4×4 vehicles.
As the rain appeared to have relented for a while, we chose to go for a walk. Our route took us through a farmyard, then through some fields where there were a few sheep and dozens of pheasants feeding in the pasture.
Climbing gradually, we passed through a wooded area:
…then up to the Fairy Steps. So named because, according to legend, if you manage to climb up them without touching either side, a fairy will appear. This would appear to be an impossible achievement. We did not even try, preferring to go the long way around to the viewpoint at the top.
The path was known locally as the “coffin route” as people in Arnside Parish had to carry the deceased in their coffins to the nearest church, “St Michael and All Angels”, in Beetham. It would have been a very strenuous and difficult undertaking, especially at the Fairy Steps where the gap appears to be too narrow for a coffin.
With the weather again threatening rain, after getting to the viewpoint at the top, we turned back. It was spitting for much of our return journey but we almost made back to the site before we got soaked in the last few hundred yards. During the evening as it got dark, more arrivals managed to get stuck in the muddy mire. I hope we manage to get away OK on Monday.
Friday 29th March (Good Friday)
It was clear right from our arrival, that taking Fufu out for day-trips would be a mistake and would further churn up the field. As we had not brought our bikes, this was definitely a walking holiday; today’s destination: the village of Arnside.
I described the attractive village of Arnside previously in the blog post linked above, so I will try to avoid repetition. When we visit, there always seems to be something going on. The last time, it was a group of naturists walking across Morecambe Bay, this time, it was the Cumbrian Fire and Rescue Service having a practice as the tide came in.
We walked a little way downstream of the village towards Morecambe Bay and came across this signpost. As you can see, it is numbered and apparently this is significant as it was made by Joseph Bowerbank at the Victoria Foundry in Penrith in around 1897. Six of these were made and installed at a cost of £12 3s 6d. Numbers 5 and 6 are the only ones remaining and they have been restored, presumably for more than 12 pounds, 3 shillings and 6 pence.
Our route back to the site, took us across the railway line via the station footbridge (all train services currently suspended due to a derailment further up the line) and along a raised embankment with a fine view over the Kent estuary towards the Lakeland Fells.
We had avoided bad weather most of the day, sheltering during a brief hail shower at one stage, but shortly after we arrived back on site it started to rain heavily again and another motorhome arrival got stuck just next to us. The weather forecast says it will brighten-up over the next few days. Fingers crossed!
Saturday 30th March
With a fine day promised, we set forth on another walk, this time to the north towards the Dallam Tower estate deer park, passing through some beautiful countryside along the way (even if it was quite squelchy in many places).
We had left our route options open, but after walking through the deer park and passing Dallam Tower itself, decided to walk on to Milnthorpe, which is a surprisingly old settlement. Here, we enjoyed a brief lunch-break at Sue’s Cumbria Sandwich Bar, which served us with excellent food. According to Alison, the bacon butty was exceptional.
Making our way back through the deer park, we branched-off towards Beetham, which is a beautiful little village. As we arrived at Beetham, we came across the Heron Corn Mill; a water mill which was restored in 1975, and which could be seen running. Although no milling was taking place at the time of our visit, it is used to mill oats and barley.
Beetham has a superb garden centre where we enjoyed tea and a scone (with jam and cream of course). There is also a very old pub called “The Wheatsheaf” which we would have loved to visit, but as we still had some distance to walk, we passed this by.
We did visit the Parish Church of St Michael and All the Angels which dates from the 12th century.
This is also the destination of the “coffin route” Fairy Steps path, which we followed over the fell, back to our site at Hazelslack.
Sunday 31st March:
Another day; another walk, this time to the south of our campsite, heading towards Hawes water and Gait Barrows National Nature Reserve. Following well-marked paths, we initially skirted the reserve to the east, then crossed over to the west and to Hawes water.
After visiting the lake, we turned back north. In one field, a barn has been given a new roof and seating, providing a place to shelter and/or have lunch. There was also a resident stuffed animal:
Our path then took us up-hill and onto an amazing limestone pavement which is unusual in that it is so uniform, almost looking artificial. Here there is a cairn which declares the “National Nature Reserve” in commemoration of the silver jubilee of HM Queen Elizabeth II:
It seems like the area was once a limestone quarry with the upper layers of rock removed. Nature seems to be taking over.
As we returned, we caught a glimpse of Arnside Tower, across waterlogged fields.
"See-u-Later" 