Day 60 - Caldbeck to Carlisle

We were on a farm last night and I really expected to be woken up by lots of animal noises, but the sheep were pretty quiet; maybe it was the fact that it was a very warm morning. The Walker was keen to go back into Caldbeck village to see the Howk Bobbin Mill and the church and I was able to be his guide. I chatted, again, to an 89 year old lady; I had met her yesterday as she was troddling along quite speedily with a wheeled-walker. We discussed the need to keep active and have a goal every day - a very sensible lady!

I reckon the road from Caldbeck into Carlisle must be Roman as it is very straight and quite wide, good for marching all those troops up from Londinium! I spent a fascinating afternoon at the Tullie Museum. There is a brand new exhibition called Roman Frontiers which was great and got me in the mood for Hadrian's Wall. The rest of the Museum is equally good - some bits about the railway, the history of Carlisle etc. Well worth another visit as there was so much to see - and the restaurant has yummy food!

From Bernie:
Today's walk  15.6 miles     :     Cumulative  760.8 miles

Remembered this stretch as being a bit dull from walking 'The Cumbria Way' a few years ago - nothing dull about today's walk... but that doesn't mean it was all good!

Caldbeck Village Green & Pond

Excellent start in Caldbeck & I was pleased to have the time to look around as on my previous visits I'd been rushing to catch buses; good finish in Carlisle, some 40 minutes ahead of schedule. The middle bit was rather less positive!

The pub at Bridge End had 9 or 10 drinks on draught including 2 ciders, 3 lagers, a European 'bier' & a handful of standard keg beers.... but they'd sold out of their only ale. No pork scratchings, no chilli nuts - the omens were not promising!

I'd seen a notice in the village telling me that White Bridge was closed because of 'doubts about the structural integrity of the bridge'! Why didn't they just tell me that it would collapse if I tried to cross it & I'd end up floundering in the River Caldew?!

Elected to follow the marked footpath on the eastern bank of the river thinking that would be the route followed by diverted 'Cumbria Way' walkers. Mistake!!! Back to thrashing about through waist-deep nettles, wading through mud & cutting a swathe through dense undergrowth for miles... & miles!
Occasionally I stumbled across a hidden footbridge or slid down buried steps... just to reassure me that  I really was on a footpath. No fun at all but certainly not dull!

Rose Castle - official residence of the Bishops of Carlisle

Highlight of the Day: thank goodness for Caldbeck! As part of my own personal industrial heritage trail I'd always wanted to visit the remains of the village's 'Bobbin' Mill, or Howk Mill, which did, indeed, manufacture bobbins! Sited in a limestone gorge at the edge of Caldbeck, it's a brilliant spot. Add to this the famous stained-glass windows in the church, the grave of John Peel of 'D'ye ken John Peel' fame, the Priest's Mill & St. Kentigern's Well.... superb start to the day!

Remains of Caldbeck's Bobbin Mill

Beer of the Day: didn't manage an ale until the end of the walk & opted for Yates' 'Solway Sunrise', brewed just down the road in Wigton. Golden, hoppy & with a slightly lemon zest; this was surprisingly refreshing - good!

Footnote: tried a bottle of 'Summer Lightning' yesterday evening - doesn't look as disreputable as the draught version but tastes equally fine. I do like this!

Windows in St. Kentigern's, Caldbeck

Song of the Day (an occasional series!): 'Teenage Kicks' by The Undertones - a cryptic one! Answers on a postcard.... or via the blog!

Carlisle Market Cross & Old Town Hall