With coronavirus apparently disrupting socialising for the foreseeable future we decided that perhaps we'd better set up a project to keep us occupied &, what better than an old favourite?!
Land's End to John o' Groats but this time starting in the middle from our home in Ipstones & spreading out... just like a virus!
Les wants to walk it this time so, once we're beyond a reasonable day's drive away, the walk will be circulars... we're not using public transport! My knees & our bodies are a bit older than last time so no 25-30 mile hikes this time! Round about 10 miles is a comfortable maximum so if we progress in 5 mile steps the project could take some time!
CoastwalkerUnplugged, LesfromIppy, KirstieTG & Jamie's Eeyore... underway!
Setting off from home with daughter, Kirstie. Our Technical Manager last time around but currently socially distanced! No doubt she'll join us for more of the wanders!
Not sure what I'd done wrong... I'd only just left the house! Probably a warning as to my future conduct!
A fine, dry, pleasant morning as we headed out of Ipstones along one of the many footpaths. Local horses came to wish us 'Farewell' as we made our way along Clark's Bank - little did they know we'd be back by the afternoon!
Cauldon Low Quarry
Busy producing limestone for almost 250 years! This was originally shipped down tramways to Froghall & the Caldon Canal... we spent many days of lockdown wandering up & down these!
Blue Circle, LaFarge, Tarmac - the name keeps changing but the concrete production continues & the lorries still rumble down through Ipstones & Waterhouses!
Once out of the village we took to the road along Ipstones Edge & The Casey reaching Windywaycross before dropping down to Caldon village.
This early Christian standing-stone is believed to be about 1200 years old though it is unclear as to whether this was its original position. It may once have been a waymarker or part of a cross, given other nearby local names.
Well, here was a pleasant surprise!
We've lived in Ipstones for 7 years but this was the first time I'd walked past 'The Yew Tree' in Caldon when it's been open!
New project... first day... 'new' pub!
Even managed to pick up a geocache outside the pub... a DNF from 2013 when I was just a beginner!
A totally 'outdoor' pub which suited us fine though, sadly, the only cider they had was 'Old Rosie'... not a good idea if you're going to be driving any time soon!
Water-drinking fountain in Caldon which I've passed on many occasions without noticing the wonderful inscription!
The date is 1878 & the initials are CB but research on these drew a blank. The quote, however, is from Psalm 65:
The river of God is full of water: thou preparest their corn, for so thou providest for the earth.
Thou waterest her furrows, thou sendest rain into the little valleys thereof: thou makest it soft with the drops of rain, and blessest the increase of it.
Thou crownest the year with thy goodness: and thy clouds drop fatness.
They shall drop upon the dwellings of the wilderness: and the little hills shall rejoice on every side.
The folds shall be full of sheep: the valleys also shall stand so thick with corn, that they shall laugh and sing.
Living in Ipstones we know all about clouds but we have another word for the 'fatness'!
And so to the end of today's jaunt at what used to be Waterhouses station &, once, an important railway junction. When we first moved here this building housed a bicycle-hire business for visitors to the former narrow-gauge Manifold Way... but that's now moved over the road. Much more about these railways next time....
Today's Distance : 7.34 miles 11.81 kilometres
Direction of Travel : Mostly East!
Progress : Strangely, we appear to be 4 miles further away from Land's End but only 3 miles closer to John o'Groats! (Measured by road)
Excellent first walk! How's the planning for the next stage going?
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