It was a mild but cloudy day and heavy rain was forecast in the afternoon but 10 of us met at Bowlees to begin a 7-mile walk. We did do a 7-mile walk – but not the one that was expected. Read on to find out more!
We headed north from Bowlees up a steady incline through very pleasant open pinewoods and then over rough pasture with pleasant views of nearby becks in steep gullies as far as Wester Beck – and here the expected walk ended! Despite two recces to check the beck was crossable, today it was swollen with heavy rainfall from the night before and the risk of slips on the wet rocks was too great to attempt the crossing.
Fortunately the leader knew of another route in the area which could be approached from our current location and which she had walked recently, so, instead of continuing north and round by Coldberry Gutter, we headed west to Ashdub and did a circle around Scar End and the Ettersgill area, eventually descending to Dirt Pit and retuning to Bowlees on an easy track. En route we were privileged to see a flock of about 20 black grouse which took flight as we approached and later a hare bounded off ahead of us.
It was interesting finding our way backwards over a route which had previously been walked in the opposite direction – it’s quite different – and trying out a shortcut at one point, which was a very pleasant stretch through fields filled with lambs but had a stile in one corner which was completely broken down with hazardous wires, planks and rocks making it almost as risky as the river crossing would have been!!
But we all arrived back safe and sound and relaxed over a cuppa in the excellent café in Bowlees Visitor Centre.
Thanks to Ian Royston for the photo showing us on the last downhill track to the cafe