Tuesday 17 April 2012

Starting to Explore Cold Fell

It has been another nearly sunny day with what seems like icy cold winds.  I think HK is getting restless. We have been out twice today.  He also says he is itching to get out fishing again (hurray!).  This morning we went to the Co-op in Egremont for the usual bread and milk.  After lunch, HK suggested a trip to the tat shop in Cleator Moor.  On the way out of the house, Dad suggested going to Ehen Beck, just past Wath Brow.  We went to have a look, it was too cold to be playing out, more is the pity, we will be going back there.  I didn't take my camera for two reasons, one it needs charging and the other, I didn't think there was need to.  Wrong.

Ehen Beck is a place where I could go paddling, all places that I could go paddling warrant investigation.  I decided (being the driver) that we should continue on the road and see where it led to rather than turning around and going back the usual tried and trusted way.  It transpires that the road we took, known locally as The Cold Fell Calder Bridge Road, is used heavily by Sellafield workers coming from Cockermouth.  It is also mentioned in Alfred Wainwrights 'Outlying Fells' book.

When on top of Cold Fell, you can see a great deal of coast line and Sellafield Nuclear Plant.  We also drove past a stone cirle on top of Scarney Brow near Blakely Rise.  The circle is small, but impressive and can be seen a few yards from the road.  The circle is re-constructed, as can be seen that the feet of thte stones are set in concrete.  The circle has eleven stones set in a perfect circle with a diameter of 18 metres.  The tallest stone is 1.15 m.  The circle is known as Blakely Rise (Kinniside) Stone Circle.

We came to a junction, straight on was Calder Bridge and Gosforth, to the right was Haile and Egremont.  We went straight ahead.  If we had parked at the junction, and walked half a mile, we would have come to Monks Bridge.  It is the oldest packhorse bridge in Cumbria.  It crosses Friars Gill, where it passes a narrow deep chasm.  It was built and well used by the Monks of Calder Abbey.  The bridge is also known as Matty Benn's Bridge.  Apparantly Matty Benn was blind and her husband built the bridge.  Matty would sit on the edge of it, often knitting, awaiting his return from hunting, regularly with John Peel.  The monks built up the side of the bridge for Matty's comfort with the stone left from the monastry. It was named Matty Benn's bridge, with her name being Martha, but known as Matty.  I want to sit on this bridge, knitting, in the memory of Matty - and have my photo taken!

We can see Cold Fell from our front room window.  Indeed if it were light outside now, I could say I can see it as I write.  Another visit soon, with Camera!!!  Yes I am kicking myself.

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