Recent Activities
This month's hill walk was to Smardale in the Eden
Valley where nine walkers started off with a steady climb on a clear autumn
day. As we reached the tops we battled some strong and cool winds until we
were able to drop down to an old packhorse bridge to find a sheltered spot
for our morning break. The bridge crossed Scandal Beck and once provided
access for drovers using the old county road. From this road we caught our
first glimpse of the distant Smardalegill viaduct which we would cross later
in the day. Also visible were some mysterious ground indentations known as
the Giants' Graves or Pillow Mounds. From the packhorse bridge the path was
easy going over pastures until we reached our lunch stop at the Lune café.
This was a very pleasant venue and the food received good reviews from
everyone. For the return journey we soon found the disused railway line
which we would follow back to the car park. This was once part of the line
from Barnard Castle to Tebay, crossing the Pennines to reach the highest
point of any railway in England. It was built to carry coke from the Durham
coalfields to the iron furnaces at Barrow-in-Furness. We passed several
decaying remnants of those days - the signal box, workers' cottage, lime
kilns and quarries before reaching the grand and dramatic Smardalegill
viaduct. Built in 1861, it was the greatest engineering challenge on this
line using stone quarried near by. It remained in use for just over 100
years before the line closed in 1962. It is now maintained only for walkers
and provides a great point of interest on this section of a National Nature
Reserve. The car park was only a mile or so further on through woodlands
with the trees just beginning to show their autumn colours. This was a
pleasant conclusion to this interesting and varied walk with only one stile
to keep the hillwalkers in shape for future challenges. A good choice,
Peter. Jim
|
Contact
Peter H on 469958 or
peter.hay1@ntlworld.com |
