Snail Tales

The fog still clung to us as we left Bashall Barn for an exploration of the Forest of Bowland so i was not expecting to see much of its famed scenery  but was rewarded as we topped the hill by finding the far side clear. We drove to Dunsop Bridge, which also claims to be the geographical centre of Great Britain. As already alluded to it is not the only place to make such claims and I personally prefer the one made by Haltwhistle, near to one of our recent stops in Northumberland.

Being a Sunday, the car park was about full but we managed to squeeze Vincent into a back corner and take Nell for a walk before we set off again for Ingleton, where we were booked into a CL just out of the village, at Stackstead Farm.

Stacksteads is a bit of a delight, in a very neat rural location.  The CL site looks as though it was formerly the farmhouse garden as it lies directly outside the kitchen door, where I might add a very warm welcome was given. The field of permanent or seasonal caravans took us by surprise and the Bunk Barn was also previously unknown to us but we did have foreknowledge of the Leisure Centre. Yes, a pool with gym, spa and sauna! There is a drying room too. All the facilities are in beautifully restored former stone-built farm outbuildings. The toilet block is dated but serviceable, though not warm. Showers are 50p a go for electric tricklers – with a request not to occupy for more than ten minutes (only one shower for each gender.)

Just £13 a night, with EHU. Recommended.

We will return sometime, and stay a few nights so that we can go up Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent

The following day’s forecast was quite firm about forthcoming ice and snow and so we committed to heading back to Kippford with just one more stop at Hawes.

We set off for Hawes via Ribblehead, where we stopped to brew up after a quick dog walk up to the viaduct.

Our destination for the night was a CL just outside the hamlet of Gayle, itself on the edge of Hawes. In fact it was little more than ten minute’s walk from the camp site to the Hawes Creamery, where we stocked up on Wensleydale cheese.

Probably the quaintest CL we have discovered so far but another site where the facilities were less than appealing. In fact a little updating and TLC all round would not go amiss especially as this site is not cheap at £17, especially when compared to last night’s £13 stay at Stackstead Farm.

It was however very peaceful and handy for Hawes. We had the company of one caravan overnight,

On Tuesday morning we turned towards Scotland. The journey from Hawes to the M6 is a treasury of delights. There were many points where I might have wished to leap out of the van with camera and tripod in hand, not least at Pendragon Castle. Ah well, perhaps some other time.

We occupied our time in drawing up outline plans for further trips, which we think we may confine now to short local jaunts until such time as we return to Orkney, though I am not ruling out another trip down to Pocklington in the Spring. We are thinking we are more likely to go out into the Galloway Forest for a couple of nights at a time rather than go wandering for two or three weeks at a time. There will of course be a long slow trip from here and up to the Pentland Firth when the time comes.

Our lunch stop was at Westmoreland Services Tebay (N) site, where we had a delicious hot steak and mushroom pie and bought goodies including wild rabbit, for that long-awaited rabbit stew. From there we came straight back to Kippford, stopping only for fuel.