It’s time for brunch, and a glorious brunch it was too.
Graham’s Guidelines
* Rating (1 to 5)
Coffee
4*
Food
5*
Conversation
5*
People Watching
3*
It’s Saturday morning and we are looking forward to spending most of our day as guests at a wedding. The timing of weddings makes for interesting eating. It’s called a wedding breakfast but that’s happening later in the day and it’s traditional that the wedding itself happens at about the time you would normally be eating your lunch. Experience has taught us that the best way to prepare for a wedding is to have a good breakfast, or brunch, which will see you through to the wedding reception.
Our chosen location is not new to us, we’ve been on many occasions. I suspect that Sue and I have had a similar brunch on a similar occasion, Sue might even remember the exact day and occasion but my memory doesn’t work that way.
If the truth be told, we’ve visited often enough that we know the menu and our order is set before we’ve walked in the door. That doesn’t stop us both reading the menu thinking that we might do something different. We don’t, we know what we like. It’s poached eggs on granary toast with bacon or sausage and topped off with mushrooms. To drink we will both have some orange juice and a black americano. The coffee is Carvetii which is roasted in Threlkeld, not too far from where Sue spent her early years. It’s a full body roast which is well prepared in the No. 15 espresso machine.
No. 15 Cafe House is a cosy place hidden away from Penwortham high street on the quieter side of Priory Lane adjacent to, and connected with, Macmillans gift shop.
The display of cakes is always a delight, but they aren’t on the order for today.
There’s normally parking available on the street outside, but even if there isn’t there’s plenty of on-street parking around.
It’s advisable to book, we didn’t, but there were only the two of us.
We settle down and talk through the people we think are going to be at the wedding. Weddings are great occasions for reconnecting. We’ve known many of the people who will be there a very long time.
It was quiet on this particular visit which meant that the people watching was somewhat restricted. Everyone quietly getting on with their Saturday morning. The most notable thing was a man who had the full breakfast, which is substantial, buying some of the rather large scones, on his way out, stating that he would be eating them for his mid-morning snack. I was impressed by his ability to eat anything mid-morning after such a feast.
The food is, as ever, excellent, the staff are warm and friends, and the coffee is good.
Food eaten, I decide to indulge in a second cup of the Corvetii while Sue does a tour of the gifts having previously reminded herself of the upcoming events requiring a card, gift, etc.. If it was left to me we wouldn’t send anything like as many cards even though I know how much people value the connection that they bring.
Coffee drunk it’s time for the rest of a very special day knowing that we’ve taken on the calories we need to see us through to breakfast.
Atkinsons is a highly regarded, award winning, coffee roaster in Lancaster, also known as coffeehopper on social media due to their logo. They operate three cafes within quite a small area of the city. On this occasion we are visiting Atkinsons at Lancaster Castle, we’ll cover The Hall and The Music Room another time. There shop, near to The Hall, is itself a wonder to behold.
Each of the Atkinsons cafes in Lancaster serves the same great coffee, but has a different feel. Atkinsons The Castle is, as the name suggests, within the grounds of Lancaster Castle which has stood on these ground for nearly 1,000 years dating back to the Normans and probably before. Prior to its most recent refurbishment the castle was, until 2011, a prison. One quirk of this history is that Lancaster Castle is still owned by the Duchy of Lancaster and hence by the Sovereign (the King).
As you enter the castle square through the imposing keep you can feel the history everywhere. The Castle Cafe is in an opposing corner to the castle keep to the right. The cafe sits in what was a portion of the castle kitchen and a newly covered area with glass doors opening out into the square. The seating is within the new area with additional seating outside in the square. If the weather is good you should expect to loiter for a while to get an outside seat. The whole place looks particularly atmospheric on a dark winter’s day.
On this occasion we are making a quick visit for coffee and cake. We are rewarding ourselves having just been to give blood at the local hospital.
This isn’t a place to visit for a huge lunch, or even brunch, the food menu is limited to cakes, pastries and sandwiches, which are always excellent.
Today we are sticking to the house Americano based on their Archetype blend, but this wouldn’t be Atkinsons if there weren’t choices for the coffee connoisseur and here at the castle they are offered as speciality pour-over brews. The menu of pour-over changing on regular basis depending on what is in season.
They also do speciality teas at the castle, but I’ve never tried one so couldn’t comment. If I’m coming to the castle I’m here for the coffee.
Each of the Atkinsons cafes attracts an eclectic mix of people making for excellent people watching – the flirty couple on the high table, the family outside over-reacting to a solitary wasp, the two ladies in dry-robes on a glorious warm and dry day in the middle of a city, the arty student in the corner typing away on his MacBook wearing expensive beige coloured over-the-ear headphones, the older gentleman sat outside in his summer hat.
You do have to be able to walk up a short steep hill on cables to get to the castle whichever way you come.
We normally park just down the hill from the entrance on Castle Hill, accessed via Market Street, where there are a few roadside pay-and-display/RingGo spaces.
Atkinsons The Castle Castle Hill, Lancaster LA1 1YN
The Lingholm Kitchen and Walled Garden sits near to the shore of Derwentwater just outside Portinscale which itself is just outside Keswick. It’s location sites it just off the circular walking route of the lake and not far below Cat Bells making it an ideal start, finish and stop-off point on several walks.
On this occasion we were meeting some good friends who were just finishing off a week’s holiday in Keswick. After warm hugs I was greeted by the words “‘You’ll struggle to get lost’ you said” as one of our friends lifted up her arm showing a graze on her elbow. It felt strange having my words repeated back to me. While in the area our friends had decided to follow my Tarn Hows Circular via Tom Gill guide, a confusion at the beginning had led them along a completely different path to the one I’d intended them to follow. It turns out that their route was a lot steeper than the one I’d guided and some water on a rock had resulted in a fall and the displayed wound. I’ve always regarded the beginning of any walk as the most dangerous part for navigation, get it wrong then and you are always going to be wrong.
We laughed a lot during our time together and it was wonderful to catch up.
There’s a good car park at Lingholm which you do pay for. The parking fee is currently £5 for 3 hours and has been for a long while, but you will get £4 of this back when you pay in the cafe. The car park is a short walk from the cafe itself, but there is also accessible parking which is accessed via some electric gates for which you need a code. The code is obtained by calling the cafe.
You access the car park from a driveway that is well signposted from the Portinscale to Grange road which winds around the ‘back of the lake.’ I’ve always known it as that as that’s what the Keswick locals call the area on the other side of Derwentwater. The car park is near to the end of the driveway with additional room running alongside the driveway itself.
Further along from the car park is an entrance through an archway which takes you into the grounds of the Lingholm Estate. Follow the path along the stream, around the field where there are often Alpaca, past the entrance to the walled garden and up onto the veranda entrance to the cafe.
Take time to look around as you walk though, this place has an interesting history. The large house behind the cafe was a regular holiday rental for the Potter family. From the age of 19, Beatrix Potter spent 10 summers here, over a 20 year period. These are the days when a summer holiday lasted a couple of months and the house had to be big enough for servants. Some of Beatrix’s most popular stories were inspired by these grounds. The drawings of Owl Islands in The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin were based on St Herbert’s Islands on Derwentwater which is just across from the shoreline. The cottage gardens at Lingholm was one of the inspirations behind Mr McGregor’s garden in Peter Rabbit.
It’s worth wandering around the walled garden and imagining being here at the end of the nineteenth, start of the twentieth century, before either world war.
The cafe itself is constructed with a glass wall down one side giving views of the Skiddaw range of hills and making them some of the best cafe views in the Lake District.
Lingholm Kitchen is another cafe that serves Carvetii, which is roasted just the other side of Keswick in Threlkeld, they know how to make a good coffee. The cakes are always good with the scones being a particular favourite. Sue and I have been known to order a cheese scone and a fruit scone then split them half-and-half. We’ve regularly used Lingholm as a lunch stop, there’s always something interesting on the specials board with the soup being a regular choice there’s also much that we like on the regular menu.
I’m a few cafe guides in now and I’ve realised that I need to do a better job of taking pictures that show the places themselves. Apologies if the few in this one don’t really give you a good view of what type of place it is. I do have lots of pictures of shelves of cakes, but that’s not very helpful if they have different cakes on when you go. Why do I have lots of pictures of cakes? It’s the easiest way of explaining to people what the options are without each one of us going to the counter to see. Did I mention that the scones are always a good choice?
The Lingholm Kitchen and Walled Garden The Lingholm Estate, Portinscale, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 5TZ
There are some cafes that are just right for a summers day with great outdoor seating and fabulous views, there are other cafes that are a cozy place to hide on a duller day. The Roberts and Co Roastery and Espresso Bar at the back of the Studios at Cedar Farm is lovely at any time but comes into its own when the weather is more inclement.
You may already know that I like places where they roast their own coffee, and as the name suggests the Espresso Bar is inside the Roastery. There’s an antique industrial feel as you sit amongst the roasting equipment. Behind the bar are old style coffee storage canisters that remind me of a shop I used to go into as a child. The chalk board above outlines the array of single-origin and blends that are available. The walls are decorated with old coffee bags from around the globe.
If you are looking for sleek modern straight lines and matching furniture this isn’t the place for you. The Espresso Bar is a quirky selection of sofas and chairs, some made out of shipping pallets, interspersed with similarly eclectic tables. There are shelves loaded with items that I’m quite confident were there when we first started coming which must be more than 20 years ago.
We are fortunate today, one of the voluminous sofas are free. We ask the people sat on the facing sofa whether they mind us joining them – they aren’t going to say “no”, and we know they aren’t going to say “no”, but it’s the British thing to ask.
We choose a muffin each and one of the South American single origin coffees, it’s normally Columbian. It comes in a cafeteria with enough for at least four people, we sometimes feel a bit guilty at the amount we leave.
If you want something more substantial than a cake or some crisps then I recommend that you head out of the Roastery, down the corridor and into The Barn which is the adjoining building. Here you will find a wide selection of food options including another outlet for Roberts.
When the children were younger Cedar Farm was a place we would come on a wet Sunday afternoon to catch up with each other’s lives. These days it’s more often a trip with just the two of us, but the purpose is the same – we regularly have the diaries out or sit and complete a crossword together. There’s often a recent newspaper left by someone who no longer has a use for it.
There’s always an interesting group of people in the Roastery, on this occasion it was a mum, dad and two daughters discussing the challenges of student accommodation.
Having relished our coffee and savoured our muffin we head over to the counter to order some beans to take home with us, it’s normally the Napoli Blend and some Dark Decaf.
Tarn Hows is a popular destination. If you want a walk where you don’t see anyone, this is not the place. This popularity isn’t anything new, Charabanc would travel up from Ambleside and Windermere in the 1890s. That said, I’ve never known the tarn to be over-run with people; there’s plenty of space to spread out and there’s probably less public transport now than there was in the days of the charabanc.
The walk starts from the Glen Mary Bridge car park, a name that was given to the local area by John Ruskin who thought that the name Tom Gill wasn’t picturesque enough. It is a picturesque. It’s a National Trust car park making it free for members. Much of the land around here is owned and operated by the National Trust including the tarn itself, I’ll talk a bit more about that later.
(It’s worth noting here that a “gill” is a local Cumbrian name for a valley with a stream in it, with Scandinavian roots. A “glen” is a Scottish name for the same thing.)
If Glen Mary car park is full, which it can do, there are a few other parking spaces just off the main road alongside Yew Tree Tarn from where you can also begin this dainty walk.
This is a walk of two halves. The first part takes you rambling up through an ancient wood alongside a cascading stream, it’s not hard but it is uneven in places. The second part is around the tarn which is more like a promenade than a ramble. The main path around the tarn is flat, wide and well paved.
From the car park there’s a footbridge across the stream which is your guide to the tarn. There aren’t any decisions to make on this route, you follow the well worn path on the ground which follows the general route of the stream. There are several delightful waterfalls on your way up the hill, some you explore via short detours.
Part way up the hill, through a small gate, the cutting narrows significantly, the walking gets a bit more tricky, you’ll struggle to get lost though.
The stream takes you to the tarn where it flows out via a small dam. There used to be three small tarns in this area, the dam raised the water level to join them together into the larger expanse of water we see today. Much of what people assume is natural in the Lake District has been tinkered with by humans.
The tarn is banded by a circular route which brings you back to the dam. On your way around there are several places to drift off the main path to see something of interest, or get a better view. This is a great place to let children explore, there are still plenty of trees to climb even though the area has been heavily impacted by storms over recent years.
The promenade is very picturesque with photo opportunities around many of the corners.
It’s traditional for us to go clockwise around the tarn, so we head left, but could just as easily head right. The end of the tarn is marked by a bridge which is accompanied by a seat with glorious views along the full length of the tarn.
Having promenaded down one side it’s time to do the same along the other.
At the other end of the tarn there’s another car park operated by the National Trust, you could use this as a start to the walk, but where’s the fun in that. There are some toilets at the car park, if you are fortunate there will also be an ice-cream van.
From the ice-cream van head back down to the dam and onto the path back to Glen Mary Bridge.
On the other side of the road from Glen Mary Bridge is Yew Tree Farm which is notable for several reasons. The farm is part of an estate of land known as Monk Coniston which stretches all the way down to the shores of Coniston, and included Tarn Hows. When this land was put up for sale in 1930 a local couple Mr and Mrs Heelis, him a solicitor, her an author and illustrator who is better known as Beatrix Potter, purchased it. They were determined that the estate shouldn’t be broken up or developed. The National Trust wasn’t the large organisation it is today and weren’t in a position to buy the land. Beatrix later donated the land to the National Trust, but with a stipulation, the local Herdwick sheep were to continue on the land, each farm being allocated a minimum headcount.
The Herdwick allocation probably saved the breed from extinction in this area of the Lake District, but it hasn’t always been easy, the wool is course and they develop slowly so you can’t use the lamb meat. In recent years, however, the farmers at Yew Tree farm have found a way of making the Herdwick profitable and now have over 1,000. Sue and I recently spent a wonderful day at the farm on a Herdwick Experience where they tell you about the history of the sheep, about the resulting hogget which is used in several Michelin Starred restaurants in the area and can be purchased from the farm. They also, as part of the experience, take you to meet a group of the sheep who like to be petted. You sit in a field and they join you, sitting alongside you as you scratch their backs.
(A lamb is a sheep that is less than a year old, a hogget is a step between one and two years.)
Oh, yes, also, Yew Tree Farm is one of the main locations for the ‘Miss Potter’ film with Rene Zellwigger and Ewan McGregor.
What about variations?
There aren’t many options for variant walks through the woods along the stream, you can sometimes venture closer to the stream, but that’s about it.
Once you get to Tarn Hows there are a few more options to add in extra distance and difficulty. Near the beginning you can head off to Tom Heights from which there are good views of the surrounding hills (it’s been a few years since I’ve been up there so I’m hoping the views are still there). You can join the Tom Heights path on to the walk up to Black Fell. Black Fell is one of the smaller, and easier, Wainwrights, so you can get an easy tick.
Another route up to Black Fell is from a stile at the end of the Tarn via the Iron Keld Plantation. The path to Iron Keld Plantation can also be used to access a route that circles the tarn from higher up. The higher route gives better views of the surrounding hills and is less well travelled.
From the car park at Tarn Hows there’s a different route back to Glen Mary Bridge, I’ve never walked it so can’t comment.
Glen MaryTom Gill WaterfallTarn HowsTarn Hows near to the car parkYew Tree FarmOne of the friendly Herdwicks
We start this walk from the Pelter Bridge Car Park at the southern/easterly end of Rydal Water near to the village. Pelter Bridge is one of the Lake Districts smaller places to leave your vehicle and can often be full. As an alternative I’ve included instructions when starting from either White Moss Carp Park or Rydal Water Car Park. These car parks are bigger but can also get full.
My walking guides tend not to take you step-by-step through your journey, I prefer to give you an outline of where to go, then make the mapping information available. If you just have the words below I can’t guarantee that I haven’t missed something important.
The first part of this walk takes us along the former quarry tracks up to Rydal Cave. Simply head up the road that you’ve just driven on to get to the car park and carry on once you get to the gate at the end. Just after the gate you’ll get your first view across Rydal Water (the header image). You may, at this point, start to feel something poetic building inside you, if you do you wouldn’t be the first. The village of Rydal was the favourite home of the acclaimed poet William Wordsworth, his family, and his sister Dorothy, who deserves far more acclaim than she receives.
Dorothy Wordsworth’s Journals, many written in Rydal and Grasmere, are wonderfully poetic:
After tea we rowed down to Loughrigg Fell, visited the white foxglove, gathered wild strawberries, and walked up to view Rydale. We lay a long time looking at the lake; the shores all dim with the scorching sun. The ferns were turning yellow, that is, here and there one was quite turned. We walked round by Benson’s wood home. The lake was now most still, and reflected the beautiful yellow and blue and purple and grey colours of the sky.
Dorothy Wordsworth
(I don’t know when Rydale became Rydal, other than to note it was at some point after the early 1800s which is when Dorothy was writing.)
You’ll see from this vantage point that there is a path running alongside the lake, we are coming back that way, for now we are going to head up to Rydal Caves keeping left on the higher path.
There is one very famous cave directly on this route which you can go into with ease, but before that there are a few smaller caves which are more challenging to get into. One of the smaller caves used to have a drum kit inside it which sounded amazing. It’s been a while since I’ve been in that cave, as it now requires a rope to get in, so can’t confirm whether the drum kit is still there.
These caves are the result of slate mining and as you work your way along this lane and into the vast cathedral space it is worth remembering that this was a place of noisy, dusty, dangerous toil.
The Lake District is littered with various mines and quarries, the area wouldn’t be the same without them. This is a land shaped by people.
Having stepped inside the large cave and taken in the view and the acoustics, it’s time to carry on along the side of Rydal Water towards Grasmere. I love the views of Nab Scar towering over the diminutive Rydal Water from this elevated position.
As you near the end of Rydal Water there is a fork in the path where you should continue to take the higher option. This path will take you around the corner onto Loughrigg Terrace with elevated views across Grasmere including Helm Crag (also known as the Lion and the Lamb) and Dunmail Riase (remembering the last king of Cumbria who is reportedly buried below the cairn near to the top).
Carry on along Loughrigg Terrace to the end and into the woods. You need to go through one gate at the end of the path and then a slight right through another gate into Red Bank Wood. This is a gentle walk through established trees marking the seasons by their attire.
Eventually you’ll reach a cottage next to the road between Grasmere and Loughrigg Tarn. At the entrance to the driveway for the cottage there is a path to the right which cuts back through the woods heading downhill and on to the lakeside path below Loughrigg Terrace. The beach here is a great place for a swim but can get a bit crowded.
On leaving the beach you’ll come to a wooden footbridge across the stream. You have a choice here, the route I’ve provided takes you along the southern edge of the stream this path can be flooded when the river is high, but rarely. It can also be a bit uneven. If you prefer something a bit more even, you can cross the bridge take a right hand turn on the other side and follow the path along the other side of the river. Both paths meet at a metal bridge.
The metal bridge is where you’d join the route if you’ve parked at either White Moss or Rydal Water car parks.
From the metal bridge head through the woods up the hill until you reach a gate. Through the gate turn left and along the path by the wall. You should be able to see Rydal Water ahead of you. Walk along this path all the way to the other end of the lake. There are several places to swim along this part of the route, it’s also a great place to practice your skimming, there are plenty of flat stones available.
As you near the end of the lake you’ll notice the gate that you came through on your way to the cave higher up on your right. We are going to go through the lower gate. This route takes you through some more woods and along the river where you’ll get views of the boathouse which is a classic Lake District photo opportunity. Soon you’ll come to a footbridge, don’t go over the bridge but head right and up the hill through some woods and onto the car park road. You’ll reach the car park road via a small gate; the car park is down the hill to your left.
There are several variations to this walk:
As hinted a couple of times you can start this route from White Moss Carp Park or Rydal Water Car Park. There are a few reasons why you may choose to do this, the first being parking. The second is access to a toilet which can be found in the woods between White Moss and Rydal Water car parks. The third reason being access to refreshments; there is normally a pop-up coffee van by the side of the stream near to the toilets.
You can extend the walk a bit near the end. Instead of turning right up onto the car park road you can turn left across the footbridge, from there you can cross the road into the village. In the village there are several places of interest.
Almost directly opposite the exit from the footbridge is Dora’s Field which is full of daffodils in the spring. The daffodils were planted as a memorial to one of the Wordsworth’s daughters who died aged 43 of tuberculosis. Dora’s Field has a gate into the church grounds, both the grounds and the church are lovely with even more Wordsworth associations. Up the hill from the church is Rydal Mount where the Wordsworth family lived for a while.
As you go up the hill, before Rydal Mount there is an entrance to the ground of Rydal Hall. The hall is a Christian retreat, but the grounds are open to the public where there are several walks and gardens to explore. Within the ground is one of the Lake District’s most photographed waterfalls with The Grot alongside it. The Grot is a great place to spend some time in quiet. Swimming is not permitted in the waterfall.
Within the grounds of Rydal Hall is the Old School Room Tea Shop which we’ve visited several times and always had great food, but haven’t visited for a while and hence it’s not currently included in Graham’s Cafes.
Another option on this walk is to follow the Coffin Trail along the other shore back to your car, I’m going to cover that route as a whole new guide.
The view across Rydal Water towards GrasmereInside the caveThe view from the start of Loughrigg Terrace towards Grasmere VillageThe view across Grasmere towards Dunmail RaiseA frozen Rydal Water towards Nab ScarThe Daffodils of Dora’s Field
I like to plan walks with a reward half-way around, in today’s walk that reward is the opportunity to swim in a beautiful tranquil tarn.
We start this walk in Skelwith Bridge. If you can, park on the Langdale road (B5343) near to the Skelwith Bridge Hotel. There’s also the option of using the car park another 0.4 mile further up the road or some spaces in the ground of the old slate-works. Don’t park in the hotel car park, or in the Chesters by the River car park.
This is one of those walks where to get a parking space you have to understand the rhythm of tourism in the Lake District. If you arrive on a sunny day in the middle of the morning through to the middle of the afternoon you aren’t likely to be able to park, especially if it’s a school holiday or a weekend. You may be fortunate, but you can’t rely upon it. Arrive earlier, or later, than that and you’ll have a much better chance of getting parked, these are also the times with the best light and hence the best views.
For us this is either an early morning walk with lunch back at Chesters by the River, or it’s an afternoon, into the evening, walk with a picnic tea.
We normally take our time on this walk, it’s a tramp, it’s not a route-march.
Opposite the Skelwith Bridge Hotel is a kissing gate with an easily identifiable path up the hill to another gate. Here the path is more narrow and uneven, it’s only for a short distance but is the reason I mark this route as Moderate. There’s something soothing about walking in the dappled light of a wood especially when the birds are singing.
Soon you’ll come out into the Neaum Crag holiday park where the route through is reasonably well marked. You are heading straight across, past the pool and up the hill which veers to the left. This is where, in the winter, this walk can get a bit icy.
At the top of the hill there’s another gate out into open countryside. Soon you’ll be rewarded with views of Loughrigg Fell and the Langdales in the distance followed shortly afterwards by views of the tarn. In the spring you’ll be greeted by Bluebells, in the summer by Bracken. The path traverses a bank, downwards towards the road past a quintessentially Lake District farm at Loughrigg Fold.
Once you’ve reached the road follow it to the left for a short distance before you arrive at a stile on the right. The path around the lake is quite clear here, across the field, through another gate, across another field right alongside the tarn.
If you are planning to swim there are numerous options here, some have shade, some in the open. The further round you go the better your view across the tarn and back towards the Langdales. These views are particularly magical at sunset. A favourite swimming spot for many is marked by a lone tree that bends out over the tarn.
In the spring and early summer, Cuckoos and Woodpecker can often be heard in the woods nearby. The Waterlillies are gorgeous in the summer and so is the cruely named Bogbean.
Fortunately, this place of beauty is remote enough to avoid being overcrowded. We’ve never been when it has resembled the more popular tourist locations just a few miles down the road. There are often a few other groups, but each of them respecting the tranquillity of the place.
Please note that you aren’t allowed to take craft or inflatables onto the tarn, this isn’t Bowness.
Once you’ve finished your swim, picnic, yoga, contemplations, or whether it is you do in such a place, continue on the path towards a small gate in the fence by the lane. Through the gate turn right. Take the lane around to the road, and then the road back to Loughrigg Fold. The road is generally quiet, but please remember, you are sharing the space with vehicles.
From Loughrigg Fold retrace your route up the lane, into Neaum Cragg Holiday Park and eventually back down to your vehicle.
There are some variations on this walk:
If you have parked in the car park below Neaum Crag, you can take a different path up and over to the tarn. This path brings you down to Loughrigg Fold from where the route is the same as above. Alternatively, you can cross the road and down onto the Elterwater path. If you take a left you can follow the river down towards the waterfalls at Skelwith Force and into the slate-works, from where you can join the path as described. The waterfalls are worth a visit at any time, but especially if the river is high.
If you just want do a circuit of the tarn without all the uphill and downhill bits there are a few car parking spaces just at the point beyond Loughrigg Fold where the path crosses the field. There are only a few and please park sensibly.
You could also extend your walk just a very small amount by incorporating a visit to Chesters by the River, a long time Lake District favourite.
You could massively extend the walk by adding in a trip to the top of Loughrigg Fell but that would make it a completely different walk with a different name.
Header Image: Loughrigg Tarn looking up toward Loughrigg Fell.
Most days I enjoy walking straight from my front door. There are plenty of options for a morning walk and getting in a car to go somewhere feels an unnecessary complication. Also, where I live, the main road can become a slow moving carpark making movement slow and frustrating – which is somewhat counter to the purpose of going for a walk.
There are some days, though, when I want to mix things up a bit and this little walk is a very short drive for a welcome change of scenery.
Brockholes is a local Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve situated in a former sand-pit. At one side it is enclosed by the River Ribble, along another side it’s the M6, around two other sides are wooded banks. Through the middle runs the Guild Wheel which also provides us with the pathway for the start of this walk.
Brockholes is worth a visit with its floating visitor village, play area, wildlife hides and country walks. It’s easily accessible off J31 of the M6. The only charge is to park and as this walk start by parking elsewhere that doesn’t apply. Because of that I would encourage you to think about how you might contribute financially to the nature reserve.
(Note: There is also a Brockhole (without the ‘s’) between Windermere and Ambleside, don’t get the two confused.)
My walk starts at Preston Crematorium which is accessed via a long tree-lined drive off Longridge Road. Part way along the drive is a small carpark on outward side of the road, followed by another small carpark on the inward side. Park in the outward side carpark if you can, the path runs alongside.
Note: The driveway to the crematorium has gates and they are closed in an evening. There are different opening times for Winter and Summer. Please make sure that you check that you will be able to get your car out at the end of your walk. There is always a notice at the gate and one at the start of the path, the opening times are also on the web site.
At the start of the path, we are on the Guild Wheel which is nicely tarmacked for cyclists and pedestrians alike. This is a shared path, and you should expect to see cyclists.
There is some historical interest in this area. The walk starts in the grounds of the former Red Scar House, home of one William Cross who also helped to model Winckley Square in Preston. The house is long gone, having been demolished in 1939, but you can still see the basic outline of the grounds in the trees that remain. The adjacent industrial estate, for which the house was demolished, then became Courtaulds Red Scar Works one of the largest producers of rayon in Britain and employing 4,000 people. The Courtaulds days came to an end in 1979, but local people still refer to as by that name.
From the carpark, I follow the Guild Wheel through the woods, across some more open land towards Red Scar Woods. It’s springtime and the trees are in full leaf, but I can still catch glimpses of the River Ribble, and the Ribble Valley views beyond.
The tarmacked section eventually runs out just about where there’s a fork in the path. I take the path to the left alongside the woods and then, eventually, into the woods and down the hill. The hill is moderately steep and can be slippery.
At the bottom of the hill, I take a path off to the left towards the river. The river is tidal at this point and different every time. Depending on the time of year this is a great place to see kingfisher, sand-martins and various other waterfowl. On this occasion it’s too early for the sand-martin and no blue flash of a kingfishers either. I’m still hoping to see an otter.
There’s something therapeutic about walking alongside water, it’s flowing gently today. The river can flood here and needs to be treated with respect.
You can walk alongside the river all the way into Preston, but I only go as far as the entrance to the nature reserve, continuing to the right alongside the M6.
One evening I stood for several minutes watching a barn owl hunting in this section. They are magical to watch, silently, effortlessly flapping and gliding then suddenly dropping like a stone. I take a short diversion to sit in one of the hides overlooking the ponds, the ponds are a great place to watch Starling murmuration. The starlings don’t always nest in the same place, so you do need to track them down.
I steadily work my way back to the bottom of the hill, then it’s back to the top and along the woods to the car. In the early spring the wooded bank that I came down and need to climb are adorned with bluebells, this wood is also a wonderful place to see the local deer.
There are a few variations to this walk:
The route outlined skirts around the edge of the reserve, if you want to see the visitor village where there are toilets and a cafe, there are several places where you can branch off.
If you do branch off to the visitor village there are several other hides to explore. One of the hides is regularly visited by a local Kestrel, known as Kevin, who is happy to show off their hunting prowess.
At the start of the walk there are several options to walk through the woods before you go down the banking. Some of these are more arduous than others but will give you better views of the panorama when the leaves are on the trees.
You can also drive into the nature reserve, park up, and explore from there. This is an especially useful option if you are looking for a walk without a hill.
Header Image: The view across the Ribble on a misty morning.
Here in the UK we like a seaside promenade on a sunny day, taking in the blue skies and sea.
However, the British weather is never guaranteed, which means we are conditioned to be just as happy walking along a windy promenade on a cloudy day with the white capped waves careering into the sands. It was precisely these conditions that greeted me as I parked in the promenade car park at Rossall Beach on a recent Sunday afternoon.
There are several places to walk along the Fylde coast each with their own charms. The charm of Rossall Beach is that it’s a quiet sandy beach where you get great views across to Morecambe Bay to the Lake District and even as far as the Isle of Man. If you want fish-and-chip shops, ice-cream parlours and amusement arcades you need to be a few miles further south. Rossall Beach is more rural, although also, almost suburban.
From the Rossall Beach promenade car park I head north along the beach taking in the changing skies and relishing in the occasional burst of sunshine sparkling off the Irish Sea. I’m conscious that the wind is on my back and that, at some point, I am going to need to turn around and walk directly into it. The tide is on its way out and there’s ample firm sand to walk on. It’s a shorts and jumpers day.
I’ve set myself the target of getting to the Rossall Point Observation Tower, to give it it’s Sunday name, about 2.5 miles (about 4 km) away. This rather strange structure has various uses including a public observatory. There are also public toilets here.
Part way along I pass Rossall School a place of education since 1844. The buildings are from a different time to everything that surrounds them making it look strangely out of place even though it was here first.
The weather continues to change as I enjoy the scenery, there are a few other people around, but this isn’t a day where the beach is full. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the beach flooded with people here, that’s part of the joy of the place it’s easy to get to but it also feels isolated.
Having reached the tower it’s time to head back facing into the strengthening wind. It looks like the weather may turn to rain so I choose the promenade for my return. There has been lots of work on the sea defenses in recent years including the integration of paths, boulder groins, various seating options and art installations. There’s also areas set aside for nature on the onshore side of the defences forming the Larkholme Grasslands. I particularly like the Sea Swallow sculptures forming part of the Mythic Coast project.
This is a great place for a sunset, not that there is going to be one on this particular day the cloud is thickening fast.
I’m passed by various joggers and cyclists many of whom have the look of people rapidly heading for a safe haven. One young man passes me in short-shorts and a vest top, muscles pumped. He’s in fully Rocky mode punching away at some invisible opponent. He stops not far in-front of me and proceeds to go through a routine of upper-cuts, hooks and jabs, then continues his run. He’s carrying a portable speaker that’s proving musical accompaniment.
Having returned to the car park I look at the houses with views of the sea, that also overlooking the expanse of cars. There are always at least one of them for sale and it’s become obligatory to look them up on Rightmove. Views of the Irish Sea come at a premium.
There are a few variations you can make to this walk.
At the far end of the walk you can choose to walk a bit further and take in the events at the boating lake.
Part way back from the observation tower, you can choose to head inland and make your way via the Larkholme Grasslands. This can make for a less windy return.
You can, also, make the walk to the Observation Tower much shorter by starting at the Rossall Point car park heading south.
Header Image: This is the view of the observation tower from the beach.
Yay, at last, a good local independent coffee shop.
Graham’s Guidelines
* Rating (1 to 5)
Coffee
5*
Food
4* (see note)
Conversation
5*
People Watching
3*
Some months ago we were delighted to hear that one of our favourites – Three Sisters in Penwortham – were in the process of opening a second outlet within easy reach of our house.
There are several coffee shops a short distance from our house, but they are all corporate ones – 3xC and 1xSB. I don’t like the SB coffee roast, never have. The C coffee roast is OK, but it’s only OK. I can’t recall the last time I went to the SB, even though I pass it on my morning walk regularly. I reluctantly visit one of the Cs every couple of weeks.
I prefer an independent coffee shop, one that understands coffee, if they roast their own that’s even better.
Three Sisters in Penwortham is only 6 miles away, however, it is on the other side of Preston, making 6 miles a journey of more than 20 minutes drive. In the preceding sentence “more than” is a very important phrase, Preston is not designed for people who want to go from one side to the other, at any point and without warning “more than” can be “double” or even, when the M6 is closed “triple”. To put it more succinctly – getting to Penwortham is regularly a faff.
This last weekend it was the glorious open day for Three Sisters Coffee Shop and Kitchen in Fulwood.
Sue and I went on Saturday morning, and I went again on Monday morning.
The coffee was wonderful; there own roast. The cakes selection fabulous; the carrot cake lovely. The custom steady.
As you can see from the pictures they’ve created a great space to sit and relax, and also work. As well as the room in the pictures, there’s also a more enclosed quieter room further back. While I was there on Monday morning it wasn’t so busy that I felt the need to retreat into the back, but it’s nice to know the option is there.
There are several small businesses in the area and some came in while I was there, all of them enthusiastic about the new option available to them. Hopefully this results in even more custom for them.
They are doing a progressive opening, with drinks and cakes for now – lunch options and their famous cinnamon swirls on a Saturday will follow at a later date.
I really want this place to succeed. The lack of a decent coffee shop in the area has been something that has irked for quite a while. I will be back, C will see even less of me now.
Following our trip on Saturday a neighbour visited on Sunday and simply text “10/10 🥰”.
Well, here we are with my very first Graham’s Guides.
If you are expecting pictures of food, sorry, I don’t do pictures of food. Go to the web site you’ll see plenty.
If you are expecting technical details about the food, again, sorry, these posts are really about my feelings about a place. You’ll have your own feelings.
Also, I don’t do comments about “value for money”, it’s such a subjective notion. What I’m willing to pay for a really good coffee may not align with your idea of value.
This morning Sue and I awoke with a clear diary and fine weather, something that hasn’t happened at the same time for a little while. We knew the weather was going to turn later, so headed out first thing.
As there was just the two of us, we thought we’d grab a bit of something on the way at one of our favourite places. There are several favourite places that we could have chosen, but recently we’ve loved dropping into the Mill Yard in Staveley where More? The Artisan Bakery has become a repeat visit.
Today was about simple, yet wonderful, delights – a good coffee and an excellent pastry. For me an almond croissant, for Sue a plain croissant. I didn’t ty the plain croissant, so can’t comment, but this is the second time I’ve had the Almond Croissant and both times they were a delight. This isn’t a small delicate pastry, it’s more like a second breakfast. Crisp almonds on the outside, a creamy almost paste on the inside and delightful flaky pastry that is flaky but doesn’t feel the need to explode the moment it encounters a mouth.
The coffee is from True North Coffee which is a sister business to More? I meant to look up what the blend was but forgot so can’t give details. I’m not sure I like it when coffee is described, like wine, by relating it to various other flavours, but I get why people do it. I know what I like in a coffee, I’m not sure I could describe it other than to say that this was a very enjoyable brew. I’m a plain coffee drinker, I take it black and can’t understand why anyone would want to mess with the flavour by adding various syrups and milk concoctions. A good black coffee should have a full flavour that isn’t too bitter, or too smooth. It should be strong, but not too strong. It should linger on the pallet in a good way. I think as I write these posts that I might need to develop my explanation of good coffee, but that’s all you are getting for now.
Although it’s almost in the Lake District, More? isn’t situated in a quaint little slate cottage, it’s in a former Bobbin Mill so is more Industrial Chic, set amongst a set of other businesses. A good café should have an atmosphere, there needs to be people, good service, and something that makes you want to come back. Despite the industrial chic More? always has a good group of people and the service has been excellent every time we’ve visited which has been a few. I like it when a cafe has a mixed group of people, it says something about its appeal. I like to guess what people have been up to and what their plan is for the day. I guess that today was a combination of people who had already been for a run, people planning a walk with the dog, family people with a baby taking a break from doing the Saturday jobs and people, like us, on their way into the Lake District for various adventures.
There’s ample free parking, and you can normally park quite close, which fitted in perfectly with our plan to drop in and go elsewhere. As you enter the Mill Yard More? is at the back.
Sometimes when I go walking, I like to go a bit upmarket with my lunch and More? has provided some of the best packed food I have ever tasted. The Katsu Chicken sandwich I picked up last time was wonderful.
I’m pondering doing something a little different here.
We recently had someone doing work at our house and when we told them we were going out one evening he said: “You are proper social butterflies you two. I wouldn’t know where half the places you go are.”
At the weekend we were talking to a couple who had recently moved to the area and they were picking our brains on things to see and do. Many of the places we mentioned weren’t places other people had mentioned.
The same occasional content will continue, but in addition to this content I am wondering whether you might be interested in hearing about some of the places I/we like to go? As someone who likes alliteration the idea of Graham’s Guides seemed perfect. What do you think?
I have one request though? I’ll tell you, as long as you don’t tell too many other people. Is that a deal?
Header Image: This is the truely beautiful Buttermere which I’m sure will appear in a guide at some point. Taken at the beginning of the week.
Graham Chastney 