Ron

Bainbridge, Mill Gill Force, Askrigg, Nappa Scar, Worton, Bainbridge

Warm and humid, being overcast at the beginning, but the sun did get out during the rest of the walk.

Ron, Sandy, Richard, Diane, Ken, Michelle, Michael.

Ashley - back problems

George - sailing in the west of Scotland

Comments

There was a good Tearoom at the start of the walk in Bainbridge with a selection of homemade cakes, tray-bakes and biscuits. Bainbridge has a large village green with stocks and public conveniences.

We took some photos of a 3-year-old boy helping his uncle shear a sheep for the first time, while his proud granddad and great uncle looked on.

Mill Gill Force was not quite as forceful as previously seen, but still impressive. Whitfield Gill Force was a non-event, as after a strenuous steep climb up the left-hand side of the ravine, we still could not find the vantage point or see any waterfall.

There were good views of Addlebrough at the top of the right-hand side of the ravine where we stopped for lunch. Two bench seats provided a comfortable perch, but unfortunately we were invaded by flies.

We waved to four girls in a car (that we had seen going up Low Straights Lane). They were obviously lost as the car came back down again. Then we walked through the pretty village of Askrigg which is famous for being filmed in All Creatures Great and Small. We followed the right of way behind some houses with quaint gardens and then M&M went for a swift half, while the rest of us trekked up to Newbiggin. Deciding against climbing up to Heugh, as we were all getting very hot, we then went on to Nappa Scar, passing a mysterious house and garden hidden in the wood.

We passed by Nappa Hall, a fortified manor house that is being restored, and crossed the river at Worton. We stopped to talk to a farmer about the price of lamb before returning to Bainbridge along Worton and Brough Scars.

During the walk we went through numerous gated squeeze stiles and M&M saw upstream a very big ‘Archimedes Screw’ as they crossed the River Bain to come back into the village at the end of the walk. This may be operated to take water out of the river - relieving the flood pressure on the village.
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Wildlife / Flora / Animals:  Finally Diane got to see a dipper. There were also cows with calves, a horse, sheep, rabbits, hares, cockerel and hens, several curlews, mallards, black-headed gulls, swallows, oystercatcher, lapwings, wren, chaffinch and unidentified butterflies. We saw lots of wild flowers including poppies, foxgloves, wild orchids, meadowsweet, willow herb and dog roses.

Yolos, Ponteland. Good food at a very reasonable price but table was sticky. The background music was loud.

Walkers at Bainbridge

In the Stocks

River Ure

Whitfield Beck

Starting young

Bainbridge

Walkers at Whitfield Gill

Above the waterfall

Lunch

Confusion

Orchids

Honeysuckle

Walkers

Walkers in Askrigg

Hedgehogs' entrance

Modern Plumbing

Askrigg

River Bain

Archimedes Screw