Ron

Bainbridge to Semer Water circular.

Mostly sunny with a moderate to strong west wind which was fortunately blowing from behind us on the second half of the walk. A light shower occurred near the end of the walk as we were approaching Bainbridge.

Sandy, Ron, Michelle, Michael, Ken

Ashley – Trashed his leg

Diane and Richard – On holiday in Central Scotland

Evelyn and George – On holiday on the Isle of Bute

Comments

Circular walk of approximately 9 miles which started with a homemade ginger biscuit from the Cornmill Tea Room.

After a steep climb up the Countersett road we took the track signposted Beggarman’s road which was the old Roman Cam High Road. The road, as expected, is very straight with a gradual ascent and good views across the River Ure valley, but is harder work than it looks due to the uneven surface.

We left Cam High Road near Wether Fell and ascended the footpath to Marsett, stopping for lunch once we had gone over the small ridge, using some crag stones to give us shelter from the wind and a nice view of Raydale. After using the dog gate for Ruby next to the stile and passing an old red telephone box in Marsett, we followed Marsett Beck and crossed over several footbridges towards Stalling Busk.

We had a second stop at the abandoned chapel of Stalling Busk complete with a graveyard of over 750 people (over a period of circ. 300years). There were several interesting gravestones including one with an inscription in German. We then took the path to Semer Water, which after Malham Tarn is the second largest glacial freshwater lake in the Yorkshire Dales and a site of Special Scientific Interest.

After passing two fishermen at the water’s edge we walked across a lane and through a field of Alpacas at Low Blean Farm. We then continued to Low Force Farm where there were several noisy sheep dogs that fortunately (for Ruby) were tied up. We then returned to Bainbridge via the road, stopping to admire the Hydroelectric generator Archimedes screw in the river Bain, which powers most of the properties in the village.

Fauna and Flora:

Kestrel, house-martins, chaffinches, wagtails, a wren, mallards, a hill of rabbits, brown sheep with white faces (which could be ancient Herdwick), alpacas, sheepdogs, cows with lots of calves, horses and a pony.

Several hawthorne trees covered with red berries.

No meal arranged.

Heading upwards

Stye

Descending

Sheep

Ruins

Framed

Lunch

Bainbridge