Caves, Circles, Castles, Tables & even a Henge

Another visit to Lacy's Caves and a few other attractions dotted around Little Salkeld & Penrith, an escape from the Lakes on a bank holiday...

Previous visit to Lacy's Cave

Lacy's Caves, situated beside the River Eamont...

Crinan & Kilmartin Glen - A wander through history

The Crinan Canal is one of my favourite places, despite the tourist (I'm one!) hustle & bustle it is still a peaceful place. As the sun finally showed itself a wander up the Kilmartin Glen to grab photos of some of the ancient monuments, I've visited them before on a grey drab drizzly day.

Duke of Normandy II & VIC32...

Caves, Mines & Circles - Little Salkeld's hilltop distractions

I'd seen several photos of the picturesque Lacy's Caves over the years, its one of those walks that often fills a few inches in the odd walking column, but I had never been lucky enough to visit. The caves aren't naturally occurring and are an 18th century folly commissioned by Lt-Col Samuel Lacy of Salkeld Hall, consisting of five chambers they where used for entertaining and the abundance of rhododendrons nearby suggest they where originally surrounded by planted gardens.

Spurned on by another appearance in a local newspaper I decided to drag the kids away from there electronic devices and force them to get a little bit of fresh air. The walk from Little Salkeld to Lacy's Caves usually follows a circular route including the Long Meg Stone Circle but to avoid rebellion a simple straight there and back would be sufficient. It is probably worth noting that my daughter represents her school in a total of four sports & the district in one of them so its more the shame of being spotted out with her uncool⁽¹⁾ Dad, than laziness!

Overall a worth while distraction, with a pleasant walk beside the Carlisle-Settle railway & through Caves Wood.

Lacy's Cave...

Bannisdale Horseshoe & Grey Crag

I was hoping to walk Wainwright's Outlying route of Bannisdale but had watched the promised fine weekend forecast slowly deteriorate as the week progressed, MWIS predicted a cloudbase of 200-400m, chance of cloud free summits rising to 30% from nil. Any ideas of travelling so far where scrubbed - I'd walk whatever was clear, closer to home! So it was a surprise to see the Lord Seat's group clear, but Skiddaw & the higher hills just had their heads in the clouds. As I travelled South this was replicated throughout the Lakes, a touch of early morning mist rose from Grasmere & Rydal.

So it was a bit disappointing to arrive at Kendal to see low hill fog - too late to change my mind. Wainwright complained this route was pathless, for me, the majority was viewless. There is a vague path, but some of the fences still lack stiles and the route crosses quite rough ground over Borrowdale Head & Lamb Pasture...

As AW lists this as an ascent route of Grey Crag from the Kendal-Shap Road I couldn't resist

The track turns up to the fell here at Whiteside Fold (Moser Farm in AWs day)...