Tuesday October 25^th

Twelve walkers, including a new member Mark & 3 dogs set off from the Crook O’Lune car park in perfect sunshine along the bank of the river.  The river was crossed over an interesting waterworks bridge before progress was made along the Crook eventually taking a route away from the river into Caton via a side road. Admiring houses in the Brookhouse area Moorside road led us to the area of Caton Moor. The workhouse built in 1832 now a smart residential home was admired before taking quarry road up onto the moor and the now disused quarries.  Views as height was gained were stunning with Hornby Castle in the valley and Barbondale and other fells ahead.

A discussion with a local farmer about a blue faced Leicester ram was followed by observation of 3 texel rams and an exchange of considerable farming knowledge within the group.

Windmills named by local school children have been built by Triodos on the moor to provide renewable energy.  The sun continued to shine on this very still autumn day and a lunch spot was chosen just above The Claughton Moor ropeway built for the local brickworks. The ropeway until this summer was used to take shale in buckets to Hanson brickworks 1.25 miles and 750feet below (sadly now permanently closed).

Following under some of the ropeway and on a rough track partly comprised of broken bricks the group past the grounds of Claughton Hall then dropped down once more to the banks of the river Lune.  The river was followed until Caton when the track following the disused railway (initially constructed in 1853) was followed back to the car park.

A lovely walk with good company, excellent weather and some local history thrown into the mix.

Thanks Ken for taking some photos.

 To see the photos please press Here then the first photo followedby the arrow on the right hand side