{"id":2829,"date":"2024-02-17T01:14:28","date_gmt":"2024-02-17T00:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2829"},"modified":"2024-02-16T18:35:28","modified_gmt":"2024-02-16T17:35:28","slug":"dufton-ghyll-and-flakebridge-wood-cumbria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=2829","title":{"rendered":"Dufton Ghyll and Flakebridge Wood, Cumbria"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=740,width=1220,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script><br \/> First published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('DuftonGhyll.jpg');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498027454_49ae14f066_z.jpg\" title= \"Dufton village green\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498027454_49ae14f066_s.jpg\" alt=\"Dufton village green\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498147055_ba2ea157e0_z.jpg\" title= \"sandstone quarry face in Dufton Ghyll Wood\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498147055_ba2ea157e0_s.jpg\" alt=\"sandstone quarry face in Dufton Ghyll Wood\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497725861_563735c9d5_z.jpg\" title= \"Quarryman's 'Cockdick' graffito in Dufton Ghyll Wood\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497725861_563735c9d5_s.jpg\" alt=\"Quarryman's 'Cockdick' graffito in Dufton Ghyll Wood\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497880723_8218db446e_z.jpg\" title= \"Quarryman Dan McPhee's 1874 graffito in Dufton Ghyll Wood\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497880723_8218db446e_s.jpg\" alt=\"Quarryman Dan McPhee's 1874 graffito in Dufton Ghyll Wood\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53496841097_0ee7bd71e8_z.jpg\" title= \"Brampton Beck\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53496841097_0ee7bd71e8_s.jpg\" alt=\"Brampton Beck\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497726021_04e12e8e2e_z.jpg\" title= \"Haw berries in Wood Lane\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497726021_04e12e8e2e_s.jpg\" alt=\"Haw berries in Wood Lane\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498027269_d017b62f5a_z.jpg\" title= \"split ash tree, Wood Lane\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498027269_d017b62f5a_s.jpg\" alt=\"split ash tree, Wood Lane\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497881123_52cf1a6e4f_z.jpg\" title= \"houses of Brampton on their ridge\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53497881123_52cf1a6e4f_s.jpg\" alt=\"houses of Brampton on their ridge\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498027294_1bb25bc04c_z.jpg\" title= \"Wood Lane approaching Dufton Ghyll Wood\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498027294_1bb25bc04c_s.jpg\" alt=\"Wood Lane approaching Dufton Ghyll Wood\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53496841292_5ec625615f_z.jpg\" title= \"Wood Lane approaching Dufton Ghyll Wood, with Dufton Pike beyond\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53496841292_5ec625615f_s.jpg\" alt=\"Wood Lane approaching Dufton Ghyll Wood, with Dufton Pike beyond\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498146975_ef537d9d11_z.jpg\" title= \"waymark on the sandstone wall of Wood Lane\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53498146975_ef537d9d11_s.jpg\" alt=\"waymark on the sandstone wall of Wood Lane\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53496841257_07bea78316_z.jpg\" title= \"golden evening light on North Pennine hills\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/farm66.static.flickr.com\/65535\/53496841257_07bea78316_s.jpg\" alt=\"golden evening light on North Pennine hills\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"javascript:pwindow=window.open('\/Walks\/prn.php?f=2829','pwin','height=700,width=1200,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');\" title=\"Click for printable version\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/Walks\/print.gif\" align=\"right\"><\/a><br \/>\nThe sky over eastern Cumbria was sliced in two: a great smoking curl of mist obscuring the tops of the North Pennine Hills standing east of Dufton, and away to the west beyond the green Vale of Eden a field of brilliant blue above the sunlit fells of the Lake District.<\/p>\n<p>Down below the village Dufton Ghyll rushed in curls of bubbles between the sandstone walls of its miniature gorge. \u2018Dan McPhee, 1874\u2019 read a graffito scored in square letters into the dusky red rock, legacy of some long-forgotten quarryman. \u2018Cockdick\u2019, said another \u2013 maybe a nickname, maybe an insult.<\/p>\n<p>Below the mossy quarry faces the path twisted among fallen fragments of beech and birch, then climbed to green pastures by way of stone steps hewn and placed by the quarrymen. In the yard at Greenhow Farm a collie crouched on guard on the tray of a quad bike; he never budged a muscle, only swivelling his narrowed eyes to track my progress out of his domain.<\/p>\n<p>In the fields beyond, a gang of rams, muddy-coated and curly-horned, stood stolidly and stared me out. The sodden path squelched and slithered underfoot as I crossed Keisley Beck and came down into Flakebridge Wood.<\/p>\n<p>From the sunless cottages at Flakebridge a rough path traced the lower edge of the wood, passing under beech boughs as yet leafless. Wild geese flew clamouring overhead, shadowy presences beyond the treetops \u2013 pinkfeet, I guessed, en route to their night roost.<\/p>\n<p>The rutted farm road of Frith Lane led on to Esplandhill where a range of superb old sandstone barns stood tall. Tiny spears of bluebells were already pushing up in the hedge roots beyond, and a wren sang its chittering song in the alders along Brampton Beck where I crossed the racing water swollen with recent rainfall.<\/p>\n<p>A final stretch northwards ran between wet rushy fields along Wood Lane. Moles had been driven up from underground by the flooding; their castles of finely dug earth stood tall, temporary refuge until their tunnels dried out under spring sunshine and became habitable once more. Ahead beckoned the cone of Dufton Pike, gilded by late afternoon sunshine, as my internal compass set course for the cheerful taproom of the Stag Inn on Dufton\u2019s village green.<\/p>\n<p>\fHow hard is it? 5\u00bd miles; easy; field paths. NB: Some fallen trees to negotiate around Dufton Ghyll.<\/p>\n<p>Start: Dufton car park, Dufton, CA16 6DB (OS ref NY 690250)<\/p>\n<p>Getting there: Dufton is signed from B6542 in Appleby (A66 Brough-Penrith)<\/p>\n<p>Walk (OS Explorer OL19): Right along road; immediately right (\u2018Dufton Ghyll\u2019); descend to cross ghyll (wooden footbridge, NOT stone bridge!). Left along bank (yellow arrow\/YA). In \u2153 mile at Redbanks Bridge dogleg left\/right over road (694245; \u2018Keisley, Flakebridge\u2019). On through Greenhow farmyard; follow \u2018A Pennine Journey\u2019 across fields (YAs, stiles). In 1\u00bc miles cross footbridge and stile opposite (706231, YA). Right up bank to wall stile beyond (705230, YA). Down to stile at corner of wood (704229); half left to ladder stile (703226). Cross stream; into Flakebridge Wood. In 150m join track (703225); in 100m, left at junction, down to Flakebridge (704220). Bear right on track, keeping to edge of wood. In 1 mile leave wood (693229, stile); follow Frith Lane to road at Esplandhill (685230). Right; in 100m left past Brampton Watermill. In 400m right over footbridge (683234); left to join Wood Lane. In 1 mile enter Dufton Ghyll Wood (688249); down to cross ghyll (footbridge); up into Dufton.<\/p>\n<p>Lunch: Stag Inn, Dufton (01768-351608, <a href=\"http:\/\/thestagdufton.co.uk\">thestagdufton.co.uk<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Accommodation: Crown &#038; Cushion, Appleby CA16 6XB (01768-351595, <a href=\"http:\/\/robinsonsbrewery.com\">robinsonsbrewery.com<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p>Info: Appleby TIC (01768-351177)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The sky over eastern Cumbria was sliced in two: a great smoking curl of mist obscuring the tops of the North Pennine Hills standing east of Dufton, and away to the west beyond the green Vale of Eden a field of brilliant blue above the sunlit fells of the Lake District.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2830,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2829","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2829"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2829\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2830"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2829"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2829"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2829"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}