First of two sets of pictures from a holiday in Pooley Bridge (Lake District) in early July.
Steamer from Pooley Bridge to Howtown. (Top) Starting next to St. Peter’s Church in Martindale, climbing the modest, but still quite steep, Hallin Fell (388 m) for a view over Ullswater. (Middle) The route back to Pooley Bridge was a “middle way” following a bridleway along edge of the outtake, rising to the Cockpit stone circle on Divock Moor. (Bottom) “Roman Seat” is just below the junction; the fingerpost is unremarkable at first, but the directions are to the Roman forts Brocavum (Brougham) and Galava (Ambleside)! Although actually there is little evidence that bridleway “High Street” was a Roman road.
The “Dalemain Loop” extension to the Ullswater Way. The gardens (top) of the quirky Dalemain house, with its museum of marmadale. Another unusual feature was the door lock and key donated by Lady Anne Clifford to Dalemain’s owner, and her steward, Sir Edward Hassell; apparently Lady Anne kept a spare key so she could let herself in if travelling… The topiary dragon in the extensive gardens is well hidden! The return route was via the village of Dacre. Dacre Castle (bottom) was an unexpected surprise.
(Top) View towards upper Martindale on the descent from Pikeawassa / Steel Knotts (432 m). The fell in the middle (The Nab) is a nature reserve for deer, with restricted access, while the hunting lodge in the distance to the left was built in 1910 by the Earl of Lonsdale for a visit of Kaiser Wilhelm. It now appears to be part of the Dalemain estate. (Middle) The atmospheric St. Martin’s church was the original parish church of Martindale and is now rarely used. The silence inside was almost tangible. (Bottom) Lower Martindale, following an old track round back to Howtown, and then taking the low level route back to Pooley Bridge, with a view of Dunmallard across the lake.
