Pubs, Social Visits and Failed Walks

Tuesday, 4 October


We are still competing with the weather but decided to confront it and headed off to check out Coniston. However, although the rain kept at bay the fells and peaks were covered in mist. We left Coniston and headed out to the Old Dungeon Hotel – marvellous old pub and well worth the visit. A friendly barman who recommended the Budweisser (the original Czech brew not the American pretender). Apparently the local Czech miners are responsible for its importation because they were so annoyed with the Americans for ruining their homeland brew.


Wednesday, 5 October

Still cold, wet and very windy so decided to go for a ride to Arnside and see if we could find Gillian Millet’s home. Olga had given us the address before we left and as it is only 15 miles away from Cowan Bridge. It was a pleasant drive and we were very impressed with Arnside when we got there. It is right on the bay with a railway line across it and some very attractive buildings on the front. Drove on to Silverdale Road and were looking at the numbers and looked up and there was Gill just getting out of her car. Had a good chat with her over a cup of tea and afterwards went to one of the pubs on the front for a good lunch. Gill looks really well and says that she is really happy here. We chatted about Morecombe as well and she told us that you really need to see it when it is covered in snow. Although we don’t think that will happen on this trip. We are looking forward to hearing from her and hope that she and Neil will visit us before we leave Cowan Bridge.


Thursday, 6 October

Only showers forecast for today and the weather was otherwise fine. We decided on a visit to Settle and then a walk from nearby Stainforth up to Smearsett Scars. Just prior to parking the car at the start of the walk down came one of the forecast showers. It was as heavy as a tropical shower but much colder, in fact it contained some sleet (we were told later by a walker who had been on the fell at the time that he had experienced hail). But after the shower the skies were cleared by a strong wind so we set off (upward of course). The higher we got the stronger the wind became and eventually although the weather was fine we were leaning into a powerful wind at about a 45 degree angle and looking at the ground all the time. We made a decision to turn back as it was becoming a most unenjoyable experience.


Gill had told us that there was a nice walk near Settle so that was the motivating factor. She also told us that we should try the op shops for the wine glasses. We had a good look around Settle – another very attractive Yorkshire Village with lots of little alley ways and stone buildings. I checked out the timetable for the Settle to Carlisle Railway trip which has become a major tourist attraction because of the number of viaducts, but Brian is not keen. I thought it would be a good thing to do on a wet day, but at twenty-one pound a ticket each, his Yorkshire traits came to the fore – we can get there by car for a lot less than that!


When we got on the walk, it was me who decided I had had enough. As Brian was so far ahead and he couldn’t hear me because of the wind, so I just turned back. . He claimed that he could not decide when he eventually turned around whether I was coming toward him with my hood pulled down over my face, or whether it was my back heading in the opposite direction.