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March

route

Route

Link to Route Animation

Walk leader

Michelle

Route

Rowlands Gill – Lintzford – Chopwell Woods – Low Spen – Thornley Woods - return to Rowlands Gill by railway line.

Weather

Beautiful spring day.

Walkers

Michelle, Michael, Ron, Sandy, Ashley, Ken.

Excuses

Diane and Richard - busy elsewhere

George - injured knee

Comments

 

 

The walk turned out to be longer than predicted – 10.5 miles rather than 8.5 miles. It was Michael’s first walk post-op. Ken arrived in his new car and new walking boots, which he managed to keep clean. He left sharp at the end of the walk to go to wood carving classes. A friendly man took the group photo. We got lost only once, when the footpath disappeared.

There was a ruined medieval chapel below the viaduct at Rowlands Gill. We saw lots of carved bird statues in the woods including sculptured owls. We passed some mining Cottages with stunning views. There was a bronze statue of Bobby Shaftoe in a garden.

Ruby took exception to a dog with a red toy in its mouth. There was a vicious pit bull chained at gypsy encampment. We also saw eight or nine trotting carts in a row. We were attacked by a Jack Russell. There was a nice tea room at Thornley Visitor Centre, which had tasty ginger cake.

Birds, flora and fauna: we had close up views of several kites, and spotted a lot of yellowhammers feeding on the ground. Other birds: blue tits, great tits, a robin, a mallard and a wagtail. Also Indian running ducks, who walk very upright – “producing happy eggs from happy ducks”. Three grey squirrels, some ants walking up a slope, friendly horses, lambs. Wood anemones.

Meal

The Badger – joined by Evelyn and George – a pleasant evening together.


Photo Gallery

walkers

Walkers

 

owl

The Owl

red kite

Red Kite

waterway

Waterway

derwent

Derwent at Lintzford

walkers

Three

trail

Red Kite Trail

 

 

 

horse

Horse

 

 

 

cattle

Highland Cattle

 

lunch

Lunch

 

 

derwent

Derwent View

 

red kites

Red Kites

 

gibside

View to Gibside

 

statue

Garden Statue

 

derwent

Derwent from Butterfly Bridge

 

pathway

Nearly Back

 

cake

Cake

 

 

 

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