Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 20th March 2015

A Walk

Gilsland - Irthing Valley

9 Miles Grade 2

Leader: Alan Dobson

Report by John McKay

Photos by John McKay & Pete Rutland

A wonderful walk to-day a bit of everything lovely views and lovely woodland paths. Despite having no great hills there were quite a few ups and downs, all in all it was quite a demanding walk. Eight of us set off from Gilsland in glorious sunshine and made our way alongside Hadrian’s Wall, it was then open fields and woodland paths. It wasn’t long before we were back in Gilsland again and Fred took the opportunity to take a trip down memory lane and visit the house where he was brought up, believe it or not it’s still standing. Off we went along the river bank and through the woods and eventually arrived at the sulphur well. Our walk leader, Alan, was well prepared, how did he become a walk leader, and had brought along some paper cups so we could all have a drink of this wonderful liquid. Apparently it’s good for you and perhaps it is but it does stink, a bit like rotting eggs. Perhaps it has hallucinatory powers as well, as some of the party were convinced they saw a gorilla shortly after drinking it and later some claimed to have seen a Phalacrocorax Carbo , better known as a cormorant. We made our way from the well alongside the river to the “Popping Stone” where we stopped for lunch. It was named the Popping Stone by Sir Walter Scott following a visit he made with his young lady at the time, exactly what was popped or what popped up on his visit to the stone I have no idea. It was onwards and upwards after lunch to the top of the gorge where we sat overlooking the lovely waterfall. Over the moors we went heading for the Gilsland Spa, passing some old tanks and airplanes sitting on the moor, which the army and RAF bomb from time to time. We decided not to call in to the hotel and carry on back to Gilsland. We crossed the river into Gilsland via the stepping stones and had some very nice coffee and cake in Meg’s coffee shop. A great day and a great walk. Many thanks to Alan for leading.

John