GLW1604: The Great Sticky Toffee Walk

Sunday 13th March 2016

In a roundabout way we have Granny to thank for today's GLW.

Had she not fallen and broken her hip we wouldn't have been looking at nursing homes.

Had we not been looking at nursing homes, we would not have been to see the Cartmel Grange, the pink building that dominates the Grange-over-Sands skyline.

A very nice place, by the way. If they had a double room we might have booked ourselves in!

Had we not been to Grange, we wouldn't have carried on to Cartmel and created the Great Sticky Toffee Walk.

We parked at the racecourse despite its usurious charges and headed into the village. After a record 0.3 miles we felt the need to stop for lunch at the Cartmel Coffee Shop. Well, it had been a late start.

A further 0.3 miles brought us into the Priory, a magnificent building. We particularly like the Josephine Alys de Vasconcellos sculpture.

Then the walk proper began, climbing the Cistercian Way. Out of the village, through the farm and up on to Hampsfell and the Hospice . Although it was warmer and sunnier than expected, the distant views were tantalisingly hazy.

It was quite busy up there but no-one else was leaving in the direction we had chosen- to the north. We carried on along Hampsfell, eventually descending to Hampsfield Hall.

Our return to Cartmel took us past the Aynsome Manor hotel which must be a great place to stay on race-day. Soon after we had to cross the Muddy Pool stream. I thought it strange that essentially I had to wade a ford. Then Margaret managed to find the footbridge. It was hidden behind a fallen tree).

On reaching the village we found the Cartmel Village Shop open so popped in to ask if they had any ice cream. Of course they had, the girl told us. "Would you like Vanilla, Raspberry, Blackcurrant or Sticky Toffee?"

Come on, we're in Cartmel, the home of sticky toffee. How could we choose anything else with which to celebrate another Great Little Walk?

Don, Sunday 13th March 2016