GLW2004 : The Greyhounds of New Hutton

Monday 4th May 2020

BOOTboys are planning a Lockdown-Legitimate Scatter Gun outing this Wednesday. However I won't be available on the day so we thought we would get my contribution prepared in advance.  The plan is that each Bboy will go to a destination of his choice that is not revealed to the others.  He will take a photo of the location as a clue for the others and will also take a selfie.  These are to be shared on WhatsApp at noon and discussed in the ZOOMbar in the evening.

My chosen location is St Stephen's Church gateposts at New Hutton.  

Each has a greyhound rampant on the top, as indeed does the nearby old school house on one of its posts.  The other was stolen several years ago.

We went out today to prepare my submission.  It was a walk that turned out to be somewhat more challenging than we expected.  

Margaret had no recollection of ever having been to New Hutton before and certainly hadn't seen the Greyhounds.  I think she was quite impressed.  

We then travelled down attractive, ancient cart tracks and lanes through pleasant countryside.  There were lots of wild flowers in the hedgerows and several clusters of old houses that had been tastefully, indeed expensively, done up.

A sign said a path was closed from March 2019 to Spring 2021.  This was due to "improvements on our water network."  Then we saw that some roads were closed.  Fortunately not the one we needed but it was clear some heavy duty machinery had been in action.

Otherwise, all was well until we took the bridle path from Ewe Bank Farm through Millholme.  Trouble is that, despite the impression given by the map, it doesn't go through as was vehemently explained by the farmer adding that whilst the C19 crisis continued it would be appreciated if people kept off farmland so that gates that they needed to open were not infected.  Fair point. A long detour was needed.

It wasn't exactly a road slog as it was still pleasant countryside and lovely weather but it was hard under foot for the couple of miles or so down to Middleshaw, then St Sunday's bridge.....

..... and back to the New Hutton greyhounds.

As we had our sundowner in the Wazzo, we reflected on the walk.

It is an area we don't know well and certainly worth exploring more but avoiding farm paths whilst the C19 crisis lingers on.

Don, Monday 4th May 2020

Great
Little
Walks