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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
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Swaledale Outdoor Club |
| > Home > Newsletter > Walking > Bainbridge |
BainbridgeWe met on the green at Bainbridge on a dry and sunny morning - 21 people in all. After a short discourse on the village, with its Roman Camp on Brough Hill, its Forest Horn (blown during winter months to guide travellers in from the forest), its Stocks for punishing wrongdoers and its Old Dame School for educating children in the 3R's, we moved away through the fields to Greensley Bank Farm. From here we dropped and then climbed again to the start of the Cam High Road (the Roman Road which connected camps at Bainbridge and Lancaster). We walked on this for about two miles, which is enough on this track, which runs straight as a die over hill and moor ahead as you walk west. We crossed a stile and climbed to the top of the ridge separating the main valley of Wensleydale from the small valleys of Bardale, Raydale and Cragdale which converge upon the glacial lake of Semerwater. We took lunch in the lee of a broken stone wall in bright sunshine and overlooking the Viking founded hamlet of Marsett and with Semerwater shining in the distance below. One can often see Buzzards soaring around the moor here but none were seen today. We descended quite steeply to reach the walled lane leading to Marsett and then the hamlet itself, paused to look over the old bridge at the still older paved ford and continued to follow the beck into the wetland which is now an SSSI with rare plants and insect life. Instead of climbing steeply to Stalling Busk we turned NE along the path which leads to the ruined Parish Church, built in 1722 on the shore of the lake, and used until 1908 when a new church was built in the village. We looked briefly at the ruin and at the gravestones, some fairly recent, and continued along the side of the lake. Some of the wintering wildfowl had arrived but not too many yet. The legend of Semerwater was recounted and also that of the Carlow Stone at the end of the lake ( if you touch it you will gain prosperity and many children!) Following the River Bain, said to be the shortest river in England, we crossed fields and passed many very fine stone barns. until at last we dropped into the village of Bainbridge again after a good 9 mile circuit. Thanks to all who came along and made the walk so pleasant. John Deighton |