Last updated at 10:00, Thursday, 19 November 2009

Riverside walk offers chance to spot roe deer, red squirrels or maybe even an otter

Title
Author
Copyright

Description

MAP: OS Explorer maps 315 and OL5 (both are required).

Parking: Small parking area at Newbiggin Bridge, just south of the Golden Fleece roundabout at junction 42 of the M6, GR NY435513. Please note that the car park has a 2.2m height restriction.

Public transport: Bus 133 (telephone 0871 200 2233).

Refreshments: Plough Inn, Wreay.

Distance: 4.1 miles

Total ascent: 659ft

Time: 2 hours

Grade: Easy

Overview: This walk follows the riverside path that runs from the Newbiggin Bridge over the River Petteril on the edge of Carlisle to the pretty village of Wreay. The route, muddy in places, passes through the Wreay Woods Nature Reserve where you may be lucky enough to see red squirrels, roe deer and, at dawn or dusk, otters. Birdlife includes kingfisher, wagtail, long-tailed tit, dipper and great spotted woodpecker. In winter, siskin and the increasingly rare redpoll can be seen in the alders that grow along the banks of the river. The return route is via minor roads and farm paths.

The Walk: At the far end of the car park, bear right as if heading for the footbridge over the River Petteril, but, before you reach it, go through the kissing-gate on your left (signpost reads: “Public Footpath Wreay”). Bear right along the riverside path, and, just after passing under the motorway, go through a metal kissing-gate. Keep close to the river on your right and you will eventually enter an area of woodland via a kissing-gate. Ignoring a track heading uphill to the left after the next kissing-gate, keep close to the water’s edge as you cross another area of open ground.

Once through yet another kissing-gate and having crossed a wooden footbridge, you enter the Wreay Woods Nature Reserve. The path is extremely muddy in places as you make your way through this peaceful, woody gorge, but there are boardwalks to make the going a little easier.

Where the path climbs away from the river for a short while, you join another public right of way coming down from the left (1.5 miles from the start). Once over the next footbridge, go through a kissing-gate to leave the nature reserve.

The woodland continues as you walk along a pleasant path. This part of the route follows a slightly higher line than the riverside path up until now, so it is considerably drier underfoot.

Leave the woods via a wooden kissing-gate, keep close to the fence on your right and then cross the river via the green, metal footbridge. On the west bank, bear half-left across the field – towards a bend in the river. You can just see Wreay Hall Mill on the opposite bank.

Don’t stray too far from the river at first, but when you reach a footpath sign beside a fence, turn right – away from the water’s edge – to walk uphill with the fence on your left. Cross the wooden step stile and then continue uphill – more steeply now – alongside the fence. At the top, cross the stile and turn left along the surfaced lane.

At the road (2.4 miles from the start), the main route turns right. However, a short detour into Wreay, particularly to visit its unusual church, is highly recommended (see “points of interest” later). To do this, turn left and then right near the village green.

Back on the main route, the road heads downhill and under the motorway. Just after passing the Low Hurst compound, turn right along a wide track (3.1 miles from the start). Cross the step stile beside the large gate and then turn right to walk alongside the compound’s metal railings. On reaching the fence at the top of the motorway embankment, turn sharp left and then left again at the railway. Now head down into the field corner to cross the fence via a stile.

Head down the steep embankment on a wooden boardwalk and cross Woodside Beck via the footbridge. Keep close to the fence on your right until you reach the railway bridge. Cross this. Once through the gate on the other side, ignore the large gate on your right and head up the field with the fence/hedge on your right – away from the railway. Cross the step stile to the right of the large wooden gate and then walk along the lane.

In a few hundred yards, you reach a crossing of lanes. Keep straight ahead here to walk the narrow lane beyond the large metal gate (signpost reads: “Public Bridleway Newbiggin Bridge”). Soon after crossing the bridge, you re-enter the car park where the walk started.

Points of interest: Shaped like a Roman basilica, St Mary’s Church was built and paid for by local amateur architect Sara Losh in 1840-42. Sara was the daughter of a forward-thinking industrialist, a friend of William Wordsworth. Her brother being handicapped, she was brought up as her father’s heir and received a well-rounded education – something which she put to good use when designing the church in memory of her beloved sister Catherine. The highly original building features crocodile gargoyles, an Italian green marble altar, an apse surrounded by an arcade of 14 pillars and a multitude of carvings. Outside is a replica of the Bewcastle Cross.

Wreay is famous for its Twelve Men – a self-electing body dating back to 1664 that was responsible for the welfare of villagers. The original 12 were farmers and landowners worried about the state of the village chapel. They gave some of their rents for its repair. Although they now have few powers, Wreay’s Twelve Men continue to meet once a year, having their traditional supper in the Plough Inn on Candlemas Day.

For short walks in the Lake District, try Vivienne Crow’s Easy Rambles Around Keswick and Borrowdale and Easy Rambles Around Ambleside and Grasmere (published by Questa, price £3.99 each). Available in bookshops.

First published at 15:53, Wednesday, 18 November 2009
Published by http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk