Tue 19 Mar 2019
You can find an index to my other walks here
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| Summit of Giggleswick Scar |
The day began with
drizzle but cleared later and the weather improved to
just grey cloud. It wasn't cold and when we parked at Buckhaw Brow it felt
that we would have a good day.
We located Buckhaw Brow Cave, the first that is shown on AW's map by a dark circle, but
not named. It provides a certain mischievous feeling to have found something that he apparently didn't think worthy of illustration! It's quite safe to explore by ascending the steep and slippery rocky path to the
upper entrance. In fact, it's more interesting than the caves he mentions. There are quite a few more caves on the scar and I would like to explore some of them. Take a look here. (Click back arrow to return here)
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| Lower Buckhaw Brow Cave |
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| The upper entrance |
.
We then
proceeded to the field above, a terrace of the scar, and looking down located the gate that AW shows by the road on
his map. It would be a slippery and steep ascent.
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| Kinsey Cave is up a side valley |
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| The cave is hidden in summer behind an elderberry bush |
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| A bear's skull was discovered inside some years ago |
I was
apprehensive of not being able to find the bracken-choked side valley leading up to Kinsey
Cave after over two years * but with the vegetation being dead it was easy. We took photos and then went down to the
main path from which we located and examined Spider Cave, Moth Cave, and Wall Cave. Andrew noticed that there was a small alcove in the last one which would have
been useful as a fireplace because a chimney-like passage opens on to the hillside
above.
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| Wall cave (no wall in front now) |
The next
object to find was the summit cairn, in an area which like the valley to Kinsey Cave had been covered with
bracken in August 2016. The usual photos were taken, and then we descended towards
Schoolboys Tower.
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| A naturally sculptured piece of art trouvé |
Just
before we reached Schoolboys Tower, now merely a pile of large stones, we came across a small shake hole, an excellent
place to eat lunch protected from the cold wind that had sprung up. It was ten
minutes to two when we resumed our walk as far as the Tower, and
although I mentioned Schoolboy Cave neither of us were keen to spend time
searching for it as I had wasted a lot time on my
previous visit and had been unable to find it.
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| What's left of Schoolboys Tower |
Instead we made
our way down the steep track between the massive old quarry and a wall. This path needs
urgent attention to prevent erosion making it dangerous as the slope is
slippery and loose. By using a gap in the wall to our left it was possible to reach the wide track heading north to join the path linking Stackhouse with Feizor.
We began
the slow ascent of the path that AW used when he planned his Pennine Journey in
the nineteen thirties. I first used it on 23 March 2002, and again in 2016. We were sheltered from the cold wind all the way to
where the path levels out before descending to Feizor. The so-called Happy
Valley mentioned by AW is not prominently in view and now closed to visitors according to Chris Jesty.
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| A welcome sight after a long plod |
Reaching
the signpost at the Feizor/Buckhaw Brow junction we turned to walk the final section back to the car, but
stopped first to examine the huge foundation-stones of a wall.
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| A wall near the junction |
Some of them had
holes which appeared to have been bored by a drill, but were possibly natural,
being made of limestone.The place where in 2015 Andrew had bounced up and down on
a kind of floating island is now unrecognisable as such, as it had been on my previous visit.
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Natural holes in the stone??
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We
crossed a couple of fields and were soon descending to the road and the waiting
car. We pulled off our boots, clogged with the glutinous mud picked up on the
last few yards, and rested a few minutes with a drink of coffee.
An
excellent day, all in all. I am glad that
the perceived restoration of my balance has seemed a fact, though I must regain
my confidence before I can claim it a complete success.
Index
