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Smardale orchids

By Hugh Stewart June 21, 2014 Leave a Comment

Midsummer is the time for the Smardale circular walk: last week was fine weather so we tootled off with some friends staying at the Hall, a holiday let. Plenty of butterfly orchids in the Smardale Wood, but no wintergreens seen this year. As always, a visit to Waitby/Greenriggs nature reserve is a must, and is joined up to Smardale by continuing on the disused railway line westwards., see Blog “Smardale and Waitby reduced walk” of 21/6/19. A couple leaving the reserve said there were no fly orchids to be seen, but they are there, within 30 yards of the entrance, on the south bank. They are marked with white tags but are quite small. All told 64 different flower species seen on the round. Some orchids shown below. (Left click to expand)

Greater Butterfly Orchid, Smardale Wood.
Fly Orchid, Waitby/Greenriggs reserve.
Common Spotted Orchid, lined and three lobed, Waitby.
Northern Marsh Orchid, Waitby.
Bird’s eye primrose, Smardale.

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Hillwalks from the Settle to Carlisle Railway Stations

24 walks into the hills surrounding the historic and iconic Settle to Carlisle railway, based on the stations between Settle and Appleby. The area has some of the finest walking of the north Pennines: the Craven district around Settle; the Three Peaks area; Dentdale, and Mallerstang and the upper Eden valley.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Mountain Biking Adventures: Multi-day Routes in Northern Britain

Over the last two decades, mountain biking has developed enormously as a “sport”. We greatly admire the technical and athletic capabilities of modern day mountain bikers and recognise that many excellent guides have been written and custom-built trails set up. In this guide we try to reopen a sense of adventure and wilderness to mountain biking, providing multi-day routes with a remoteness, continuity and “arc” missing from many modern guides with their focus on day and half day outings.

UK £13.95 ( inc. P&P)

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Settle to Carlisle – Hill Walk with Return by Classic Train Route

With over 22,000 ft of ascent in 105 miles set out over 8 days, this walk sets out from Settle, taking in the classic summits of the North Yorkshire Dales, Howgills, Eastern and Northern Lakeland Fells, to arrive at Carlisle. The return journey to Settle by one of the classic train journeys. Illustrated with photographs and route maps.

£12.95 (P&P may apply)

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Bolton Abbey (Cavendish Pavilion) circular walk via Barden Fell/Moor and the Valley of Desolation

We used to call in to the Cavendish Pavilion car park en route back home from university drops to Leeds, walking upto Barden Bridge and down the other side. This walk extends this to Howgill, and back over Barden Moor, on good paths/tracks and through different landscapes, to make an interesting 7.8

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An Upper Swaledale round from Muker

This lovely 8 mile walk is best done in early to mid-June when the Muker meadows, and to a lesser extent the Ivelet to Muker meadows, are full of wildflowers. Starting in Muker, find the path through the village which leads onto the meadows. It is not signed so be careful. Go through the delightful

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Scafell Pike from Wasdale, without the crowds. (Mostly.)

A glorious friday in early June, the last weekday of the Whitsun holidays. I wanted to see what Piers Gill was like, as my late mother told me once that she had been cajoled by my father to take me and my one older and one younger brothers (aged maybe 3 to 7) up the Pike, but went wrong in bad

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