Brigsteer Wood.
Start. Helsington Church.
Route. Helsington Church - Park End Farm - Brigsteer Park - Cinderbarrow Farm - Brigsteer Park - Helsington Church.
Notes. Rambling, walking without breaking into a sweat, that's what we're doing today. The other day when I was wandering above Brigsteer Wood several ramblers stopped me to ask if I'd seen the daffodils, seems the woods I'd avoided were alive with them, the little ones Wordsworth so eulogised over. Sue likes these little yellow flowers so I dragged her along, it's a short walk, you may as well come too.
Our short ramble started with a descent, from the car park opposite Helsington Church, down the field to join a bridleway leading to Park End. After being squeezed between dry stone walls we popped out into sheep pastures above Park End Farm, we descended to the farm, crossed the narrow road to be greeted by a finger-post inviting us to Brigsteer Park (locally known as Brigsteer Wood). With field paths under foot we rambled to the south west corner of the field where a gate allowed access to Brigsteer Wood. On we rambled to a path junction, we continued straight on, with hindsight I think maybe a left turn would have improved our chances of finding what was now becoming an illusive little yellow plant, we did pass a few clumps on our ramble through the wood but nothing like the amount I'd been led to believe lurked amongst the trees.
We exited the woods onto a gravel farm track which in turn guided us to Cinderbarrow Farm on the outskirts of Levens. We now had tarmac under foot for a short ascent to a narrow slit stile, a finger-post announced this paths destination was Brigsteer Wood, a short walk through the field deposited us at the edge of the wood next to a tarmac lane, we crossed said lane to join the path I followed the other day, signed Brigsteer. Through park land we rambled gaining height with every step, all too soon we stepped onto the track leading to the little church we left just an hour and twenty minutes earlier.
Viewing the limestone cliffs of Scout Scar from the path below Helsington Church.
On display, tractors at Park End..
Views over Lyth Valley taken from Park End.
Brigsteer Wood as seen from Park End.
Scout Scar above Park End Farm.
Rising above Lyth Valley, Lord's Lot.
En route through Brigsteer Wood.
The illusive daffodil.
Views taken across the parkland above Brigsteer Wood.
The Helm across the Kent Valley.
The blue/grey hills of Lakeland as seen from Helsington Church.