Burgh-by-Sands walk (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Burgh-by-Sands walk

8:20am Thursday 2nd June 2011

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The year 2011 with its wonderful spring has been a delight to walkers.

There is, however, a health warning at this time of financial cut backs. Many of our rural pubs and restaurants are under threat of closure.

Walkers can help by using these establishments. Among the most isolated of my walks is Burgh-by-Sands, which is bursting with history, natural history and wonderful scenery.

How to get there:

From Carlisle Castle, take the B5307 road towards Abbeytown. This is not easy to follow, so you should take a good road map and drive slowly. At Moorhouse, turn right along a very narrow minor road to Burgh-by-Sands.

There is parking close by the church. With the closure of so many pubs, I am starting to navigate by means of churches.

Map and grid reference: OS Explorer OL315, 325590

Length: 4 miles

Terrain: can be wet after rain so be sure to take the correct footwear.

Students of Hadrian’s Wall often make the mistake of just following the line from Carlisle to Newcastle. The wall, however, began on the banks of the Solway Firth at the point where the River Eden enters the estuary. This is just what is so haunting about this fairly level start which leads through marshland and is one of the most important ornithological areas in Britain. What buildings there are in the area have stones incorporated into their fabric taken from Hadrian’s Wall. About half way along this walk is an impressive monument commemorating the exploits of Edward I, who was surely the most able of the English kings, at least in the art of battle. On a more peaceful note, the views across the estuary to Scotland are stunningly beautiful.

The walk:

1 Begin the walk in the heart of the village. Enjoy the buildings, including the old Greyhound Inn and a thatched cottage which has walls mainly composed of wattle and daub, supported by substantial buttresses. There are also solid stone-built farms using materials taken from the Roman wall. The farms were not surprising, but what is unusual is a complex of buildings which was once a tobacco processing factory. The church of St Michael was built in 1181, with its tower being originally a pele constructed as a defence against the Scots. The windows are narrow and the walls are almost seven feet thick. Inside the church is a memorial to Edward I whose body lay in state in the nave in 1307.

2 From the church, turn left for a very short distance before turning sharp right. Follow a substantial track which eventually leads into a damp area of marshland grass. At one time the sea-washed turf was exported for use in sports grounds, including the old Wembley Stadium. The area is something of an ornithologists’ dream, especially in the migration periods of autumn and spring. I would advise a visit between June and August because here can be heard the song of skylark and meadow pippit. There are few places in England where the haunting sound of cuckoo and yellow hammer can still be regularly heard. At certain times of the day, a spectacular bore rushes up the firth and into the river. While not so well known as the Severn or even the Arnside bore, the Solway flood is impressive.

3 This area is almost always wet but following the lack of rain in the 2011 spring it has been much drier than usual. Pass across a number of foot bridges to reach the monument dedicated to Edward I. The ageing Edward, who well deserved his name of the Hammer of the Scots, camped on the marshland on his way to Carlisle from Lanercost in 1307. He was taken ill and died on July 7. No monument was constructed to his eventful life until 1685 and a substantial replacement was built in 1803. This is now kept in an excellent state of repair.

4 The track now turns left and passes through yet more bird-rich marshland. This is now partly used as a firing range for the army, which was set up during the Second World War. It is now managed by the National Trust and is grazed by sheep and cattle but their numbers are carefully controlled. The bird list is impressive here with curlew, redshank and oystercatcher, which breed in the spring and early summer. In the cooler months of the year the wildfowl counts are impressive.

Cross a number of little footbridges and pass over stiles and through gates to reach the road. Turn left and return to the village.

NB: Restrictions on space mean that this article provides a general summary of the route. It is advisable for anyone who plans to follow the walk to take a copy of the relevant Ordnance Survey map.