ENGLAND'S LAKE DISTRICT

                               A Delight Part of the Country

            I strongly believe that one of the best ways to see a new place is to walk or bike it. A few years ago I was not about to let anything stop me from taking my first European hiking trip. Fortunately the cast came off my broken foot a few days before departure. My good hiking boots kept severe swelling at bay when on my feet all day. Each day upon returning to the hotel, before going to my room, I went to the desk for a bag of ice. While my good friend poured us a glass of wine I removed my boot. Before applying the ice to my foot I removed a couple of cubes to ice to cool my wine. Priorities, right? My foot really gave me no trouble and I was able to enjoy a wonderful trip and learned a few neat things.

      Years ago when there was no church in town, coffins were carried over a coffin road to the nearest cemetery. We walked over a coffin road which now was no more than a hiking path.  

Making charcoal    

We detoured onto a pit stead    which we learned is a flat area that is needed for charcoal burning and is often elevated. A large pole (motte peg) was placed upright in the center of a circle. Coppice wood cut in 4-5 foot lengths was placed spoke fashion around the motte peg and piled 8-10 feet high. Then the whole pile was covered with bracken (fern like plant), leaving a small vent at the bottom.  Dirt was placed on top of the bracken. The motte peg was removed and the hole left filled with hot coals. Then the coals were covered so the whole thing was airtight. If air got in, the result was ash instead of charcoal. It was left to burn 2-3 days. The charcoal was cooled with water, sacked, and placed on a packhorse to be carried out. By 1913 the charcoal industry gave way to coke.  (Neither the drink nor the drug, but a type of coal)

Coppice wood is woodland that is cut every 15 years.

Oak bark was soaked to produce tannin and is the foundation of the expression ‘I’ll tan your hide.’

Pack Horse Bridges

We walked over the 400-year-old Slater’s pack horse bridge. There are many of these old bridges around. These stone bridges were very narrow and beautifully arched over becks (small streams).Many of the arched bridges and old pack horse bridges, are still standing 300-400 years later and are in good condition! 

Arched lumber was laid over the stream and anchored.  A key stone was placed on the center top, then rocks were laid to the edges. When the wood was removed the rocks locked themselves in place. The pack horse bridges we passed over were very narrow requiring single file, so it is hard to imagine a horse dragging a 2- wheel cart over them. With no mortar the bridges are so sturdy I wonder if they could even be torn down.

An Interesting Stile

We climbed over an ancient stile built into the wall. The stile used cantilevered stones as steps. A one-foot wide space in the top of the wall was used for one to turn so he could climb down the opposite side on more cantilevered stones. This whole concept was new to me and maneuvering the first time was a bit of a challenge, but one that was quickly conquered.

Gates and Pastures

Although people live and farm in England’s National Parks, they are still open to the public. We walked through many pastures, climbed several stiles and opened and closed many gates. Passing through one pasture we were scolded by loud blatting from the rear. We stopped to see what was going on. Suddenly the noisy sheep saw a clear passageway and kicked in the afterburners. When he arrived on the other side of us he wandered over to another sheep. It was pretty cute.