Lune Valley Ramble

Having done a section of the Lune Valley Ramble with Dan, yesterday, I wanted to go back for more on today's run. A look at the map showed a combination of footpaths and backroads that would take me down to Arkholme via Whittington, and then I could join the Ramble there to follow the river back up to Kirkby Lonsdale. 

My first hiccup came after I'd run up out of Whittington to find the footpath (see Extra). I jogged on the spot for a minute while I considered my options and then ran back down to the church and used the route that Dan and I took yesterday to get back to the road. 

There are two roads that run south from Kirkby Lonsdale, one on each side of the river. The one on the eastern side follows the river more faithfully and will take you all the way down to Lancaster, passing through Hornby and Caton. The other, the one I'd just joined, only really follows the river as far as Arkholme. Both roads would make great runs but they're simply too busy.

Except, of course, there is far less traffic at the moment so I took a chance and ran down the B6254 from Whittington to Arkholme, at which point I took a left turn and ran down to the river. Now, in theory, there was a left fork I needed to take to get myself onto the Lune Valley Ramble but I stayed on the road down as far as the river, thinking I'd pick up the path there.

Well, there was a path of sorts but it involved a lot of scrambling about and even necessitated a jump over a small stream. The landing site I chose for myself was deceptive and turned out not to be a patch of mud but a more of a mudhole, which I sank into almost up to my knee!

Anyway, I laboured on and eventually joined what appeared to be the path of the Ramble. Phew! In fairly short order, though, I came to another farm, which also had a sign up asking people not use the footpath and some further signs leading around an alternative route. With a sigh, I set off, following the arrows.

We all have dark, suspicious thoughts at times, I think, and as I ran around the edge of a field I must confess that it occurred to me that some farmers were using the virus as an excuse to stop people using footpaths through their land. I felt bad about this almost immediately as the diversion took a turn through the farmyard where I encountered the farmer, who couldn't have been more friendly. 

From there, I rejoined the Ramble and the rest of the run was without incident although the strong, constant, cold wind took some of the pleasure out of it. I have been spoilt by all the good weather we've had for the last couple of months!

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-8.4 kgs
Reading: 'Underland' by Robert Macfarlane