New Abbey to Englethwaite

This is night No.96/2018 living in my caravan. I'm now pitched at the Englethwaite Hall C&MC Site near Carlisle in Cumbria. A very reasonable £19 for 2 nights.

Got up around 0700 to take the dogs for a quick walk around the field next to the farm. A bit of a treat followed, a Remoska cooked breakfast on a toasted bagel. Quite delicious!

After breakfast and cleaning up, we went the short 3 mile drive to the Kirkconnel Flows NNR. It's a nationally important raised peat bog. The pictures don't really do it justice, but it is a large area of ground which sits about 6' above the surrounding land.

I read that it's no longer managed as a NNR, and that is quite obvious in places where the boardwalk is missing or collapsing, and the paths are very overgrown.

It is a worthwhile visit, and the forest bordering was great for walking the dogs.

This was a fine stretch in the circular route, which probably took around 40mins.

I would have stayed another night at New Abbey, but the location up a hillside, and the exposed pitch I was on didn't square with the wild weather forecast over the next few days. I believe it's been named 'Storm Callum'? One site about an hour away is Englethwaite Hall. This site is sheltered by forestry and is ideal for riding out the bad weather. I was last here around a month ago, and I do like it. It has a great field for letting the dogs off, and a FC Forest adjoining. The site doesn't have a toilet block, so I'll have to use my own facilities.

The great dog field.

I got a nice pitch. The weather was light showers, but still very warm.

Took the dogs into the forest next door which has some nice ponds. Very autumnal.

In the afternoon, looking at the map, there is a good riverside walk near the village of Armathwaite on the River Eden. It starts by parking and walking under the fine bridge in the village.

It was a great walk starting on Private ground next to the river, then leading into Coombs Wood, a FC Forest. That meant the dogs could run free. The walk took around 90mins and on the return, the rain returned. It was forecast!

Popped into Eden Stores in Armathwaite and picked up some local cheese. Pure indulgence!