| Name of walk | Swinside Stone Circle |
| Date of walk | 2025-03-08 |
A walk with the bellringers, organised by Andy, Tower Captain at St. James, Barrow. A circular six or so mile walk starting at Duddon Iron Furnace car park and taking in the delights of the Iron Furnace ruins, woods, caves, Corney Fell, wildlife and Sunkenkirk/Swinside Stone Circle. I have been to the stone circle before, but not by this route. We would then have lunch in the Kings Head at Broughton before the branch ringing meeting at St. Mary’s at 2.30pm.
Andy's proposed 6 mile route map.
The bellringers gather in the Duddon Iron Furnace car park. Photo taken by Andy.
Duddon Iron Furnace.
Andy poses.
View from the top.
We head up through the woods on a rocky path, then have to duck under fallen tree branches.
Scarlet Elf Cup fungus.
It is hot work, Andy and Jo P remove their jumpers/coats. Good views towards Duddon Bridge.
We emerge out of the woodland to views across to Great Stickle, Stickle Pike, Caw and Dow Crag.
Joe K had walked this part of the route before, so we were looking for the pigs he saw the last time he was here. (AP)
No sign of any pigs.
There be cows though!
.....and fell ponies.
Our route ahead.
Andy is enjoying himself.
Sue has an app on her phone that identifies bird song. We are listening to a Yellowhammer.
Andy's photo of the Yellowhammer.
(AP)
Blackcombe in the distance.
Just near the spoil heap is a quarry cave.
Entrance.
View in.
View out.
Andy's photo.
View to the top cave. Need a tall ladder to see inside this one.
"Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to Corny Fell we go!" Kinmont Buckbarrow, Buckbarrow and Whitfell in the distance.
Jo P spots some frogs spawn that is drying out so moves it into another pondlet. (AP)
(AP)
Sheep on Corney Fell.
Not as clear as earlier.
Bleak.
We reach the road and head up to the crossroads. (AP)
We now head off left towards Millom, before then taking a right.
The sun is out again.
We can now see the stone circle in the distance.
Heading for Fenwick Farm.
Andy's lovely photo of Jo P.
After the farm we take the bridge across Black Beck and then cross the field on the left.
We are now spread out a bit, we head down to the left and through the farm in the dip.
Guard geese.
Ta da! Sunkenkirk/Swinside Stone Circle.
Thought to be built around 3,000-4,000 BC, so older than Stonehenge......and much quieter!
Andy and Jo.
Andy's photo of Joe K, me, Sue and Rachel. It has taken nearly three hours to get here.
(AP)
(AP)
Last look back to the stone circle.
We pass Cragg Hall, Helen, who was a back row cornet with me in the South Cumbria Brass Band, lives here. Luckily she was out in the garden and came over for a chat. Thinking of learning to ring at Broughton she will be coming to listen to the bells at the ringing meeting this afternoon.
Negotiating the stepping stones at Beck Bank Farm.
(AP)
Soon we reach the main road and turn off for Ash House. Just a week earlier the ringers had rung for the funeral of Lady Mary Jardine, the owner.
Woodland path, trying to spot the standing stones in the field.
Bracket fungus. (AP)
King Alfred's Cakes (Daldinia concentrica) (AP).
Looking for the standing stones meant we missed the path and ended up coming up a steep bank. We then had to descend through a wood where many of the trees had been blown over in a storm. A bit of an obstacle course! We decided to take a large vehicle track down to the main road while Joe K continued to brave the fallen trees on the shorter route as he needed to be back in Broughton to open up the church for the meeting, which was due to start at 2.30pm.
We walked back along the road for a short distance and headed back to the car park, then drove to Broughton for lunch in the King's Head, meeting up with Jayden.
Andy's photo.
St. Mary Magdalene, Broughton. (AP)
The walk ended up being nearly 9 miles long and taking about 5 hours. Thanks to Andy for organising it and for the use of some of his photos, and to Sue for the lift.
Jo.
