A walk to the Fairy Steps, Cumbria

After 8 years it was time to return to the Fairy Steps. We started our 3 generation walk at Milnthorpe playing field as there was a pay and display car park:

After leaving the town we crossed the deer park at Dallam Tower:

The road around the edge of the park crosses some beautiful bridges:

We were accompanied by Sherlock the Bichon Frise so it was great to see that a dog gate was fitted on the stile down to the Kent Estuary. The way was also very well marked with fairly new arrows:

The tide was out leaving the sands exposed:

Some of the footpath was along an old railway track which was part of the old Hincaster banch line

Then we left the shoreline to start climbing up the local hillside:

Some of the paths were rather narrow thanks to a plant explosion:

It was easy to follow a route that went alongside some traditional Cumbrian dry stone walls:

We ate a picnic overlooking the estuary with the Lakeland fells in the backdrop:

The path then took us through woodland used for pheasants:

You can tell it is a cool, damp area by the quantity of moss on the stiles:

Even the road signposts were showing signs of too much rain over the years:

We had a short walk on the road before crossing fields and negotiating a traditional squeeze stile:

Then we had to climb over a stone stile (lots of variety on this walk!). Sherlock needed assistance to get up on this one:

We passed a farm with a traditional border Peel tower built to protect them from marauding Scots:

Then it was up an old coffin trail towards Beetham and the Fairy Steps. As I was playing Pokemon Go I couldn't resist snapping a Clefairy on this path:

Then we got the Fairy Steps themselves which cut through a limestone escarpement:

Apparently if you can climb them without touching the sides then you will see a fairy:

I had the job of assisting Sherlock up as some of the steps were rather large for little legs:

@lakessinglemum

Sherlock versus the Fairy Steps ##fairysteps ##cumbria ##bichonfrise ##dog ##missionimpossible

♬ Mission Impossible (Main Theme) - Favorite Movie Songs

It is a bit of a tight squeeze getting and only my super skinny son found it easy:

Somehow we took the wrong turn at this lovely way marker. We should have gone towards Cockshot Lane and not Beetham (added 2.5 miles to our walk!):

If we hadn't been tired, and the pub was open, it would have been a lovely pitstop:

We also had to walk long the, luckily not busy, A6. It was reassuring to see this milestone:

Looking the other way it did make me say "Ooh that's a half marathon...". Wonder when I'll get back to this distance again:

We passed the Dallam Tower deer park along the Bela. It was full of swans and we did spot deer (just not close enough to photograph):

Finally we got back to Milnthorpe and were relieved to get back to our car!

A beautiful walk in some lovely locations.