A Walk to Widdale Great Tarn

The walk to Widdale Great Tarn

Arthur and Elizabeth left the house, taking their dogs with them, out side Arthur said ‘I think I will go for a walk up Widdale Beck, then up to Great Tarn, to give me space to think.’

Elizabeth replied ‘I think that is a good idea, can I come with you? Oh, there's Martha and John, should we ask them to come with us?’

’Well why not they will be staying as well, so what they think will affect us, we can come to a unified solution.’

He called out to them ‘Hey you two we are off up the beck, and over Widdale Scar; to think things out, do you want to come with us?’

John replied. ‘Yes why not, we are in the same boat, better we put our heads together now rather than later.’

‘Which path should we take? The wide grass covered Drovers Road'; we would have to climb the wall at the top? or, the narrow, stony path by the stream? no climbing walls. that way?’

‘Elizabeth said "I don't want to go around climbing walls. Thank you.’

‘Right the stony path by the stream it is then.’ John replied.

John and Arthur set out in the lead, through the snicket gate, down the side of the humpbacked bridge to the beck side and set out in single file up the narrow stony path, with the two girls following.

As they walked in silence, they watched the clear water bubbling over and around the rock and stones.

Arthur said ‘I don’t fancy living in a town and working in a factory, I think That I would miss places like this, although for you John once you are in the forge with the fire going and hot irons to shape, one foundry would be much like any other, a hot place to be in summer, but nice and warm in winter, not like on the fell tops, where you have to accept whatever you are sent, winter or summer.’

John replied, #It isn't so bad in summer, we can have the doors open and do get a few minutes now and again in the open air, we often have the doors open in winter, a horse to shoe, or when making a bracket that has to fit exact; shape it try it; make adjustments.’

Martha joined in ‘It's alright for you two living outside, we both work in an office, so it would be just the same, except when we finish work, we wouldn't have this to relax in, but we may live closer to work, and they will have dance halls where we could meet some nice young men.’

Elizabeth's dog, 'Ruby' stopped, ears pricked listening to something, Elizabeth watched and listened,

A faint bleating of a sheep high up on the rocky hill side. It wasn't the normal bleat, more one of fear. A call for help.

‘Go on the Ruby, find it.’

Ruby ran off up the hillside in the direction of the sound. She stopped, looking back to see, if they were following her; then satisfied, she was on her way again.

The other dog, Patch, was also standing awaiting instructions,

Arthur, sent it away.

‘Go on Patch you find it.’

 ‘Find it.’

Elizabeth called to Arthur,

‘The dogs have heard something up on the screes, I think we should go up and investigate.’

Arthur told the others what was happening.

‘Come if you want but the ground is rough, you can continue or wait here a while, we will just see what the problem is then return.’

When they reached the spot there was a sheep fast between two rocks, trapped by its body, its feet off the ground.

Arthur said.

‘It must have lost its footing and slipped, I will have to push her up then you can push her forwards, that should release her.’

With the sheep released they returned to the path and continued the walk.

Martha asked.

‘How did you know there was a problem? Ruby never barked she just stood looking up the hillside.’

‘No, they don't bark, at times just a short yap, but I could see her ears pricked up, listening, also she was looking up the hill, her body stiff and attentive, she knew it was not a normal noise, something unusual, that is the way they react.

There is an understanding between the handler and the dog.

The handler is the manager, and the dog likes to please the handler.

I got my first dog at the age of five, a b***h pup - female I called her Betty; Grandad taught Arthur how to train her; I just petted her, then they taught me how to control her; the words and whistles.’

‘So you are a shepherdess then?’ Said Martha.

‘Well yes you could say that. I have some medals and certificates; Best girl under 11; and girls under 13.

At ten I got a second dog and won the best under 15 boy or girl with two dogs.

I go out now when we are rounding them up.

Grandad takes mine out regularly, to keep them in trim; grandad can handle all our dogs, they never play up when he has them; he trained them all. So, he is the master. Sort of top dog. They are herd animals.’

 

They had reached to top of the beck; where the path split, they turned to go up the stony fellside.

Now in line abreast; the steepness of the hillside taking their breath.

At the top of Widdale Scar they stopped for a breather.

‘Is that our place down there? It looks so different from up here, and across there to Hardraw, it looks to be in a different place, not where I imagined from down there.’

‘Lets, go over to Great Tarn.’ said Arthur.

They made their way across the Rough open moorland to a rocky outcrop on the top of Great Knoutbrerry Hill.

John said, ‘Gosh it is like being on top of the earth, with everything being bellow us.’

‘Haven't you been up here before?’ Asked Elizabeth

‘No" He replied ‘I have never had the inclination to go on the hills.’

Arthur said. ‘Grandad comes round here almost every day. Over there is the Moorcock Inn ‘Indicating with his arm’ at the junction of the road, down Garsdale to Kendal and over Malerstang Common to Kirkby Stephen; Buttertubs Pass to Swaledale: over Hawes, and down; Wensleydale; over that hill to Stalling Busk; Ribble Valley; and Dent Dale. Directly in front is Great Tarn. Let’s go down there now.’

At the side of the tarn Arthur said.

‘Grandad showed me this place, it’s a good place to sit and think, or just sit and have your lunch.

I take it you are all with staying here and keeping the farm and forge going.

I know why dad wants to go, He was looking for something, he has most of the last years cloth still to sell, the factories are producing something like it far cheaper and faster than we can.

This Stubley fella has money and land; also another job, his wife has a big shop in the town that sells everything, so they are not without.

What he wants is someone to run a woollen textile factory and an engineer to fettle the machinery, he found both of them in our parents;

What I want is for us to keep what we have here going. I think gran and grandad would like us to do that; and they would help in any way they can.

Our grandad has a daily walk over all our land day by day and yours looks to do lots of odd jobs in the foundry. We must find what grans would say. Anybody anything to add?’

Martha said. ‘It’s just the domestic stuff like cooking, I have never cooked a dinner or baked a cake stuff like that.’

Elizabeth replied. ‘Yes, that's it with me. I will ask gran if she can help and teach us to cook, like she taught mum.

Let you and me get them together and have a word, see what they can do.’

 

On the way down, Elizabeth slipped on a loose stone and turned her ankle; it was too painful to walk on, especially on the steep rough ground.

John said, ‘We will have to carry you.’

‘I am too heavy for you to carry me.’

Without a word, John held her with his right arm round her back, then with his other arm lifted her by the knees.

‘Who says you are too heavy?’

Elizabeth, and Johns, dogs, ran up growling, hackles raised, and teeth bared.

Elizabeth called to them,

‘Ruby, Patch, Good dogs, quiet, lay-down."

The dogs backed off, but kept a watch, ‘Good dogs.’

John set her down, and Elizabeth made a fuss of them all the time saying, ‘Good Dogs, who's a good dog.’

Then to John.

‘Hold your hand out for them to sniff, ruffle the fur behind their ears, now let them lick your hand. Now, you are a friend, they will remember you.’

‘Climb on my back and I will give you a piggyback ride.’

John bent for her to climb onto his back; with an

‘Hold tight.’

He set off down the hill, closely followed by the two dogs.

Elizabeth could feel his shoulder muscles flexing as he walked.

Once they were down to smoother ground, he let her down Martha came over. ‘How was that?’

‘It saved my ankle. He is strong that brother of yours; I could feel his shoulder muscles; they felt as big as my legs.’

‘Yes, they are. He is using them every day. I watched him at the annual fair, at that stall where they all try to ring the bell,

John had a slack jacket on.

The guy was seeking another victim and began to taunt John.

John kept his jacket on and took the short hammer, refusing the long-handled sledgehammer; he played around with it, to see how heavy it was, and get the balance right, the guy started to taunt him again.

John held the hammer in his right hand, when all the others has used two, one big swipe and he was the first to ring the bell.

Then. He told him to set it up again.

‘This prize is for my girlfriend.’

He rang the bell again using his left hand, ‘Give the girl both prizes.’ He said and just nonchalantly walked away.’

 

On returning home both girls approached their grandma's to ask for help with the cooking; both grandma's gave similar answers:

‘I would be happy to help, I can cook for you, and you would be welcome to help any time, or even to do your own cooking,

But the kitchen is mine, you will be allowed in but the boys would have to be invited and they must clean up their own mess.’