Viking Way, Stage 3: Nettleton to Ludford

Despite a very changeable weather forecast we decided to go ahead with our planned stage 3 walk along the Viking Way from Nettleton to Ludford.  Having met up at our endpoint we then drove back in one car to park at the Salutation in Nettleton.  We had driven through some heavy rain, but by the time we began the walk it had reduced to the weather forecast's euphemistic 'light rain'.  This, actually was as bad as it got and by coffee it had stopped altogether and it got positively bright.  The 'Way' took us up the remote Nettleton Beck.  This stretch passes through the area of the old ironstone mines and must at one time been a hive of industry as limestone quarrying went on here as well; most of the ingredients necessary for iron production.  Many of the houses in Nettleton are built of the attractive ironstone.  The valley is either too difficult of access or of poor soil quality as the land is uncultivated and used only for pasture.  Having emerged from the valley there followed a short road section to Normanby, the highest point in the Wolds where we had coffee in the church.  We then continued along the scarp slope of the Wolds with fine views to the west before dropping into Walesby and climbing up to the Ramblers Church high above the village where we had lunch.  The next village along is Tealby where we were pleased to discover that the tea rooms had been reopened.  The final section led us high up out of the valley with more expansive views to the west towards Lincoln and across the old Roman road of Caistor High Street, before following field boundaries to out finish at Ludford.
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May Visit to the Lakes, Day 3

What an excellent day of weather today for our walk.  It couldn't get better in the lakes.  Sunny skies with pleasing cloud formations, dramatic mountain views and 22 deg C.  We were away reasonably early and were soon parked up in the National Trust Car Park at the Old Dungeon Ghyll at the head of the Langdale Valley.  We set off up the road to Blea Tarn turning off onto the path that climbed steeply to the summit of Pike O'Blisco.  As we climbed the views of the Langdale Pikes got better and better.  Finally we topped out on the summit and the views to the Crinkles and Bowfell opened up.  Magnificent.  After a pleasant lunch in the sun on the summit we made our way down to Red Tarn and then via Oxendale back to the ODG where a welcome pint of shandy awaited.  On the way back into the campsite at Ashes Lane we stopped to photograph the bluebells.  As soon as we got out of the car we were immersed in the heady aroma of the wood full of flowers, amazing!!  Later in the evening I went out for some sunset shots again.  The air was heady with the coconut scent of gorse, what a way to finish our break.
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