Stanley cicular via Leadgate

15^th July 2013Stanley to Leadgate cicular 11mls

A short drive took us to our staring point today, Stanley, where from the car park we immediately joined the Consett and Sunderland Railway path. This also forms part of the Coast to Coast cycleway resulting in comfortable walking surface for a considerable part of our walk. Being a disused railway track the usual flowers/weeds were in bloom, Rosebay Willowherb, white and Red Campion and Fat Hen to name just a few. 

If our walk had a theme today it would be butterflies. I cannot recall another outing when so many butterflies were our constant companions, it was impossible to walk more than 50yds without disturbing at least half a dozen and they were all busy feeding or dancing duets together making it difficult to photograph and identify them. At one spot where we stopped to take in the scenery I counted 20 butterflies in a small area.

It was a hot day with clear blue skies and soaring temperatures so we took advantage of any picturesque spots to stop and keep hydrated the first one being a small fishing lake, a little oasis hidden away on the edge of an industrial estate.

Who's looking at the world through rose coloured glasses?

 Continuing along the cycle way we found further evidence of the industrial heritage of the area in the form of two huge metal sculptures “Him and Her”, it was here we saw a Red Kite circling high above us floating on the thermals to me a much more impressive site.

We left this path when it reached the main road, A693 and crossed over along the edge of Leadgate and entered Billingside Plantation for the return loop to Stanley.

 

It was a welcome reprise from the sun and the heat to be under the canopy of the lush large trees. Instead of nettles encroaching on our path it was the soft, smooth, cool ferns that surrounded us, if fact it felt like a scene from Jurassic Park, seeing a brachiosaurus would not have been out of place here.

 

  It must have been an ancient woodland as a little further on we stumbled upon what look like pre historic dwelling ( or maybe number 4 in National Trust 50 things to do before your 11 ¾ years) I’ll let you decide!

Leaving the woods we followed the edge of the fields towards Pontop Fell here there was a radiating vibrant golden colour across the meadows but not from the buttercups of a couple of weeks ago, the predominant flower today was Bird’s foot trefoil. 

No wonder there are so many butterflies about with such an abundant food supply. Continuing on, whether by luck or good planning we entered Catchgate village where we were able to buy an ice cream this give us an extra spring in our step to see us on the final leg back to Stanley. 

Who lived here?

 Good points of today; a good distance covered in very warm weather that bodes well for the Camino.

Downside I lost my binoculars!