Walk Diary                Sunday 19 February 2012            Weather, 8⁰C  Perfect

Ilam (in search of snowdrops)     Depart 10.06 am    8 ½ miles       Leader: Gerry White

I don’t usually report on walks that are not on the programme but, as this was such a perfect day and with a good number in attendance, eighteen, I’ll make this an exception. Our customary, punctual start was a little delayed, with a few members with needs that had to be addressed before leaving from the starting point on the road near to the recently restored Ilam Cross and very fine it looks too. We crossed the road at the entrance to the village,
taking the path that would eventually lead us up the side of Bunster Hill. Taking this path, meant that we would pass St. Bertram’s Well, whose waters were said to have healing powers and I did take a closer look at the water flowing from the pipe in a wall and peering over I could actually see the site of the well. Bertram, a Saxon prince, travelled to Ireland to marry a princess. On their return, she gave birth to a child and, while resting here in a forest, Bertram went off to seek food;when he came back, he found that wolves had killed both his wife and child. He was heart-broken and, for the rest of his life remained in this place living as a hermit; his remains were buried in the nearby Ilam Church, and he later achieved sainthood.

Our climb up the very steep Bunster hill was not without incident as one of our number felt unwell and could not continue, returning the short way back to the village - later we heard that all was well. We didn’t go all the way to the top, just the first nine-hundred and twenty feet, before taking the path off to Ilam Tops Farm, then dropping down to Ilam Moor road for our first and well deserved break. Looking at the maps during the break, we realised that our leader was taking us to the find snowdrops in Stanshope where they grow in abundance, so much so I think the village should be renamed Galanthus. Our realisations were correct, but not without a little detour, taking in the delights of Allen’s Bank and viewing its well preserved Lime Kiln, today, a magnificent sight with a mantle of frost and snow. From here, we dropped steeply down, crossing meadows to the outskirts of Stanshope taking time to view the wonderful displays, which must have naturalised over many decades.

Many more of these white gems were to be seen as we dropped down to the Dale bottom, taking the road to Hopedale, following a path that climbs up to Stanshope Lane. Here we sat, in brilliant sunshine, to eat our lunch and to contemplate all that we had seen that morning. Lunch over, we made for Larkstone Lane, taking the eastern high line above the Hamp Valley, pausing now and then to take in the terrific scenes across the valley to the west and looking down at the River Hamp with a good flow of water as for most of the year the water flows in the limestone beneath it. After passing Castern Hall, we took the easier and cleaner route, along the road back to Ilam, a quick change of footwear and then on to the tearooms for a lovely cuppa and perhaps being persuaded to purchase a buttered scone. We need not have worried about our footwear as shortly afterwards another group of ramblers, who shall remain nameless, entered the tearooms with backpacks, muddy boots and all. For those who didn’t see the notices of this walk on this website, I’m sorry, but you missed one of the best walks of the year so far.