I couldn't resist investigating further.Fortunately the weekend dawned sunny and hot and, as I was free from commitments now my eldest has passed his driving test, I grabbed the opportunity to go and find them.Beetham is a lovely village with a n old pub, a church and a water mill and is well worth a visit. I parked at Heron Mill and walked down the lane and past the church to the village shop to ask directions. I was going in the right direction and soon found the footpath sign.Over the field and into the woods which were quiet and cool in the shade. The tree trunks and walls were green with moss and rocky outcrops of limestone appeared by the path.
I climbed the gradual path up the slope, through a gap in the wall and passed a cairn until I came to a clearing on the top of the fell.The view over Arnside Knot was spectacular on such a clear day and I could hear the siren warning people that the 'bore' was on its way up the estuary.
Below me was a narrow crack in the limestone through which the path continued, and a sign at the top signifying that this was the top of The Fairy Steps. Worried that I might get stuck I decided to take the alternate route round the limestone outcrop and I'm so glad I did because I found a real fairy house in the trunk of an old tree.(see below)
Through the woods and down the slope at the other side I passed an old farm with a Pele tower.
As I walked across the Dallam Estate I caught sight of this fellow and his mate and further along the road I discovered a lime kiln and explanatory sign explaining how lime had been quarried and extracted to provide fertilizer for the land.I do love the way you fall unexpectedly on pieces of history and education with no effort at all!
Finally I arrived back at the working mill where I had started out after a lovely day.
And here's the little house I discovered.I think we will soon have a fairy house in our garden!
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