November 28th Moderate

Walk:	Dove House Farm, Nook Bridge, Aikbank, Farleton Fell & Knott, Newbiggin Crags, Oakwood Farm, Curwen Woods, Sheernest and by canal to start point.
Start Point:	Lay-by on A65 near J36 of M6	Grid Reference:	SD 538 826
Distance:	9.3 miles	Ascent:	977 feet
Time:	5 hours
Weather:	Below freezing with clear skies and wall to wall sunshine. No wind and a half inch of snow in some places.
Comments:	Twenty four people left their warm beds to find some thermometers recording minus seven degrees centigrade outside. However, wearing plenty of layers, the walkers found the wind-less sunlit day to be quite pleasant. After a false start because of an activated auto alarm the leader commenced the walk by joining the partially frozen Lancaster Canal. Following the snow covered Tow Path (well! half an inch deep) to a concrete underpass of the A65 the group left the canal heading over frozen fields toward Dove House Farm. What a change not to have to walk through ankle deep mud! Moving on, the party crossed more fields to pass through Nook Bridge and Aikbank to reach the foot of Farleton Fell. Then, zig zagging along a well defined path the walkers climbed to Farleton Knott which is 836 feet above sea level and which afforded ample views of the snow covered Lakeland Fells to the north and a snow-less Ingleborough to the east. The landscape in between presented a patchwork quilt of thinly dusted snow covered fields. Gradually descending from Farleton Knott onto Newbiggin Crags, areas of fractured Limestone Pavement could be seen with hardy trees struggling to survive in the Grikes. Leaving the limestone and Fell behind the party descended via a lane towards Oakwood Farm at Clowthorpe. On the way it was considered that a deer had left a foot print in the snow by the road side. Leaving the lane the ramblers passed Curwen Woods in the grounds of a large house on their way towards Holme. At Sheernest the canal tow path became the last long leg of the return to base. This was after viewing two donkeys, both of which appeared to be pregnant. With the sun still present many reflections of trees, buildings and animals could be seen in the ice free parts of the canal. In addition there were a number of cygnets about to mature in to Swans enjoying the sun. Perhaps these were the same cygnets that were admired by the Wednesday Ramblers in the spring of this year! Unusually for this time of year the group completed the walk whilst the sun still shone. A fine walk and a fine leader! Thank you.

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