Day 8 Carnforth to Carlisle Walk 

Long Meg & her Daughters' to Wetheral

To fit in with return transport this walk was completed in reverse, ie starting from Wetheral, 11.5m 1350ft

Leaving the train at Wetheral a footpath leads straight from the station out on to the Wetheral Viaduct....

....its 5 arches stand 100ft above the river Eden which I'll be following all the way to 'Long Meg' stone circle

The gatehouse of  Wetheral Priory, unfortuately the ruins of the rest of the priory are now farm buildings

On the riverside, a short distance from the priory are St Constantine's Cells. They were used by the monks to take refuge from the Scottish Border incursions and also to have lived there as an ascetic practice 

They are hewn out of the rock face directly above the river

There are 3 identical cells....

....of which this is one... not sure I'd fancy living there myself!!

A view of the 'Cells' from further down the river

This farmhouse stands above the river and housed the gamekeeper. The local landowner at the time paid for the addition of the tower to give the gamekeeper a better chance of spotting poachers!

Continuing on the river side along the 

'Eden Way' path... 

....before leaving it briefly passing right through the garden of this cottage....

....and returning to the riverside at the village of Armathwaite

After continuing several miles upstream the path descends and continues to....

Lacy's Caves, which were commissioned by Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Lacy of nearby 

Salkeld Hall. 

It's thought their purpose was as a storage area for his wines and spirits and to impress his party guests

No this isn't Samuel Lacy......it's your's truly

....though not a guest of Samuel Lacy I was nevertheless impressed with his caves!

Leaving the caves it's then only a short walk to

'Long Meg' standing here with her stone circle.....

.....pointing to the sky surrounded by her 'Daughters' which is thought to form the largest stone circle in the British Isles.

A fascinating day's walking in some beautiful countryside and filled with historical interest.  

Just one more day now to finish my walk in Carlisle