Shaftoe Crags and Bolam Lake was the next walk to be recce’d and with Martin unavailable, the lovely Anne joined me.
We parked up in one of the car parks which was quiet when we arrived, quick change of shoes and off we set with map (Anne) and GPS (Julie) in our hands.
First up was a short distance along the road. A finger post pointed us off the road and across a field of sheep. We got to a ladder stile which posed a slight problem as it didn’t have any rungs on one side. I went over the stile but Anne climbed over the fence next to it as there was a really deep puddle at the gate.
The walk is relatively flat, with 2 inclines (I promise they are not hills LOL). Parts of the route were muddy. Along our walk we spotted frogspawn, deer, a hare, blue tit and a robin. We also heard a woodpecker at the car park.
The wooded area around Bolam Lake has excellent paths and obviously a magnificent view of the Lake.
There is a visitors centre which serves refreshments, this was very busy today so Anne and I (after buying an ice cream (with monkey’s blood) decided to go to The Stable Coffee Shop which we had passed just a little way back up the road.
I have done this walk before but Anne hadn’t and we both enjoyed it. We hardly noticed the inclines.
Thank you Anne for keeping me company today and I hope to see everyone on the 7th April.
Shaftoe Crags
The area is geologically significant with a number of interesting rock formations including the Devil’s Punchbowl. The crags reach a height of nearly 700ft making it a popular area for climbers. From this elevated position the views over the surrounding area are magnificent.
Bolam Lake Country Park
For many years, Bolam Lake has been a popular place for a day in the countryside. Take a leisurely stroll around the lake or explore the woodland. Bring a picnic and enjoy a summer’s day with the family or explore and discover the wildlife which makes Bolam Lake so special. Red squirrels, roe deer, great spotted woodpeckers and nuthatches have been spotted in the area.
