Flakebridge Wood

Flakebridge Wood

Route: Dufton Ghyll and Flakebridge Wood

Area: Eden Valley

Date of walk: 19th May 2018

Walkers: Andrew 

Distance: 7.3 miles

Ascent: 800 feet

Weather: Sunny

I parked in the free car park in the unspoilt village of Dufton. The path out of the village into Dufton Ghyll Wood was easy to find, being adjacent to the car park. I walked down into Dufton Ghyll Wood and followed the path through it, before emerging into open countryside with good views across to the North Pennines as I went along, accompanied by the plaintive calls of curlew, lapwing, and a pair of buzzards

After an enjoyable section through the fields I arrived at Flakebridge Wood. I’d been here a couple of times before, and so knew what to expect – huge swathes of bluebells carpeting the woodland floor. The next mile was a short walk in heaven with the sight and smell of countless bluebells as I went along. This is possibly the best and most extensive display of the flowers I’ve ever seen. Although the weather was perfect, with sun and clear blue skies, this is not ideal for photographing bluebells – there’s too much contrast – and so the photos taken in the woodland don’t really do justice to the spectacular show

Eventually I left the woods behind me and followed the track known as Frith Lane towards Brampton. The walk could be extended here, but I was running short of time and so followed the lovely path along Wood Lane back into Dufton Ghyll Wood. Yet more bluebells accompanied me on this final section back into the village

It had been another fantastic walk in the well named Eden Valley

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