Wobbly Bridge

Eamont River (Part 4)

It was a lovely morning so I decided I wanted to continue following the River Eamont. We saw it flow out of Ullswater and, the last time we saw it, it was in flood at Pooley Bridge. I was planning to walk along the river from that point to the next bridge, but the footpath actually has to leave the river and detour quite considerably after a short way. (We do have a problem with access to the river because of Dalemain Estate and fishing rights etc. I will deal with this issue next time.)
 
So we parked (probably illegally!) by Pooley Mill Bridge, which is not that far from Pooley Bridge itself. This is it – the second bridge over the River Eamont. Actually the picture was taken at the ford, which is adjacent to the bridge and you can see the gate at the other side of the ford. This is the official footpath and is signed as such, but I don’t think anyone will be using it as a ford at the moment!
 
The bridge provides access to Pooley Mill on the opposite side and a big sign states that usage is by permission of Dalemain Estates, the Landowner. And there are to be No more than five persons to be on the bridge at any one time. We muttered ‘Thank you very much, Sir’ before we crossed!
 
Pooley Mill Bridge is a gated wooden footbridge. It is also wobbly and I do not like wobbly bridges! I did go across, but only when it stopped wobbling. The river was still quite high and it is obvious that the bridge has been set quite high to avoid it being washed away during floods. Apparently the original bridge was destroyed by floods in 2009. This is a new bridge built the following year.
 
It was such a lovely day that we continued on an old footpath across hills and fields and through a farm until we reached Barton Church, a fine little Norman Church. The weather was perfect, the sun actually feeling warm, whilst the freezing temperatures had hardened the muddy sections of the fields making for easy walking. Nice to see blue skies and hear birds singing. Then we had to cross the wobbly bridge again!