CHURCH TO CHURCH WALKS
AROUND THE BINSEY TEAM
St Michael & All Angels, Torpenhow
to
All Saints, Boltongate
Distance: / 3 miles (4.8 km)Time: / 1 hour if marching, longer if strolling
Grid References: / start – NY 206398 end – NY 229408
Terrain: / Unlikely to see any vehicles for over 2 miles, but the Ireby to Boltongate road carries more traffic.
Gradients: / Mostly gentle with a bit of a pull up to the church at the end.
Underfoot: / Tarmac all the way, but may be covered in evidence of a milking herd in some places.
Church Access: / St Michael & All Angels – open all day
All Saints – open all day
This is one of a set of twelve guides to walks around the Binsey Team.
ROUTE DESCRIPTION: Italics are used for descriptions of scenery and points of interest which are not essential to route finding.
From the churchyard gate of St Michael & All Angels, Torpenhow, turn left, go down the slope in front of Torpenhow Hall and left along the road, passing between farm buildings. Pass the entrance to Park House and continue out into lovely, rolling countryside up a very quiet, steadily rising road. Near the top of the rise, look back for views of the Solway and Criffel. In July the flowers in the hedgerow included campion, herb robert, vetch, giant hog weed, and meadowsweet. As the road descends, Binsey can be seen through gaps in the hawthorn hedge on the right, and the hamlet of Boltongate, with your destination church, is visible ahead on the left.
The road descends, passing Cockshot Wood (“Keep Out”) on your right, and bending right and left. Cockshot Beck can be heard but not easily seen among trees on the right. Cross the beck on a bridge with stone parapets. The beck now heard on the left of the road is Church Strand.
Where the road turns right,
Another stone parapet indicates where Church Strand flows under the road. Ireby Old Church can be seen ahead on the right – this is on the St James, Ireby to St James, Uldale route but you can visit it now if you wish. If not visiting the Old Church, turn off to the left along a by-way with a sign saying “Prior Hall”, althought this may be hidden by summer vegetation. The buildings of Prior Hall Mill on Cockshot Beck can be glimpsed across a field on the right. Pass between Prior Hall Cottage on your right and a track down to Prior Hall Mill on your left. Beyond this the by-way turns sharp right between banks with a wire fence on the left and hedge on the right.
Pass Prior Hall on your left. The road rises gently, now with hawthorn hedges on both sides, then levels out before descending. There are views or the fells “Back o' Skiddaw” ahead to the right. When you reach the T junction, turn left onto this busier road and, maintaining traffic awareness, carry on for nearly half a mile descending to the River Ellen. Cross the river on a fine stone bridge and, passing the “Boltongate Please Drive Slowly” sign, climb up the hill to the hamlet. All Saints Church is on your right and reached by turning in through stone gate posts in front of The Bell Church Institute.
For all the saints who from their labours rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy name, O Jesus, be for ever blest.
Hallelujah!
William Walsham How (1823-97)
Collect for All Saints' Day – 1 November
Almighty God,
you have knit together your elect
in one communion and fellowship
in the mystical body of your Son Christ our Lord;
grant us grace so to follow your blessed saints
in all virtuous and godly living
that we may come to those inexpressible joys
that you have prepared for those who truly love you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
BINSEY TEAM MINISTRY
(
proclaiming Jesus as Lord in word and deed in
Allhallows, Bassenthwaite, Boltons, Embleton, Ireby, Isel,
Plumbland, Setmurthy, Torpenhow, Uldale, and Wythop.
2015