nan bield pass

Richard Evans said:

Anybody know the original function of the low stone shelters on Nan
Bield, near Small Water? They are very well built.

According to Wainwright they were "erected for wayfarers overtaken by
bad weather or darkness".

HTH

John D.
--
at home in Kendal, Cumbria
Lake District Walks at: http://www.lakedistrictwalks.com/
Kilimanjaro trip at: http://www.lakedistrictwalks.com/kilimanjaro/

The message <[email hidden]>
from Richard Evans <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Anybody know the original function of the low stone shelters on Nan
Bield, near Small Water? They are very well built.

According to Wainwright:

"Testimony to the former importance of Nan Bield Pass as a route for
travellers and trade are the three shelters alongside the track where it
crosses the bouldery shore of Small Water - erected for wayfarers
overtaken by bad weather or darkness. These shelters are roughly but
soundly built and roofed, but they are low and can be entered only by
crawling. Once the body is insinuated snugly in their spider-infested
recesses, however, the weather may be defied."

--
Roger Chapman so far this year 69 summits
New - 47 (Marilyns 13, Sweats 5, Outlying Fells 35)
Repeats - 22( Marilyns 7, Sweats 16, Wainwrights 16)

On Sat, 16 Oct 2004 21:07:42 +0100, Roger <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Once the body is insinuated snugly in their spider-infested
recesses, however, the weather may be defied."

I think I'd rather take my chances outside. There's no way *I'm*
crawling head-first into a spider-infested recess.

Judith

"Richard Evans" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anybody know the original function of the low stone shelters on Nan
Bield, near Small Water? They are very well built.

Had excellent day on Friday- High Street, Mardale Ill Bell. Great
weather, cool, clear skies.

Wayfarers, going from valley to valley without GPS's :-0, Doubt it though.
Shepherds' sheep folds etc. A coffin road? Take your pick. I'd suggest they
'aint as old as what most people think.

Wainwright guessed;-)
--

Regards,
The Craven Birds team.
http://www.craven-birds.co.uk

In message <[email hidden]>, Craven Birds
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

"Richard Evans" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Anybody know the original function of the low stone shelters on Nan
Bield, near Small Water? They are very well built.

Had excellent day on Friday- High Street, Mardale Ill Bell. Great
weather, cool, clear skies.

Wayfarers, going from valley to valley without GPS's :-0, Doubt it though.
Shepherds' sheep folds etc. A coffin road? Take your pick. I'd suggest they
'aint as old as what most people think.

Wainwright guessed;-)

They are an odd shape- less than 1m high, 1m wide, about 2m long:
obviously coffin-sized but I don't think that's the answer. Why three
right next to each other? Why so well made, using the very old system of
gradually tapering in towards the top?
The track is very obviously an engineered packhorse trail, with much
physical effort involved in that, and there are some very big old dry
stone walls in the area, so maybe the effort involved in making these
things is less than it might seem to us. Still, if you wanted to make a
shelter, you'd probably want something generally squarer in floor
pattern- it would be comparatively easy to bring some timber for roof
beams up from the lower valley- and something that allowed the occupant
to sit up in comfort.

--
Richard Evans

Judith said:

Quoted message said:

Once the body is insinuated snugly in their spider-infested
recesses, however, the weather may be defied."

I think I'd rather take my chances outside. There's no way *I'm*
crawling head-first into a spider-infested recess.

Me too!

<fx: shudder...>

Best wishes,
--
(**)PeeWiglet~~
/ \ / \

The message <[email hidden]>
from "Craven Birds" <[email hidden]> contains these words:

Quoted message said:

Wayfarers, going from valley to valley without GPS's :-0, Doubt it though.
Shepherds' sheep folds etc. A coffin road? Take your pick. I'd suggest they
'aint as old as what most people think.

Quoted message said:

Wainwright guessed;-)

Did he tell you that?

As to their age I too have no idea other than they appear to been built
before 1863. I think that would make them old in most peoples book.

--
Roger Chapman so far this year 69 summits
New - 47 (Marilyns 13, Sweats 5, Outlying Fells 35)
Repeats - 22( Marilyns 7, Sweats 16, Wainwrights 16)

On Sun, 17 Oct 2004 15:07:39 +0100, Peewiglet <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Judith said:

Quoted message said:

Once the body is insinuated snugly in their spider-infested
recesses, however, the weather may be defied."

I think I'd rather take my chances outside. There's no way *I'm*
crawling head-first into a spider-infested recess.

Me too!

<fx: shudder...>

Best wishes,

Feet first is the way to go.

--

Paul

(Watch this space)

Richard Evans said:

They are an odd shape- less than 1m high, 1m wide, about 2m long:
obviously coffin-sized but I don't think that's the answer.

It wasn't a coffin route, was it?

Quoted message said:

Why three
right next to each other?

For a group of people?

Quoted message said:

Why so well made, using the very old system of
gradually tapering in towards the top?

To last?

--

Paul

(Watch this space)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They are an odd shape- less than 1m high, 1m wide, about 2m long:
obviously coffin-sized but I don't think that's the answer.

It wasn't a coffin route, was it?

I don't think so- both Mardale and Kentdale (?sp) had/have churches.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why three
right next to each other?

For a group of people?

Or a group of something. I wonder if they are the right size for
pack-horse packs- but they would be much more easy to store in a
conventional building.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why so well made, using the very old system of
gradually tapering in towards the top?

To last?

Well, they certainly did that. I wonder how the builders would react to
this digital conversation!
--
Richard Evans

In message <[email hidden]>

Richard Evans said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

They are an odd shape- less than 1m high, 1m wide, about 2m long:
obviously coffin-sized but I don't think that's the answer.

It wasn't a coffin route, was it?

I don't think so- both Mardale and Kentdale (?sp) had/have churches.

I think Gatesgarth Pass was a coffin route, so presumably Mardale church
came later (and then went again when some people, whos descendents are
probably now trying to plant windfarms everywhere, built a dam across the
end of the valley).

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Why three
right next to each other?

For a group of people?

Or a group of something. I wonder if they are the right size for
pack-horse packs- but they would be much more easy to store in a
conventional building.

Quicker and cheaper to build? And less maintainance, since an ordinary
drystone building there would've fallen down years ago.

--
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