Route: Brough Castle
Area: Eden Valley
Date of walk: 17th April 2016
Walkers: Andrew and Gilly
Distance: 5.5 miles
Ascent: 500 feet
Weather: Sunny at first, cloud gradually moving in
There’s a good view of Brough Castle from the nearby A66 and we’ve driven past here 100s of times, each time vowing to visit but never getting round to it. It was high time that we rectified this omission
Brough Castle is under the stewardship of English Heritage and although entry is free there are specified opening times, so check before visiting. The castle is situated in a strategic position and is a reminder that in the 12th century this area of England was under threat of attack from Scotland
We parked in the village of Church Brough and entered the castle grounds. The wonderful views in all directions indicated why this site was chosen by the original builders. As we walked out of the village we could hear the hum of traffic from the nearby A66, but as we progressed further along the valley the noise receded and was replaced by the plaintive calls of curlews and oystercatchers. This provided a wonderful soundtrack for the rest of the walk
On reaching the half way point at Great Musgrave we walked along a quiet country lane for a while before setting off on the return leg across the fields (some of them very muddy). The highlight of the walk was undoubtedly the castle, but the beautiful surrounding countryside is worth exploring in its own right
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before we set off this morning
Later on that morning, we walk past the village church in Castle Brough at the start of the walk
Some photos of Brough Castle…
After that enjoyable visit we return to the church and walk down the lane beside it
The lane becomes a rough track
We head in the direction of lakeland
We walk beside Swindale Beck for a while
Oystercatcher
A heron flies overhead
We cross Swindale Beck at Hallgarth
We climb a small hill on the way to Great Musgrave
Looking back to Brough Castle above Hallgarth
…and again from higher up the hill
We arrive at the half way point, Great Musgrave
We walk out of the village along this quiet lane
We turn right just before Villa Farm to head back through the fields towards Castle Brough…
Zooming in on Brough Castle
Tinbridge Hill
Brough Castle again, and from here it’s a short walk back to the start
