ACROSS LAKELAND - A Northern Coast to Coast Walk: From St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay - page 44

On reaching Burnbanks go through a narrow gate onto a path meandering
through a small woodland glade (signposted 'Naddle Bridge'). This en-
chanted, moss-hung place echoes loudly in spring and summer to the
song of wood, willow and garden warblers. It is a brief and cathartic gate-
way, releasing body and mind from the splendour of Lakeland in prepar-
ation for a communion of a quite different order. Through the woodland,
Haweswater Beck gurgles peacefully, its water lapping ivy-covered rocks
and boulders until, in no time at all, Naddle Bridge is reached.
Cross the road to a stile giving onto a unique and fascinating configur-
ation of bridges. Naddle Bridge itself is double-arched, while sheltering in
its lee, long since usurped of its original function, stands a narrow, grass-
covered packhorse bridge. Within a few strides you cross a small feeder
stream, Naddle Beck, by a wooden bridge.
Now go half-left to amble beside Haweswater Beck on a green path to
a stile crossing a drystone wall. Once across the stile, a few paces left
brings Thornthwaite Force into view, a modestly proportioned cascade,
after which the beck assumes a broad and easy course, its banks enlivened
in spring by the bright yellow of lesser celandine and marsh marigolds.
Heading downstream, Park Bridge is soon encountered (pass on by), and
after a short wander away from the beck to follow a minor stream lined
with trees, a wider track forms, rising slightly to cross a side stream to a
gate and step-stile. Turn right along a fenceline, climbing easily to pass to
the right of High Park barn. Briefly, there is a fine retrospective view of the
fells surrounding Mardale and the lower ground northwards of the Lowther
valley.