Alston, Newshield Moss, Lovelady Shield, Nenthall, River Nent, Cumbria.
[16.6 km] Tue 10 Dec 2013

OS Grid Ref: NY 71882 46488
Lat/Long: 54.812458, -02.439031
I drove to Alston with the intention of parking in the car park by the old Railway Station. The barriers were down so I couldn’t get in so drove back into the town and found a parking space outside the butchers. Fortunately the shop opened at 8am so I was able to buy some Cumberland sausages before I set for my walk shortly after 8am. One of my objectives was to see if I could see any sign of the old portal to the long abandoned Nentforce Level drain tunnel. I walked down the cobbled street then right towards the Railway Station. The station was closed and deserted.

After crossing the bridge over the River Nent I reached the right turn up The Loaning. It was a steady and quite steep climb in places. The weather continued very dismal and there was little to see. At the top of the climb I reached the B6294 then crossed over to enter the pine plantation. The map shows a bridleway following a track up through the trees. There was no footpath sign and the gate was locked. I climbed over and set off up the steep track. Before long the track degenerated into a badly eroded mess.

The map calls the area High Mounthooly Plantation. I emerged from the trees into an area of semi cleared ground where the pine trees had been felled and a terrible mess of branches left behind. The forestry people have no respect for the countryside by leaving such a mess behind.

The track was completely obliterated and it was difficult to find my way through to higher and clearer ground. Just over the brow of the hill I could see several tall masts. There was nothing to say what they were for other than a sign saying ‘arquiva site: Alston’

Their access track descended to the south so I followed its zig zag route back down to the B6294. My original plan was to cross the road and descend the hillside to follow a path running parallel to the road. There was no public path to connect to it so I continued east along the road to Blagill.

I left the road to follow a track up to a remote house. The track continues across the hillside and probably pre-dates the B6294 below. After a mile I reached the adopted highway then turned right to head down towards Lovelady Shield. There was a cold southerly wind blowing so I found some shelter behind a wall to eat my sandwiches. I continued down the lane but missed the path heading across fields to Lovelady Shield. I returned to find it then down the field where I had difficulty finding the way. I reached the Lovelady Shield buildings which is a hotel complex.

There was nobody about. I took a rough path to the south which took me to an interesting ruin called High Lovelady Shield. Apparently it was a defensive bastle and has date stones of 1691 on the southern gable, a steeply-pitched heather thatch roof line, with a 1720 date stone on a doorhead to the rear. I missed both of these. There is also a medieval pele tower within the building. A narrow footbridge took my over a small side river then back up to the road. I descended to Nenthall Bridge, over the bridge then followed a footpath by the River Nent.

Traction engine by the road

It was a pleasant walk and the weather began to brighten up. Before I reached the Lovelady buildings I came to an old mine shaft by the river. The top was open and protected with a steel cage. I dropped a stone down to hear a distant splash below. The bridge at Lovelady was quite interesting with decorative iron handrails.

Parts of the continuing path had eroded away and it was quite narrow in places. At Foreshield Bridge the path left the river and I had to follow a track to the A689.

At Far Skelgill I took the minor lane back to the River Nent where path rejoined the river bank. It was much easier walking and dry underfoot. I met a man walking towards me and we chatted for a while. He was called Joe Gilbert and he told me about a local history book by Alastair Robertson called History of Alston Moor. He said it would tell me about the Nentforce level.

I continued along the path to Gossipgate bridge where I left the river above the waterfall and followed the track back in to Alston. I called in to the Town hall is where the Library is.

The stone plaque that marked the old entrance to the Nentforce Level was re-sited in the entrance hall in 1844 when it was in danger of being lost due to quarry workings. The librarian was very helpful in finding some reference books for me to look at.

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From and article by Bill Bleasdale.
The adit started by Smeaton at Nent Force June1776 designed as a 9 feet square section was driven level At Loveday Shield 13325 feet from the mouth there was a change of policy and the driving a horizontal level was abandoned in favour of an inclined commencing 210 feet up the shaft from the original level down which the water from the upper parts plunged in a great fall. The boats were 30 feet long 'propelled by sticks projecting from the side of the level' .Only in the first half of the 19th. century an underground voyage was a tourist attraction, boats being retain by the mining company until about 1900. All traces to the entrance of the adit have disappeared [1970]
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