A long walk on the Moors

Well, I’m sure we’ll all agree it’s been a very disappointing Spring. There’s been a few days of decent weather, and I was reasonably lucky during short breaks in the Dales, Peak District and North Wales, but a lot of my walking has been limited to local routes in and around the Plantations and the canal towpath. Last week, though, it seemed like we might be having a little snatch of Summer. Unfortunately, it coincided with a few busy work days, so being stuck indoors while the sun was shining was quite frustrating. I had no commitments on Friday so that was an opportunity to get out. There was a home fixture that evening, though, which meant I couldn’t stray too far, so I decided on a walk up on the Moors. The journey took a little longer than normal due to roadworks, but I still arrived and parked up at Rivington, on the driveway to the hall Barn, within half an hour of leaving home.

I booted up and set off. Exactly which route I’d take would depend on how I felt. So I crossed the meadow over to Rivington village and then took the path through the fields, along the track up to Dean Cottage and then through the field s towards Alance Bridge.

Looking over the River Yarrow as it enters Yarrow Reservoir from Allance Bridge

and then up through the fields from Parson’s Bullough.

I’d pass through another Bullough (Wilkinson’s Bullough) a little later, and I’ve been wondering about the origin of the name, which is also a surname. So after my walk I did a little research. A genealogy website suggests the following

The surname Bullough is of English origin and is derived from the Old English words “bula” meaning “bull” and “leah” meaning “woodland” or “clearing.” 

A clearing where bulls were kept – which seems a reasonable explanation. So a clergyman must have once kept bulls up in these fields. Fortunately, there weren’t any there during my walk!

Anglezarke Net offers an alternative derivation

“Bula”, a surname, and “haugh”, meaning ‘flat land near a river’.

These moors are one of my “happy places”. Somewhere to go to think and reflect, or just to enjoy being out in wilder, but familiar, countryside that’s not so far from home. The route through the fields here has become a particular favourite. It’s quiet (although, depending on the wind direction there can be a distant hum of traffic noise from the M61 to the west) and the views are very pleasant.

It was sunny when I left Rivington but now the cloud was rolling in from the west. So, for the rest of the walk sunshine was limited to short spells, but it was still pleasantly warm.

Build me up Buttercup!

I descended down into Lead Mine Clough and then climbed up the path onto Anglezarke Moor, through, according tot he OS map, another Bullough, this time Wilkinson’s.

Looking across towards Winter Hill I could see the River Yarrow snaking down through its clough taking its water down to the Reservoir.

I’ve mentioned the ruined farms up on these moors where the occupants were evicted when the reservoirs were constructed. My route would take me past a few of them (I’d already passed one at the top of Parson’s Bullough and there also used to be one on Wilkinson’s Bullough). The photo below shows the ruins of one (or possibly two!) – Simms.

Looking over the ruins of Simms farm

These, and other farms on Anglezarke Moor aren’t inlcuded in the book about the Lost Farms of Brinscall Moors I mentioned in a previous post, but the very informative Anglezarke.net website covers them just as well.

I carried on along the track

and rather than continue on to the ruins at Hempshaws I turned off onto the boggy path up towards Redmond’s Edge, where after some bog hopping, joined the paved path, turning left to head towards Great Hill..

Looking towards Great Hill

This route would be impassable for much of the year without this path. It’s very boggy up here, as is evidenced by the presence of copious amounts of bog cotton

Some of the flags have even been swallowed by the bog and there are signs warning of deep water in places.

I made my way to the top of Great Hill

On good days it’s possible to see the hills of three National Parks (Lake District, Yorkshire dales and Eyri) from here. Not much chance today; even Mother Pendle was partly obscured by the murk.

I stopped for a while to refuel and then set off down the hill heading towards White Coppice

passing the ruins of Drinkwater’s farm

Looking back over the moor towards Great Hill

and then the ruins of Coppice Stile

Then I descended towards White Coppice with Healey Nab dead ahead. I used to live just over the other side of this modest hill when I was a teenager.

At the bottom of the hill I turned left before the village taking the path running parallel to the Goyt heading towards Anglezarke Reservoir

It was overcast now, but still hot, and the sheep were taking advantage of the shade provided by the tree.

Then along the path to the east of the reservoir

back towards Rivington.