Pendle Hill

There’s a good Lancashire word – slutch. The online Collins dictionary defines it as “a fine-grained soft wet deposit that occurs on the ground after rain” and that’s a decent enough description. Last Sunday, during a walk around Pendle Hill after a few days of rainy weather, I encountered plenty of it!

Sunday promised to be a fine day so I fancied a walk. I didn’t feel like a long drive so decided to head over to Pendle as I hadn’t been there for a while. It was a sunny morning when I got up, but the car was covered in ice. It took a little while to defrost but then I loaded up the boot with my gear and set off on the drive to the small village of Barley, which sits at the foot of Pendle Hill. The roads had been quiet but when I arrived in Barley it was already very busy. There were cars parked all along the narrow roads but I decided to use the village car park. £3 for all day is reasonable enough and contributes to the upkeep. I booted up and set off, passing the Cabin cafe which had just opened. Not many customers, but it was a different story by the time I got back in the afternoon!

I walked through the attractive village

and then took the Pendle Way path along the river, heading towards the hill

And there it is

The summit is 557 metres (1,827 ft) above mean sea level. So it doesn’t qualify as a mountain, but it’s a stiff climb up the steep main path from Barley. The hill doesn’t have a distinct summit. Its a long ridge. There’s a trig point at the highest point which is known as the “Big End”.

“Pendle Hill” actually means “hill hill hill”. The following explanation is from Wikipedia

In the 13th century it was called Pennul or Penhul, apparently from the Cumbric pen and Old English hyll, both meaning “hill”. The modern English “hill” was appended later,

I followed the path, avoiding the muddy stretches as best I could and reaching the foot of the hill started to climb up the steep path. A lot of work had been done since my last visit to minimise erosion caused by the boots of a large number of people who make their way up this way. Stone steps had been laid down. There were quite a few other people making their way up. I have to admit that not being fully “fell fit” a few breathers were need. But it’s not a race!

Eventually I made it to the top of the slope and followed the much gentler path towards the summit – the “Big End”.

I wasn’t the only one there when I reached it.

On a clear day the views all round were pretty good. There’s Ingleborough and Pen-y-gent in the distance

and over to Bowland with the Lake District fells peeking over the top of the hills.

There was a microlight craft in the distance making it’s way, noisily, towards the summit

Reaching it, the pilot swooped down over our heads and then over the hill, starting to show off performing acrobatics.

This was the view back down to Barley.

I could have made my way back down to there but instead took a longer route, setting off across the peat bog towards Ogden Clough. A lot of work has been done to preserve the peat with a flagged path across the bog which meant I was able to keep my boots dry.

The top of the hill is a long, flat plateau but eventually I descended down the path into Ogden Clough crossing the river which wends its way through the valley towards Barley.

There were no paving slabs along this path so I had to navigate plenty of stretches of smud – but this was not the worst of the slutch by any means!

At a fork in the path, where one branch heads over to the Nick of Pendle, I continued to follow the river, after a while descending steeply down a slippery slope, and crossing over the river. A couple of fell runners overtook me and I watched one of the slip and fall on his backside into the water. I took extra care!

I continued along the path down the valley eventually reaching the first of two small reservoirs built to provide water for the people of Burnley.

I was now walking on a stretch of tarmac towards the Lower reservoir, but soon left the road just before the reaching it, following the Pendle Way and the Lancashire Witches’ Walk,

and passing one of the tercets waymarkers which have been installed along the latter route.

A tercet is form of poem comprising a three-line stanza, and this one , dedicated to Katherine Hewitt reads

Witch: female, cunning, manless, old,
daughter of such, of evil faith;
in the murk of Pendle Hill, a crone.

The path took me up some steep steps through a pine wood

before emerging into the daylight to cross some fields up the hill and then towards the small village of Newchurch in Pendle.

A cracking view across to Pendle Hill

The going looks good but this was the muckiest stretch of the walk with deep mud in places. At one point my boots were completely submerged in the slutch. I was glad that I’d decided to wear my gaiters.

Descending down into Newchurch

and passing the well known gift shop that sells items of witchery and other bits and bobs

I decided to have a look at the church which gives the village its name (it was new in 1740!).

I walked across the graveyard and then too a path through fields (more slutch!) to Jinny Road.

I could have followed some paths through the fields, but I was getting a little fed up of trying, and failing, to avoid the mud! After about a mile I reached my next objective.

Clarion House is the last remaining example of establishments founded in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by the Clarion Movement and other Socialist organisations, to provide refreshments, and often accommodation, for walkers, cyclists and others who wanted to escape the smoke and grime of the industrial towns and cities.

I think this deserves it’s own post so for now I’ll just mention that I enjoyed a pint of tea, costing 70 pence, the opportunity to eat the butties I’d brought with me and chats with the staff and a nice elderly couple who lived locally and were regular visitors.

Refreshed I set of back through the field, initially sticking to the road (to avoid the mud sticking to me)

I saw some unusual sheep. I’m sure someone can tell me what breed this is

and Anabel had sent the coos down to harass me again (I was sure they’d followed me from Ambleside!)

After Roughlee village and a short climb I joined a bridleway that would take me back to Barley.

Reaching the village I visited the river and submerged my booted feet to wash off as much as the mud as I could before returning tot eh car park. The Cabin was busy with all the tables outside taken and a queue of customers purchasing drinks at the hatch.

Time to change out of my boots and gaiters (the latter had kept my trousers remarkably clean!) and set off back home.

First walk of 2023

I’ve taken my time writing this up. When I retired from my main job at the end of February last year I was looking forward to a life of leisure, but it hasn’t quite worked out that way. I’m really only part retired and I’ve found that I’m working more than I intended and it’s certainly got into the way of keeping up to date with WordPress. Still, better late than never.

So, the second day of the year was a Bank Holiday, with New Year’s Day being on a Sunday. With a promising weather forecast it was time to get the boots on for the first walk of the year. I suspected the roads would be busy so decided on a local walk up on the West Pennine moors. It seems that a good proportion of the local population had a similar idea.

I was a little later than normal setting out and when I arrived at Rivington the ample free parking was ram jam full with some cars parked rather foolishly and dangerously near the two barns. Reading social media posts that evening it was clear that other popular areas like the Lake District were also heaving with reports of bad traffic and difficulties in parking.

I turned round and set off back towards Horwich and parked up on the road between the town and Rivington High School. I don’t usually park along here and, as a consequence, I ended up taking a new route up to the top of the Pike. I wasn’t originally going to take in the top of the hill but given where I’d parked I changed my plan, deciding to take in the top of the hill before heading further north to Anglezarke.

I booted up and set off down the track by the side of the school and began to climb up the side of the Pike on a path I’d never taken before.

Reaching the Terraced Gardens I started to climb up to the summit via the Japanese Gardens

The picture is deceptive – it was quite busy by the lake

It was very busy on the way up to the summit, mainly families out on a fine Bank Holiday Monday

Although it was sunny, the air temperature was low and there was a cold wind blowing from the west. I was glad I was wearing my down jacket.

There was quite a lot of cloud and some rain falling to the south west over towards Cheshire and North wales

But it was finer to the north and east

I could see a couple of walkers on the path over the moors towards Noon Hill. I considered following them but the ground was soft after the recent thaw and I expected it would be somethig of a quagmire so deided against and instead headed back down fromt he summit and on to the Pigeon Tower

I descended down through the Gardens

crossing over the Seven Arch Bridge and then took the track that descended gradually down to the Belmont Road car park (also full) and then made my way down the road, past Moses Cocker’s

and then, having left the crowds behind, onto Anglezardke Moor

making my way to Old Rachel’s and then on to HIgher Hempshaws.

Passing Old Rachel’s. The path was muddy in places, but it wasn’t as bad as I expected.

Lower Hemshaws

I carried on heading north on the farmer’s track. I’d intended to carry on towards Lead Mine Valley and then make my way past Yarrow Reservor and then along Rivington lower Reservoir back to the car. But the light was good and I fancied staying up on the wild moor for a little longer, so ended up turning up the track towards Redmond Edge, braving the bog, and then followed the ridge to Horden Stoops.

As climbed, views opened up to the Lake District mountains, the Bowland Fells, the Yorkshire Dales and Pendle Hill. Long range visibility was very good.

The view towards Winter Hill as I walked along the ridge to Horden Stoops

Reaching the Belmont Road there was a short stretch of tarmac to walk before I turned off down the rough track of the old Belmont Road back towards the Pike

The view back over to the Anglezarke moors

Reaching the Pigeon Tower the light was beginning to fade. The sun would be setting soon

I descended down through the gardens to the bottom of the hill via a circuitous rout. There’s a myriad of routes but I’ve been walking round here since I was a teenager so am unlikely to get lost! So I made my way back to the car. There were quite a few people making their way up the hill. I assumed that they were going up to watch the sunset. I was tempted to follow them, but I’d had a long walk. Tile to head back home for a brew.

https://explore.osmaps.com/route/15586331/new-year-2023-rivington-and-anglezarke?lat=53.633629&lon=-2.562213&zoom=12.5733&style=Leisure&type=2d&overlays=&placesCategory=

Whalley Abbey

Last week, in need of some new boots, I was in Whalley, a small, but attractive, village in the Ribble Valley on the way to Clitheroe. While I was there, I decided to pop in to have a look at the ruins of the old Abbey.

Whalley Abbey was the second richest of Lancashire’s monasteries, and was founded in 1296, by Cistercian monks (known as the “white monks”, due to their undyed habits)
who moved here from their previous site at Stanlow , on the banks of the River Mersey near Chester, which (not surprisingly as it was on a flood plain) was prone to flooding and there had also been a fire. Stanlow is now best known as being the location of an oil refinery, previously owned by Shell, although they sold it off to the Indian owned company Essar Energy in 2011. Reading up on the abbey for this post I discovered that Stanlow was actually known as Stanlaw until Victorian times when a mis transcription on a map resulted in the name change.

The Abbey is a ruin now – it was demolished after the Dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII – but there are plenty of remains on the site, including monastic buildings and the foundations of the Abbey church which were revealed during the site’s excavation in the 1930’s. The ruins of the abbey are a Grade I listed building, and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Entrance to the grounds

Looking over the Abbey church foundations

Another view over the church ruins including the choir pits. These were resonating chambers which would amplify the singing and chanting of the monks

Monastic buildings including the cloisters main dormitory and  rere-dorter (toilet block)

Remains of the walls of the Cloisters

This substantial building was the lay brothers dormitory, which, today, is owned by the Catholic Church and used as a church hall. It survived as it was used as a cow shed! It’s a short distance from the main site, next to the English Martyrs Church.  

A short walk down a minor road there’s the substantial two-storey Gatehouse, the oldest of the abbey buildings, which was constructed between 1296 and 1310. Today, it’s under the stewardship of English Heritage (it can be visited free of charge) 

Most monasteries were demarcated by gatehouses that prevented access by any except authorised visitors, allowed the gatekeeper to keep a close watch on traffic and provided basic defence in times of military and political insecurity. At Whalley, as at other monasteries, there was a steady stream of beggars and poor travellers seeking food or help, which the monks could not readily deny. Thus, the gatehouse was also the place where alms were dispensed and food and drink given to the poor.

English heritage website

Following dissolution, the monastery site was sold to one Richard Assheton who had a house built on the site, which subsequently has passed through several hands, and has been extended and modified over the years. Today it’s owned by the Diocese of Blackburn who have converted the house to a residential education centre

Ashurst Beacon from Appley Bridge

Since returning from our break in Appleby we’ve had fairly typical Autumn weather – regular grey and rainy days – not very inviting for getting out for a decent walk. I’d been getting a little stir crazy, so when there was the chance of a let up in the rain and a little sunshine, I’ve been booting up and getting out for local walks from the house. A week ago I decided to go a little further afield, but only just! I took the Southport train and got off at Appley Bridge, only two stops down the line from Wallgate station, for a walk up to Ashurst Beacon, returning to the station via the canal towpath.

It had rained on and off all morning but the forecast was promising for the afternoon. The sun was shining when I left home and during the train journey but as I alighted from the train there were a few raindrops which soon turned into a heavy downpour. By the time I’d opened my rucksack and put on my Torrentshell it had stopped! And I didn’t see another drop for the rest of the afternoon!

After a short walk along the road I took the path in between the rows of houses and through a muddy field

I was soon on a drier track starting to head uphill – not very steep though

Looking back across the fields over Wigan towards Winter Hill

Winding my way along the paths through fields and woodland and quiet lanes, I eventually arrived at Ashurst’s Beacon, on top of the 570 foot high Ashurst’s Hill.

The tower tower was built in 1798 by Sir William Ashurst, as a watch tower to warn of a French invasion in the lead up to the Napoleonic War. It’s a Grade II listed building.

The tower and it’s surroundings was left to Wigan Corporation in 1962 “for the enjoyment of the people of Wigan“. although it’s now in West Lancashire District (although one of the people of Wigan was there to enjoy it!). The plaque commemorating this seems to have disappeared from the side of the tower – probably robbed and melted down for scrap.

There’s an orientation plate pointing out the landmarks and when I was last up here there were expansive views right over to Morecambe Bay and the Lakeland Fells, the West Pennine Moors and, Southport, Liverpool and North Wales.

Not this time though. Since my last visit, which I now realise must have been getting on for 20 years ago, trees have sprouted up completely obscuring the views. It’s perhaps good for the environment but that didn’t make me any less disappointed. 😞

Nevertheless, as I started to descend, leaving the woods behind, views opened up towards the moors

I carried on down the hill taking a different route than my ascent.

Until I reached the Leeds Liverpool canal

I then followed the tow path back to Appley Bridge

The trees on the opposite bank were wearing their autumn coats!

There was a narrow boat moored up

Looking back along the canal from the Bridge

It’s a decent little walk – a few hour’s saunter on an Autumn afternoon – not far from home. I hadn’t seen many people, just a few dog walkers and local residents working in their gardens. I was disappointed about the loss of the views from the Beacon, but overall, that didn’t spoil the walk too much!

Bog Hopping on the Bleasdale Fells

That’s an exageration, but only a slight one! Last Friday I went for a walk on the Bleasdale Fells and a good proportion of the walk was across the blanket bog. But then there’s no point on going up on the fells in Bowland if you want to avoid bogs – that’s just about impossible!

I’d parked up at Fell Foot and set off to climb Parlick. It’s not the first time I’d been up the steep climb to the top of this hill. At one time I used to go up there fairly regularly but I hadn’t been here for, perhaps, 20 years. The first time I remember well – it was 49 years and one (or possibly two) weeks before. I can be fairly exact with the date as it was during a camping trip with my bother and a friend and on the way up my tum didn’t feel right. By the evening I was in quite a bit of pain and my bother said he thought I had appendicitis – he knew the symptoms well enough having been in hospital almost exactly a year before. We rang home but my parents had gone out for the day. Luckily our friend’s dad came to the rescue and picked me up and took me home. My parents had a shock when they got home themselves to find me sitting there and rang the doctor – this was in the days when they used to make home visits. The Doctor looked me over and decided it was something I’d eaten. Luckily he had second thoughts and came back 2 days later. The next thing I was being rushed to hospital in an ambulance for an emergency operation!! A very lucky escape.

The road to Parlick!

Fell Foot Cottage – suprisingly it’s at the foot of the fell!

Anyway back to my latest jaunt. I took the direct way up which is steep to say the least. It was windy so although a reasonably fine day a windproof jackets was needed. It’s a popular walk (relatively for Bowland) and is a regular haunt of hang gliders, so the path is quite eroded. Some restoration work is being done. I don’t think many people who go to teh top carry on much further to be honest.

Heading up Parlick

It didn’t take too long to reach the summit, despite a number of stops to look back to take in the view (my excuse for regular stops to catch my breath)

Parlick summit

The view from the summit, looking across to Pendle Hill and Longridge Fell with the West pennine Moors in the far distance

I didn’t stop very long, carrying on along the ridge to Fair Snape Fell

Looking across to Hazelhurst fell behind the flank of Fair Snape Fell

After a while I reached “Paddy’s Pole” and the shelter. This isn’t the true summit of the hill but I think this is the objective for most people coming up here. There was no let up in the wind on the exposed ridge so I settled down in the shelter for a break and a sandwich.

Paddy’s Pole

The views from up here on a clear day are pretty spectacular

Looking across to Parlick

Morecambe Bay (with the Heysham Nuclear Power Plant) and the Lakeland Fells in the distance

More Lakeland Fells

In the east I could see the distinctive profile of Ingleborough

Next, I took a path heading south and then cut across, crossing the boggy ground until I reached Brown Berry Plain.

The tops of these fells are a big blanket bog, but over the years, due to human activity (and there’s evidence that people lived in Bowland as early as Neolithic times) it’s become degraded with areas of peat exposed to the elements leading to the loss of plant life and the formation of “peat hags”

a form of erosion that occurs at the sides of gullies that cut into the peat or, sometimes, in isolation.^[69] Hags may result when flowing water cuts downwards into the peat and when fire or overgrazing exposes the peat surface. Once the peat is exposed in these ways, it is prone to further erosion by wind, water, and livestock. The result is overhanging vegetation and peat. Hags are too steep and unstable for vegetation to establish itself, so they continue to erode unless restorative action is taken.

Wikipedia

Peat hags

Well, restorative action is now being taken up here and there was plenty of evidence of this as I bog hopped my way across towards Holme House Fell

Interventions to restore the blanket bog

Looking across the bog with the Yorkshire Three Peaks visible in the distance.

I’d seen a few people as I’d made my way up Parlick and on to Fair Snape Fell – not many mind, it’s usually pretty quiet up here – unless the hang glider enthusiasts are around. Since I’d left Paddy’s Pole I’d only come across one other person and we joked about getting sucked downinto themurky depths of the morass of peat! And this was summer – I definitely wouldn’t venture across here in the winter.

My fellow walker was faster than me (not unusual!) – there he is disappearing into the distance

After what seemed like an never ending period of bog hopping I reached the path that would take me down off the fells. The worst sections of bog had been paved over making the goindg much easier until I eventually hit less soggy ground

Looking across to Fair Snape Fell and Parlick as I descended

Looking towards Beacon Fell

Reaching the bottom of the hill I had a decision to make. There were too options to return to Fell Foot and my vehicle. I decided to take the longer option which would take me along some quiet tracks and minor roads through the Bleasdale Estate I’d never trod before.

Looking back across the fields towards the fells I’d been up an hour or so before.

As i walked down one of the lanes there were masses of butterflies feeding on thistles which flew out as I passed.

Eventually I reached the tiny settlement of Bleasdale

I decided to divert to take a look at the small Parish Church, the only one dedicated to the obscure Saint Eadmer.

St Eadmer’s Church

View of Parlick from the church graveyard

Less than a mile from here is Bleasdale Circle – the remains of a Bronze Age Settlement. It’s on priavate land and you’re supposed to get permission to visit. But I was starting to feel a little tierd and didn’t want to extend my walk by taking the short diversion as I know there’s not a lot to actually see there and I’d read that the site was in a bit of a mess.

So I carried on across the fields – the first couple on leaving thevillage rather overgrown and it was difficult to make out the path.

My route took me through the farm yards at Blindhurst farm,

The attractive farmhouse at Blindhurst

where a rather nice lady pointed me in the right direction for the path crossing the fields and the bottom of Parlick that took me back to Fell Foot

The last field to cross back to Fell Foot where I’d parked

This had been a grand walk on a fine, if blustery day (it wasn’t so windly down in the valley, mind). I left determined to get back soon to continue rediscovering Bowland, somewhere which was a regular stomping ground of mine years ago.

Driving back I stopped at Chipping as I was in need of a toilet stop. I had a mooch around – it didn’t take long as it’s only a small place, rather isolated from the rest of Lancashire, but it’s been here for a long time, being mentioned in the Domesday Book.

At one time there were several textile mills in the vicinity (some still survived and have beed “repurposed”) and the village was also known for furniture making, notably chairs.

Today, with it’s attractive stome buildings and old church is a conservation area

Clitheroe and Downham

Now I’ve more free time I’ve been thinking about getting myself an e-bike. I used to do a lot of cycling at one time – more than 15 years ago to be honest, but my bike, a decent hybrid, has hardly been out of the shed since then. I’m not sure that the old legs could cope with the hulls around here these days so an e-bike does sound appealing. But they’re not cheap, especially some of the ones I’ve been looking at. The Ribble Hybrid AL e Trail has particularly caught my eye, but it’s expensive, costing £2000 more than the non-electric equivalent. Can I justify the cost? Well I thought I should go and take a look. The company have a showroom on the outskirts of Clitheroe, an hour’s drive away, so it seemed sensible to go and have a look. And given a decent weather forecast we decided to make a day of it. No, not a day in the bike showroom but after sussing out the bike we spent the rest of the day in and around Clitheroe.

First stop was Holmes Mill, aformer textile mill close to the centre of town that’s been convered into a food hall, beer hall, brewery, hotel and cinema.

We parrked up and had a look round the food hall. Lot’s of tasty stuff on display, much of it local produce from Bowland and the Ribble Valley.

The food also serve light meals and drinks so as it was midday and we aere starting to feel hungry so grabbed a table outdoors – it was already starting to get busy – and ordered a couple of “planks” from the menu. They arrived promptly.

Well fed, we drove the short distance into town centre and parked up. The next destination was Clitheroe Castle which stands on a prominent hill surrounded by 16 acres of park land in the centre of town. Clitheroe is a pleasant market town with mainly independent shops and is the home of a certain WordPress blogger! We had visited the Castle before, but that was a long time ago when our offspring were very small and we took them to see the castle. I think the last time I was in the town properly (not counting driving through it or visiting a client on the outskirts) was when I was conducting some research in the Library for a project which investigated the impact of the local cement work’s plan to burn waste solvents to fire the kiln during my studies for my Masters.

On our way up to the castle we passed one of the markers for the Lancashire Witches’ Walk, a 51-mile (82 km) long-distance footpath between Barrowford and Lancaster, opened in 2012 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the trials of the Pendle witches.

The poet laureate,  Carol Ann Duffy, was commissioned to write a poem for the trail and Ten cast iron tercet waymarkers, designed by Stephen Raw, each inscribed with the name of one of those executed (in this case Isabel Robey – who was actually from St Helens but was hanged with the women from Pendle) a verse of the poem the have been installed at sites along the route. This was the fourth marker on the trail,

A short steep climb and we reached the castle

The Norman keep – the second smallest in England – was built in the late 12th century and was garrisoned by a small company of troops to keep an eye ont he strategic route along the Ribble Valley.

On a fine day there were good views all around from the battlements surrounding the kep

Looking towards Pendle Hill

The view towards the Bowland Fells

The hills of the Yorkshire Dales in the distance

There are several other buildings in the Castle grounds that house the town museum It isn’t free entry but decided to visit. As with many local museums it’s exhibits are mainly aimed at children (I bet they have a lot of school visits during the year) but we found plenty of interest, particularly about the history of the castle, town and local industry.

A recreated Victorian kitchen in the museum

A textile work in the museum rembering the Pendle Witches

There was an exhibition of paintings and other exhibits on the theme of cycling (quite relevant given the original reason for our trip over here) in the Steward’s House – this is the building where the landlord’s representative lived.

The castle site remained in private ownership until 1920, when it was sold to the people of Clitheroe for a consirable sum to create a war memorial. We though that the landlord was rather mean spirited, and could have donated the castle and the land to the town, but that’s the landlord class for you. The town raised more than they needed to pay off the landlord so the surplus was used to create the pleasant park.

A very poignant memorial

We returned to the car and decided to drive over to the small village of Downham, a few miles away. It’s a very picturesque, small village at the bottom of Pendle Hill. The properties are all owned by the Assheton family who rent or lease them out and they don’t allow residents to install overhead electricity lines, aerials or satellite dishes. This has made the village a popular location for filming period TV programmes and films, including the BBC One series Born and Bred. More notably it was the main location for the 1961 Bryan Forbes film, Whistle Down the Wind.

Downham

Downham

I’ve been there several times, last time a couple of years ago with the offspring, but this was a first for J. We’re both fans of the film and so after stopping for an ice cream at the small cafe / shop, we went for a short walk where I was able to point out the main locations used in the film.

The farmhouse where Hayley Mills and her film sister and brother lived with Worsall Hill behind. The hill features at the beginning of the film when the children are seen running across and down it.

The barn where Alan bates playing the runaway murderer hides.

Pendle Hill seen across the fields during our walk

After returning to the village set off back to Clitheroe where we’d decided to eat out, but as it was a little too early, we decided to drive over to the riverside Brungerley Park where ther’e a sculpture trail. There isn’t a car park but given the time of the day (early evening) we had no trouble finding a place to park on the road close to the entrance to the park.

Here’s a selection of the sculptures, including some by Halima Cassell, who’s work, complex geometric scultpures, I rather like.

Common Comfrey by Halima Cassell

As The Crow Flies by David Halford

Fir Cone by Halima Cassell

Otter by Fiona Bowley

The Ribble King by Matthew Roby

Sika Deer by Clare Bigger

We spet a good hour or so meandering through the park on a mild evening but it was time to go and get something to eat! We’d decided to return to Holmes Mill and eat in the Beer Hall, where it looked like they had a decent “pub grub” menu. They also have a very extensive beer menu, including a range of Bowland beers that are brewed on the premises.

The beer hall – I took the photo during our earlier visit – it was surprisingly busy in the evening when we returnedgiven that it was a Wednesday. I bet it’s heaving at the weekend.

The mill engine that used to power the textile machinery.

The food was pretty good – and very filling. These is the lamb kebabs I ordered

Feeling stuffed after our meal it was time to set off for home. We’d had a very enjoyable and busy day. I think I really out to get out into the Ribble Valley more often.

On the moors – before the heat arrived

Much of July was sunny with little rain so it was a good time to get up onto Anglezarke and take a route over the blanket bog that covers the moor while the peat was dry and springy rather than a boggy morass. So the Saturday after my mid week walk in the Peak District I decided to do just that. We’d been warned of a heat wave coming in with some very high (for the UK!) temperatures which wouldn’t be conducive for walking, so it seemed sensible to get out before it arrived.

I parked up at Rivington and then cut across the meadow to Sheep House Lane, walking a short distance down the tarmac past the Tea Room (it was too soon in the walk to take advantage) before turning on to the path across the fields

and beside the small brook (the path which had been damaged by the Spring storms had been repaired) and then up the track towards Dean Wood

Climbing over the stile I took the path across the fields towards Allance Bridge

Looking down to Yarrow Reservoir I could se that the water level was very low

This was the view down to the water from Allance Bridge. I can’t recall seeing the water level that low .

Looking over the other side of the bridge, this was the state of the inlet where the Yarrow usually enters the reservoir – it’s usually full of water and the River seemed to be reduced to a trickle.

After crossing the bridge I turned up the path across the fields from Parson’s Bullough

Eventually reaching the track from Jepson’s Gate. Rather than turn right here and follow the track towards Lead Mine Clough I turned left towards Jepson’s Gate

Joining the minor road I turned right and after a short distance I wnt through a gate and crossed onto the open access land. There was a hint of a path which soon petered out so I had to make my way across the rough and tufty ground. Luckily after the dry few weeks the ground was firm underfoot, otherwise I would have been doing some bog hopping!

Looking west over to Healey Nab (In my teens I used to live just over the other side of this modest hill) to Chorley

I carried on across the moor eventually joining the path for Hurst Hill. I turned off onto the path towards Grain Pole Hill

Looking north from the summit of Grain Pole Hill

My next objective – Hurst Hill. I retraced my steps and then joined the path towards the summit.

Reaching the summit. Good views all round

Looking towards Great Hill

across to Redmond and Spitler’s Edges

and, to the south, Winter Hill and Rivington Pike

I carried on across the path across the peat towards the prehistoric burial mound, Round Loaf. This can be a quagmire but the peat was largely dry and springy underfoot wit just the occasional muddy patch. With the peat so dry there’s a real risk it could be set on fire by a barbecue or carelessly disposed fag end. But it was quiet with not many people around.

Last time I was up here the moor was covered with “bog cotton” (Cotton Grass) but there were only a few patches left on the wetter sections of the peat.

I stopped for a bite to eat and to soak up the views on the top of Round Loaf

Before setting off along the path across the moor towards Great Hill

Looking north across the moor

Some more bog cotton – a warning to avoid a boggy section!

Reaching the bottom of Great Hill I decided against climbing to the top of the familiar summit but turned right taking the flagged path towards Redmond’s Edge. I’ve no idea who “Redmond” was or what the name means and have drawn a blank searching on the web.

Reaching Redmond’s Edge, rather than carrying on along the path over Spitler’s Edge and on to Horden Stoops, I turned west down the path I’d walked up from the opposite direction a few weeks before. It’s not marked on the OS map but there’s a clear path to follow these days.

Carrying on down the path. I can’t remember the grass on the moor looking so green. Strange, considering the dry conditions of late.

Continuing along the path, which eventually joins the main track across the moor from Belmont Road to Lead Mine Clough

At Hempshaws I took the path toward the ruined farm known as Old Rachel’s

The view over to the Edges from Old Rachel’s where I stopped for a short break

Carrying on along the path I passed the waymarker that had been erected by the Peak and Northern Footpath Society

Looking south towards Winter Hill and Noon Hill

I turned south continuing along the path until I reached the Belmont Road near to Moses Cockers. After a short stretch of tarmac (fortunately not too many vehicles encountered – it can be a bit of a race track this road, especially for motorcyclists) I turned off and followed the paths back to my car.

It was a fine, warm day on the Saturday but the temperature was just right for walking. It certainly wasn’t for the next few days as the promised heat wave arrived. More a time for sitting in the shade in the garden with an iced drink which is exactly what I did!

A walk from Parbold

Last Thursday promised to be a fine day – time to take advantage of my changed work:life balance and get out for a walk. I didn’t feel like travelling to far so a local ramble was in order. I’ve spent countless hours wandering on the West Pennine Moors ever since I was a teenager, but I’ve never explored the countryside to the west of Wigan – unless you count a couple of stays at the Tawd Vale and Bispham Hall Scout camp sites when I was in the cubs and scouts – and even then we didn’t stray too far. So I decided to take the train over to Parbold (only a 15 minute journey from Wallgate station on the Southport line) for a walk that would take me through over a couple of small hills, down a hidden “fairy glen” and along a stretch of the Leeds Liverpool canal.

After a relatively dry spell of weather the the footpaths over the fields and through the woods were dry and the going was good. However, this would probably not be a good route to follow in the winter (unless there had been a hard frost) as looking at the uneven nature of the paths it was pretty clear that much of the route would be very muddy after a period of wet weather. Wellies would definitely be in order!

I left the station and walked through the village joining a quiet lane and then out onto the path through the fields

Belted Galloway cattle with their calves

After crossing a minor road I reached Hunter’s Hill. There used to be a quarry here, but it’s been transformed into a small Country Park and Nature Reserve

My route skirted the edge of the site from where there were extensive over the West Lancashire Plain over to the coast, with Blackpool Tower visible in the distance. There was a hint of the Lake District Hills on the horizon, but they were hidden in the haze.

Leaving the Nature Reserve my route took me down hill on a minor road

Passing the entry to Harrock Hall

before turning down a quiet lane

which would take me towards my next destination, Harrock Hill

I passed some attractive stone barn conversions (you’ve got to have a few bob to live around here – a pleasant area within commuting distance of Liverpool, Manchester and Preston)

and then turned off, climbing over a stile onto a path that led through the woods and across a field and then onto a path through woods up to the top of the small hill

At the summit there’s the remains of an old windmill, which dates back to the 17th Century

Leaving the summit, I turned south down another path through green fields which had extensive views across to the West Pennines

Looking over to the moors – Great Hill, Anglezarke, Rivington Pike and Winter Hill

Further along the path the views opened up to include Pendle Hill and the Bowland Fells

I was passing land owned by the Harrock Hall estate, my route effectively circumnavigating Harrock Hall, although it was hidden in the trees. The Hall dates back to the 17th Century and was extended in the 19th Century and is a listed building. It used to be the ancestral home of the Rigbye family, local landowners, and John Rigby, a Catholic martyr, was born here around 1670. He lived during the turbulent Tudor period when both Catholics and Protestants were executed due to their beliefs. Rigby was executed in 1600 and was canonised in 1970. A Catholic 6th Form College in Wigan is named after him.

I reached another minor road at High Moor and after a short distance on the tarmac turned down another minor lane and then along a path across the fields

Reaching the main Wigan to Parbold Road, I crossed over and set off down the Fairy Glen another Country Park. It’s a narrow wooded valley created by Sprodley Brook which has, over time, cut down through the underlying sandstone to create a narrow valley with small waterfalls and cliff faces. Despite living only a few miles away, and having driven past many times on the way to Southport, I never knew this very peasant hidden valley was here.

I emerged in fields overlooking Ashurst Beacon on the other side of the Douglas Valley

I carried on through fields and woodland where there were displays of bluebells

eventually reaching the Leeds Liverpool canal

I carried on along the towpath towards Parbold

More bluebells on the other side of the canal

I reached Parbold where I left the canal near the old windmill which has been converted into a gallery selling art works.

There’s a pub here

and a cafe

Time to reinvigorate myself with a brew and a cake!

https://explore.osmaps.com/route/12160988/parbold-hunter-hill-harrock-hill-fairy-glen?lat=53.599618&lon=-2.764020&zoom=13.4160&overlays=&style=Leisure&type=2d

Along the Hodder – Part 2

So, it was time to set out again following the Hodder in the opposite direction to my morning jaunt – upstream this time.I was following a route I’d seen on Bowland Climber’s blog. It wasn’t as long and looked a little easier than the downstream route.

So I set off in the same direction as during the morning, but turned off the track over a stile and into the fields just before the bridge over the Hodder at Thorneyholme Hall.

It would be wet and boggy underfoot during the winter and when the weather had been wet, but we hadn’t seen much rain for a few weeks.

The path ran parrallel to the river through the fields

At Boarsden, the path passed a farm house with a very tidy garden of flowers

and emerged on the quite Dunsop Bridge to Newton road. The route included a walk on the tarmac for about half a mile before I was back in the fields.

I spotted some cattle at the bottom of the next field – it didn’t look like there were any bulls this time! The path led down to teh river and a rather rickety looking suspension footbridge (I’d passed another one earlier in the walk

This was the view looking down at the river from the middle of the bridge

and looking back at the bridge from the other side

I crossed another field until I reached a minor road heading back in the direction of Dunsop Bridge. I carried on until I reached the curiously named Giddy Bridge where I stopped for a break to top up my blood sugar.

Carrying the track passed through fields of sheep heading towards Knowlmere Manor

approaching the river bank at one point

The Hall came into view

Doing a little research after the walk I discovered that it’s a private house but I couldn’t find anything else about the occupants. It has a plethora (a good word that!) of chimneys. The original owners must have needed to keep the house warm given it’s remote location close to the moors which must be pretty wild and windy at times. I wouldn’t like to have to shell out for their heating bills.

The track carried on past the house through more fields

I should have branched off as I got near to Dunsop Bridge, but missed the junction and found myself passing Lower Thorneyholme Farm. Realising my mistake and trying to minimise the diversion I cheekily followed the farm track back towards the river. I then took the riverside path a short distance towards Thorneyhome hall and crossed the bridge over the Hodder and walked the short distance back to the car park.

The cafe had closed, so I had to make do with a drink of water from my reserve bottle in the car boot! Time to change out of my boots and drive home. It had been a good day in beautiful countryside. I don’t think it will be too long before I’m back in Bowland.

Winter Hill, Belmont and Anglezarke

Since the easing of lock down I’ve managed to get in a few walks, although I’ve been slow writing them up as being glued to the computer for most of the week means I’ve been reluctant to spend more time on it in my free time – I’d rather be out walking or relaxing with a book or film. But I’m going to be less shackled to the keyboard over the next few weeks so time to catch up!

I had to visit a clinic on the west side of Bolton a couple of weeks ago. This gave me an excuse to take the rest of the day off and drive over to Rivington on what was promising to be a decent day for a walk. I’d worked out a route up over Winter Hill, down to belmont village and then back over the moors.

I parked up on the drive up to the Hall barn, donned my boots and gear and set off. It was still during the school holidays so it was busy with families out for the day, but I’d picked a route to avoid the crowds who were mainly heading up to the top of the Pike. I skirted the bottom of the hill and then took a less frequented path and then a track on the southern boundary of the gardens.

I avoided the summit of the pike and walked down the track towards Pike Cottage where I planned to take the path up to Two Lads and then on to Winter Hill.

Looking over to the top of the Pike

There were a few people coming up and down the old road but it was still fairly quiet.

Reaching Pike Cottage I discovered that since I was last up here a snack bar had opened up. A good excuse to take a break with a brew and have a bite to eat and take in the views over to the Pike and across the South Lancashire Plain.

Time to set off again. I went through the gate and on to the path across the moor towards Two Lads

Looking back to the Pike

and on to the mast on top of Winter Hill

There’s Two Lads, a subsidary summit of Winter Hill, ahead.

There’s various theories as to how this little lump gets its name, but there’s two “lads” there these days, in the form of a couple of substantial cairns.

After a short stop to take in the views I set off over the moor towards the summit of Winter Hill. Fortunately the peat was reasonably dry so not too much clag to have to navigate!

On towards the TV mast – the cage is for maintenance workers – I definitely wouldn’t fancy going up in that!

I made my way across the top and then took the path that would take me down the east side of the hill and on to Belmont, my first time down this way.

It had turned into a lovely afternoon and as I descended there were great views over Turton Moor. Long range views were excellent and I could make out Pendle Hill, the Yorkshire Three peaks and, on the horizon to the north west, the Lakeland Fells.

Looking down to Belmont.

It was an enjoyable descent – not too steep (which is hard on the old knees these days) and with excellent views.

Towards the bottom of the hill I turned off onto the path that would take me to the main road and then on to Belmont village. It’s a small settlement that grew up around the cotton industry with a mill, dye works and other factories. When I was researching my family history I discovered that some of my ancestors lived there for a while, although I don’t have any connections there these days.

The stone cottages, which would have been home for workers in the mills and other factories, look attractive all cleaned up and, no doubt, would cost a packet to buy. I wonder whether any of my ancestors lived in one of them?

I turned up by the Black Dog pub – still shut due to the lockdown

and had a mooch around the graveyard of the Victorian neo-Gothic St peter’s church wondering whether I might find a gavestone for one of my ancestors. A slim hope of course as they would have been too poor to have a memorial.

I carried on towards Ward’s reservoir which was drained a number of years ago for safety reasons

and then crossed over the road on to a path that runs across the moors, heading west towards Anglezarke. I could hear the cry of a curlew and saw a lapwing and a couple of oystercatchers. Unfortunatly they’d flown off before I could snap a photo with my camera which I had to dig out of my rucksack, my phone camera not having an adequate zoom.

Arriving at Horden Stoops, I took a short diversion up the path towards Spitler’s Edge to take in the views northwards over to Great Hill and across Anglezarke,

and, in the other direction, over to Winter Hill

I’d orinially planned to take the Old Belmont Road along the bottom of Winter Hill and back to Rivington, but it was such a lovely afternoon that I decided to carry on west across the moor

The peat was reasonably dry and the going was good until I approached the ruins of Higher Hempshaws farm – it’s nearly always a quagmire underfoot here and it was true to form as I gingerly hopped across of clag trying to avid my boots becoming submerged in the morass.

I decided to stop for while in theruins. It’s always a good place to stop and sit, take in the view and contemplate life.

Someone else had had the same idea and was just setting off again as approached. As you do we said hello and exchanged a few words that chaned into a chat swapping stories about the moors and their history. Suddenly he changed subject and produced a leaflet from his pack. Turned out he was a Jehovah’s Witness and had decided to take the opportunity to try to convert me. A lost cause I’m afraid as I gave up on religion when I was about 13.

After a short break, I set off again, crossing over the young River Yarrow and following a path I’ve never taken before heading west towards another ruin known as “Old Rachel’s”.

There’s several ruined farms up on Anglezarke and the other nearby moors. It must have been a hard life up here, especially during the winter, but the farms were home for their occupants. However, they were all demolished at the beginning of the 20th Century by Liverpool Corporation as themoors are in the catchment area for the reservoirs at Anglezarke and Rivington they constructed.

The ruins of “Old Rachel’s“

Looking back towards Spitler’s and Redmond’s Edges from “Old Rachel’s”

Looking over to Winter Hill

I carried on across the occasionally boggy ground until I reached the minor road near Wilcock’s farm. This old building certainly isn’t a ruin

There’s stables nearby (I passed a field of horses before I hit the road) and there’s also a small tidy looking campsite by the farm house.

Just past the farm I turned down a path that runs above Dean Wood – a wooded gulley that’s a protected Nature Reserve – and which took me to the end of the Yarrow Reservoir, ner to the dam. I carried on following the path through the woods and back to Rivington Village

A short walk across the fields and I was back at the car.

A decent walk – more than 10 miles with all my little diversions.