Whisper It - Kath Page is 50! Saturday December 27th

Photos from Julie Spencer:

Red Rose Recce – Stage 5, Mellor Brook to Rivington, Sunday December 21st

24 walkers and 1 dog, 16 miles, Ldr : Geoff Holburt

Unfortunately the coach was late picking us up after being caught behind a learner driver on the small twisty roads around Rivington. Our best attendance to date saw twenty four enthusiastic walkers and one dog board the coach. A downpour when we arrived at Mellor Brook heralded the donning of waterproofs. After us all thinking the rain was in for the day on the half hour mark it stopped and thankfully never returned. However the recent wet weather had taken its toll making it really muddy in places and the going was heavy. Via tarmac, fields and tracks we moved on to Houghton Tower. The access road was full of cars attending a Farmers’ Market so we had to walk on the side of the grass verge. We stopped at Houghton Village Hall for a morning break and people were moving “liquid refreshment” into the building for what we could only assume was a forthcoming event. The people using the Village Hall kindly let us use the toilets. Kath Page tested us with Part 1 of the Christmas Quiz as we took our morning break. Back on the access road to Houghton Tower cars were still bumper to bumper. We then went on via field paths, tarmac and canal towpath to Brinscall. At Lodge Bank Pool, behind the swimming baths, we had lunch and Kath completed Part 2 of the Christmas Quiz. Tony Clark joined us at Brinscall. He had thought we were leaving Rivington at 9.00am so missed the coach. After lunch we moved onto the Church at Brinscall which is being used as the final checkpoint on the 100. Barbara Shelton, who is part of the 100 Organising Committee, explained that this is a church and a place of worship but the furniture is pushed back to turn it into a church hall.
On leaving Brinscall we went via tracks to White Coppice and then onto the banks of Anglezarke Reservoir to make our way back to Rivingtom. As we completed the walk we could clearly see the Pigeon Tower on the footsteps of Winter Hill which we had walked past on Stage 1 of the Recces back in August.
 
Well done everyone!

Photos from Brian Fisher here
 
Geoff Holburt.

Comments from Participants on the Red Rose 100 Experience

“The Red Rose 100 Recce walks have been a brilliant way to enjoy the route in easy stages, which others will be dealing with in one go in May. It’s been a good mix of terrain, from moors to farmland, beautiful villages to wooded valleys, with some decent ascent along the way, especially the section up to the Nick of Pendle, down to Barley then back up to the top of Pendle Hill. Nothing has been too much trouble for Geoff Holbut, who led the walks and took time out to go through in detail any changes there had been to the route.”  - Barbara
 
“The Recce walks have been a really good showcase for the actual event and have got walkers excited”  - Geoff
 

Life's a Beach, Wednesday, December 10th

Leader Norman Thomas, 12 miles

With a very bleak weather forecast and the Ghyll Head break also taking place a commendable party of 9 walkers kitted out in wet weather gear gathered opposite the Jolly Crofters pub at the start of the walk.
Norman our leader for the day explained he had very recently done this walk with Bury Ramblers but was leading it today in reverse.
We set off along a track before making our way through the memorial forest and around Wilderswood onto Wilders Moor. A mixture of heavy rain and hailstones were now falling and Norman's decision to walk the route in reverse seemed a wise one as the strong wind was always at our backs.
A morning break was taken in a wooded clough by a stream before we made our way past Bolton Beach before dropping down onto Scout Road. A path off Scout Road led us past a disused quarry now used as a shooting club and a view of the 'Old Man of Bolton' a miniature version of the 'Old Man of Hoy'.
We reached our lunch spot of Barrow Bridge Car Park in dry conditions but as we sat down another hailstorm attacked us with a vengeance. After lunch we proceeded through the Old Links golf course an after skirting Johnson Fold estate we reached High Rid resevoir where waves were whipping up ferociously.
We then made our way back to the start via one of Norman's old dog walking routes. Thanks to Norman for a good walk in trying conditions.

Dave Walsh

Photos :