Height of Summer


Across the fields Five cheeky chaps with a Thirlmere Way Gate Group in the sunshine Limestone Landscape Lunch by the stream Queue for the stile That's one way to get your waterproofs off! The sheep say hello The start in the rain The weather starts to cheer up Top of the fell Top of the fell for Anne and Chris
Wednesday July 6th.

Limestone Landscapes. 14 miles from Burton-in-Kendal.

Leader; Chris Langabeer. 19 walkers and 1 dog




Nineteen walkers and one dog successfully navigated their way from various locations via the M6 to the car park of the King's Arms in the pleasant large village of Burton-in-Kendal for the 10 o'clock start. Much discussion was made as to the level of waterproofing required but most of us set off with overtrousers and a few hardy souls baring their knees.

The earlier part of the walk was along gentle terrain of predominently tracks (or lack of) through lush wet fields. The uncut grass certainly tested the waterproofing of footwear. Break was taken at about 11.30 by which time many of us decided to risk the removal of overtrousers - a decision which of course was confounded an hour later by a short sharp shower. However, ultimately it was a good decision with breaks in the cloud appearing.

Lunch was taken with an idyllic view overlooking a beck before we headed for the (well after)-noon part of the walk passing some very interested spectators of the woolly variety and our leader having to use his cattle-handling skills to clear the approach to one stile.

The afternoon heralded the only real challenging climb which was rewarded with magnificent views from the summit of Farleton Fell. By this time the sun had come to dominate the sky and brought us a glorious afternoon to make our way across the limestone pavements and the eventual gradual descent to Burton-in-Kendal.

Everyone then took advantage of the excellent range of real ale and other drinks at the pub. We had hoped to say hello to the landlord, as many of us were acquainted with him from his 18 years at the Blundell Arms in Horwich. However, he must have heard we were coming so was out ........ in Bolton!

Arriving back in Horwich, I realised that we had been very lucky with the weather, arriving back in the rain to be told it had been stormy all afternoon. An excellent day out.

Gordon



Sunday July 10th. Singing and Ringing in the Rain.

20 miles from Towneley Hall Burnley.

Leader: Barbara Shelton.




Somebody said to me before the walk, “It won’t be raining in July!” but I knew what I was doing when I named it!!

Twenty three of us gathered at Towneley Park in Burnley where there is a very reasonably priced pay and display car park but even £1 was too much for some!

We headed north east out of the park, past Rowley Hall and picked up the Burnley Way for a bit to Swinden Reservoirs. Then we were into the magnificent moorland scenery of Extwistle Moor heading east before swinging south above Widdop Reservoir and on to Cant Clough Reservoir.

Lunch saw us at the old lime kilns of Shedden Clough, where my prophesy of rain came true when the heavens opened. We picked up a short stretch of the Pennine Bridleway to drop down to Holme Chapel by St John the Divine church where General Scarlett, who is famous for leading the charge of the Heavy Brigade in the Crimean War, is buried.

Then it was the big push up to Crown Point and the Singing Ringing Tree, the highlight of the day. Visible from many points of our route, this is one of four panopticon sculptures in the area and I think the best, particularly when it sings and rings. Unfortunately it didn’t play for us due to the lack of wind, but at least the rain had cleared and we had some views. Ann led an uplifting chorus of ‘Singing in the Rain’ instead.

The Wayside Arts Trail was followed back to Towneley Hall via a sculpture of a kiln and a restored 1850’s coke oven which is a Grade II listed building – interesting but not as impressive as the kiln Norman showed us near Settle, as he was keen to point out! A civilised finish saw us strolling past the Hall, down the drive and having a welcome brew at the Rotunda kiosk.

A big thanks to Viv for all the help checking the route and on the day.

Barbara Shelton
Altogether now... We're singing in the rain! Group at start of the walk Injured crow Lunchtime Towneley Hall Who lives here?