Marvellous May- we hope


 

 

 

Not a Full Shilling .                                         Bank Holiday Monday May 6th 2013

 

29 persons   .                            17 miles 2,400 ft of ascent.        Ldr : Norman Thomas

 

 

 

What better way to spend a Bank Holiday Monday than on one of Norman’s walks? Answers on very large postcards please!!!!!

 

 

 

It was the hottest day of the year to date and this was the most enjoyable of walks, boosted by a splendid turn-out and a great atmosphere all day. The meeting place was choc a bloc with people as ten o’clock approached and they were all there for Norman ’s walk.

 

 

 

He set us a strenuous start with the climb up to the Pike. Before we could all gather our breath we were off down the hill again, round the back of the school and down to Liverpool Castle for a coffee break. Passing “Go Ape” we rounded the reservoirs to head for White Coppice and lunch, basking in the sunshine and the splendour of the cricket club grounds, busy on this beautiful Bank Holiday.

 

 

 

Norman then pretended to give us a choice of the “softies low level” route to Brinscall or “the SAS over the tops” alternative. Of course we went for the tougher option so and hour later, hot and sweaty, we were glad of a sit down by the little lake alongside the swimming baths at Brinscall.

 

 

 

Realising that time was pressing on Norman decided on the more straightforward route back to the start, alongside Angelzarke Reservoir into Rivington village and so to the cars.

 

 

 

All in all a superb day. Well done Norman . Everyone was asking if we can put something on for the next Bank Holiday. We are looking into it and will make an announcement once it is sorted.      

 

 

 

John

 

 

 


Thanks to Clare, Terry and John for the pictures.

 

Wednesday May 8th. Tropical Flatlands of Holcombe. 14 miles.

Leader: Mark Reed. 15 walkers and 1 dog.

 

15 walkers and 1 Dog (Maude of course) assembled ready for the off.
 
Obligatory group photo taken we set off heading towards the firing range passing by Bank Top farm.
 
The promised showers arrived earlier than we thought which had a few of us scrambling for our waterproofs, however it didn't last and so once out of the way it was pretty good really.
Just over an hour later we stopped for an adjustment break and a quick coffee.
 
Off again passing Crowthorn Resevoir we turned right across the fields in order to minimise road walking, however there was a small stretch leading to the Toby Inn at Edgeworth.
Turning off behind the Toby we headed for a small farm with Jacobs Sheep bred for their Wool, they look like Goats to me !!
 
We then climbed upwards towards the Standing stone before again turning off into a valley which dropped down into the resevoirs of Calf Hey and Ogden.
 
Onto the Rossendale Way and finally having lunch at Musbury Heights Quarry where we could take shelter from the wind.
 
We soon set off again on the Rossendale way following this until eventually after a big hill we arrived at Naughty Corner where we again took a few minutes to catch our breaths.
 
As no trip to Holcombe would be complete without a visit to the tower we followed our noses and after one last hill we stopped to admire the view before our final descent to the car park below.
 
A good day with good company.  
 
Mark

 


 

Two Hills and a Cross                                                            Sunday May 19th

8 people                                   18 miles                                    Ldr : Jacqueline Crowder

 

This was to be Sue “Subway” Stoner’s walk. Unfortunately Gillian, Sue’s chauffeur on the day, had a last minute emergency and couldn’t make it. Sue asked someone else for a lift and their Satnav had them driving all round Derbyshire! Eight of us had assembled at the Mam Tor car park and our hearts went out to Sue and her friend. Mobile contact was sketchy to say the least and we couldn’t get the right directions through to them. By nearly half nine they seemed to be further away than at nine o’clock!

 

Into the breach stepped “Wonderwoman” to save the day. A lovely lady named Jacqueline (“her Sunday name”) Crowder who had turned up for the event having seen it in Strider and knowing the district she said if we were struggling, which we were, she could lead a walk of about 17 miles. We jumped at the opportunity and reluctantly informed Sue that we would have to be on our way.

 

We can only assume that Jacqueline had heard a rumour that East Lancs members are “softies”. She really put us through it but what a cracking walk! It was superb. Brilliant weather, great company.

 

Jacqueline even supplied a walk report….

 

From Mam Tor car park take path N/E to Mam Tor trig 517m, continue easterly to Hollins Cross .  From there we descended N/W down to Peter Barn to the road, crossing over to the footpath opposite, under railway bridge and onto Edale where we roughly emerged at the Nags Head (unfortunately it wasn’t open)! (this is the starting point of the Pennine Way ). 
 
We then took the path north out of the village ascending Grindsbrook Clough, (it’s one of my favourite ways up and as we saw very popular with the tourists).  This took us onto the south edge of Kinder where we had elevens' at the top before continuing east along the edge to Ringing Roger (approx 3km).  We descended here following a wall on our right, crossing Rowland Cote Moor and down to Edale YH.   From there we headed N/E along the footpath stopping for lunch just before the bridleway.  This took us to the bottom of Jaggers Clough onto the Roman Road , passing Hope Cross then making a fairly gentle ascent to Winhill Pike 462m (afternoon break and taking in the views of the reservoir, planes and hangliders etc).   
 
We returned S/W passing Twitchill Farm followed the tarmac track down into Castleton (Edale Road) crossed over and headed in a N/W direction and up to Lose Hill 476m, quite a sting in the tale for the end of day (one of the other ladies was certainly flagging at this point and I noticed the gentlemen were giving her some well needed encouragement).  We continued S/W on the ridge path taking in Back Tor, repeating Hollins Cross and Mam Tor and finally back to the CP.  Phew!!  
 
Sending you and the rest of the group my very best wishes and look forward to seeing you out there again on another!!

 

Jacqueline Crowder

 

Footnote

Gillian Morris moaned once every 100 yards. That is 1,760 moans per mile and at 18 miles that is a total of 31,680 moans. Each moan was fresh and different and there was no repetition! That is some moaning imagination!

 

We are only joking on this. Gill was great fun as always and we pulled her leg a lot on the day!

 

We can’t thank Jacqueline enough and we fully reciprocate her wish to walk together again some day!

 

THANKS JACQUELINE! 

 


 

Thanks to Mark for the pictures.

 

 

Wednesday May 22nd. Halo Goodbye. 12 miles from Habergham Eaves.

 

Leader: Barbara Shelton. 16 walkers and 3 dogs.

 

This 12 mile walk sounds easy, but packed a punch in so far as it had four notable ascents in it, so it wasn’t a complete walk in the park!

Sixteen of us plus three dogs set off from the New Waggoners at Habergham Eaves into a keen wind to scale the heights of Hameldon Hill with its communication masts and weather station. Leaving the Burnley Way we linked across onto the Rossendale Way and headed for Stone Fold, being entertained by four or five hares racing about on the lane and in the fields. (For the anoraks, one collective noun for a group of hares is a ‘down’, though I prefer an alternative, a ‘flick’). Further on, we shepherded a couple of wayward lambs back into their field with the help of the farmer and his tractor (it felt like we were in an episode of ‘The Dales’ or something!)

Leaving the Rossendale Way we pressed on up to the Halo panopticon sculpture at Top of Slate on the side of Cribden with its panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Impressive in the daytime, the structure lights up at night and is, I’m told, worth a visit then.

After lunch, we carried on round the shoulder of Cribden Hill heading for Crawshaw Booth, the only minor incident being a brief encounter with a certain farmer expressing his views about a dog in the party, the moral of the story being that leads are essential in this area!

Then it was down into Crawshaw Booth and up steeply to Goodshaw Chapel, an 18th C restored Baptist chapel which we had a look round by prior arrangement. The warden, Harry Sidebottom, stood in the pulpit while we all took a pew and listened to his enjoyable account of times past at the chapel and in the area. Run by English Heritage since the 1970s, the well preserved interior, with its wooden box pews and unadorned walls, gives a good feel for life ‘back in the day’.

We had one last ascent on the Rossendale Way to bring us to Clowbridge Reservoir which we contoured above, and finally back to the pub where Moorhouses Blond Witch, or Black Sheep bitter awaited those with discerning taste!

Many thanks to Geoff for agreeing to be my backmarker for the day.

P.S. In case you didn’t get it, the ‘Goodbye’ in the title relates to the graveyard at Goodshaw Chapel.

Barbara Shelton


Pictures by Hilary, Don,Terry and Barbara.