July Jaunts
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| Wednesday July 7th. Let us go and see Roger. Leader Anne Oliver 13 people attended on an overcast day when the hokey cokey was played all morning – you put your waterproofs on, your waterproofs off, on, off, etc. We left the Jumbles car park just off Chapeltown Rd and climbed up via Turton golf club onto the moors above Egerton, passed the stone circle and trig point, the posts marking the Manchester / Lancashire boundary and the Three Lowes burial grounds before dropping down to Entwistle reservoir for a morning break. Then along the bank of Wayoh reservoir and through Chapeltown into Turton Bottoms where we wound our way through the woods and up to the lovely pack horse bridge, (see photo). Edgeworth village was entered at the Barlow Institute and exited again onto the edge of Holcombe Moors where lunch was taken as stated with Roger. Roger Worthington was a lay preacher laid to rest in 1709 with a small, very pleasant and peaceful garden marking his resting place (see photo). The return took us via Hawkshaw and Affetside and back down to the Jumbles reservoir using part of the Two Crosses route before we climbed back up to the car park. An excellent country walk along paths that were new to most of today's group. Paul Wadsworth Wellington Boot. Tuesday 13th July STOP PRESS: Record breaking numbers turn out for the 5 mile evening stroll from the Duke of Wellington, Grane Road, Haslingden. A record low, that is, of nine heroes who turned out in adverse conditions (well let’s say eight heroes, because as the leader I had to be there). They were Anne, Peter, Richard, Jackie, Ken, Margaret, Jack and David. – thanks for turning up, and a special thanks to Anne for backmarking. The pub was full of diners enjoying the £3.59 carvery as we crossed the road and made our way up the hill, in the drizzle, to join the Rossendale Way. We followed this for a couple of miles as it contoured along behind Jamestone quarries. We paused just off route at an information board about the history of quarrying in the area, which at its peak employed 3,000 people. From there we could see across to the quarry chimney on Musbury Heights which we’d visited on Chris Greene’s walk recently. Dropping down to the reservoirs we stopped off at Hartley House, the remains of a farmstead which have been preserved and which was once part of a significant community in the valley, from Elizabethan times until around 1900. Illicit whisky distilling used to provide a little light relief for the community apparently. We then picked up the Rossendale Way for a stretch before dropping down between the reservoirs and back to the pub for a well earned drink, where we got the impression we were keeping the staff up! Barbara Shelton Sunday July 11th. Pendle and Ribble Round. Our walk began at Spring Wood Car Park in Whalley; 21 people turned out in all on a pleasantly cool morning and we were pleased to welcome a couple of new people who had not walked with the group before. The route took us up the hill over the golf course towards the nick o’ Pendle then along the ridge to the trig point in very windy conditions - the view was probably excellent, but it was quite difficult to appreciate as wind makes my eyes water! We came down the steep slope of Pendle Hill and across meadows to Downham, and then on to Chatburn for lunch on the benches opposite a very fine vendor of real dairy ice cream. After lunch we continued through the village and down onto the Ribble Way to follow the river through to the next ice cream vendor at Edisford Bridge for a mid afternoon break. The final few miles crossed flat meadowland to Whalley and we finished the walk at about 4:30; thanks to Fred and Mary for leading it so professionally. HEADLINE –“GRAND OLD DUKE OF YORK LEADS EAST LANCS MIDWEEK WALK”. Limestone Landscapes Wednesday July 14th 2010 Leader – Bill Taylor Start : KINGS ARMS, Burton-in-Kendal 14 persons. And he marched us up to the top of the hill and he marched us down again…………. And he marched us up to the top of the hill and he marched us down again …………..And he marched us up to the top of the hill and he marched us down again…..All on the same bloomin’ footpath! And when we were up…..well we think we were up but we can’t be too sure. And when we were down……well that was equally vague! Yes it was another Bill Mystery Tour. How pleasant it was to walk around an area that we have never walked before. Or rather we don’t THINK we’ve ever walked it before. It was hard to tell really. Considering what a quiet region it is it was amazing how many other walkers we bumped into. Most of them from our own party as they doubled back following another, “Sorry ‘bout this” Only joking Bill – what a really good walk and yes it is an area we haven’t explored much previously. Norman pointed out that we did pick the Thirlmere Way up at one point but the rest was untrodden territory. Neil and Anne, formerly landlord and landlady at the Blundell Arms Horwich and now transforming the Kings Arms Burton-in-Kendal welcomed us into the pub as we arrived and wouldn’t let us set out without a cuppa inside of us. What a start. The route itself took in the beautiful hamlet of Hutton Roof, on to Lupton Mill and Lupton Tower and a steep climb before Bill would let us even contemplate lunch up to Felton Fell and Felton Knot. The breathtaking views saw that effort well rewarded and the heavy drops of rain as we ate may have dampened butties but not spirit. We arrived back into Burton-in-Kendal before four and savoured the refreshment in the pub before braving the electrical storms and heading for home. CONFESSION - The first paragraph of this write-up is just a leg-pull with Bill. This was a route a devised completely on his own and it was splendid. We all hope he’ll put it on for us again sometime in the future. Well Done Bill! Thanks also to Neil and Anne. For anyone interested we have decided to stay at the excellent Kings Arms to celebrate finishing the Red Rose Way on October 20th. Contact Bill or myself for details. John Bullen |
