Wednesday September 5th. Singing Ringing Tree Reprise.

15 miles from Towneley Hall. Leader: Barbara Shelton. 18 walkers and 2 dogs.

 

The Singing Ringing Tree, an art installation at Crown Point overlooking Burnley, had refused to sing or ring when we visited it last year, so another expedition was done to try and catch it on a good day.

Eighteen of us set off from Towneley Park, Burnley for a fifteen mile circular over hill and dale. We headed north to pick up the Burnley Way then across to Lee Green Reservoir, a handy spot for a break. Then it was on to Worsthorne and Hurstwood via lanes and field paths before climbing up to Hurstwood reservoir then Cant Clough Reservoir on the Pennine Bridleway, where much evidence can be seen of the old limestone quarrying activities.  This is also in evidence at Shedden Clough where we stopped for lunch, being the site of limestone hushings and kilns, now covered in vegetation.

We carried on along the Pennine Bridleway down to Holme Chapel and the church of St John the Divine. This is noteable for its unusual design, and for the grave of General James Yorke Scarlett who led the charge of the Heavy Brigade in the Crimean war.

Picking up the Burnley Way again we headed for our main objective, the Singing Ringing Tree which had been a speck on the horizon all day. We had lost a lot of height going down to Holme Chapel, so people had spotted that it was going to be a long way up to Crown Point but I didn’t hear any complaints (they were a polite bunch!). As we approached it I suggested people kept quiet so we could hear the sound of the breeze blowing through the pipes of the Tree, but there was absolutely nothing! Talk about anti-climax, and somebody who shall remain nameless even asked for his money back! However, within a couple of minutes the breeze strengthened and wonderful sounds started emanating from the structure, so I was very relieved.

From there we followed the route of the Wayside Arts Trail (leaflet available if you Google it) back into Towneley Hall and a visit to the café, and a beer for some (only canned but never mind!). The sun shone all day and we had views as far as the Three Peaks so it couldn’t have been better. Many thanks to Ken for backmarking.

Barbara Shelton

 

Pictures by Don, Terry,Barbara and Hilary

 

 

Sunday September 9th. Kinder Conquered.

20 miles from New Mills. Leader: Bob James.

 

A perfect dozen took on the Kinder Conquered walk on September 9^th in weather that rewarded the efforts with spectacular views across the Pennines and Peak District.

We set off from New Mills and following the now traditional Trespass Trail towards Hague Bar along the Sett Valley Trail before ascending up to Shaw Marsh Golf Club. Making good time along castle Edge Road we dropped down to cross the main road by Broadhurst Edge Plantation then across the meadows and past the (now a private home) Children’s Inn where the concept of the Kinder Trespass was conceived in 1932 after a confrontation between ramblers and Gamekeepers.

A pleasurable stop was made by the Rowarth at the Little Mill Inn. Crowds had gathered early to witness the end of a Fells race from over the moors. Our group walked towards Little Hayfield giving encouragement to runners going in the opposite direction as they made their way to what had been our morning resting place.

Skirting Lantern Pike we dropped down to cross the A624 and began walking through Park Hall, once popular for its outdoor swimming pool before climbing Middle Moor.  Kinder Scout greeted us across the valley with Kinder Reservoir below us and views as far as the eye could see. A light lunch was taken with the ascent up Hollin Head before us –the most demanding stretch of the day. This achieved we stopped briefly to inspect the strange rock formations above Kinder Downfall. Pressing on we reached the day’s destination of the Trig Point on Kinder Scout by mid-afternoon.

The descent was made via Kinder Low as the party free-wheeled downwards to Bowden Bridge. This was the scene from where the original Kinder Trespass began in 1932 and now hosts a family friendly camp-site used recently by Louise & Geoff who pointed out a more scenic and quieter footpath that took us back into Hayfield.

From here we rejoined the Sett Valley Trail that took us back along the old disused railway line towards our starting point at New Mills.

A very good group had a very good day on a very good walk.

Thoroughly recommended.  

Bob

 

 

Thanks to Geoff for the photos.

 

 

Malt, Hops and Ice Cream   Sunday September 17th

26 persons and two dogs  14 miles  Ldr : Capt Thomas

 Write Up 1.

The weather forecast for this particular Sunday wasn’t good, they said it was going to rain, in fact they said it was going to rain quite a bit. What they didn’t say was it was going to bucket it down from mid morning onwards right on top of us.

 

The computer graphics on the TV forecast the night before should have shown a little jet black bubbly cloud just round enough to cover 26 people and two dogs and under it should have been shown lots and lots of those little dashes which indicate water. As the graphics progressed through the day – 11.0am, noon, 1.00pm, 2.00pm, 3.00pm - the jet black cloud should have been shown moving from Horwich, over Winter Hill and Great Hill, through White Coppice and Wheelton and down to the outskirts of Chorley. The smiling TV weather forecaster should have enlightened everyone by saying, “And throughout Sunday this little jet black monsoon cloud will move around the West Pennines right above a little group of 26 people and two dogs. About three o’clock in the afternoon we predict it will stop moving and come to a halt right over the bus stop near Frederick’s Ice Cream Parlour on the A6 near Chorley and here it will disgorge the 10,000 gallons of water it has kept in reserve. We advise all sensible citizens to keep away from these 26 people and two dogs!”       

 

Ah well we had fun anyway! And certainly the ice cream and beer helped cheer dampened spirits a little.

 

This walk was scheduled on the weekend between two tough walks, Kinder Scout and the Two Crosses, as an “introductory walk” to encourage new members. In this it was a success as we had three smiling and wet new faces amongst us, husband and wife team Tom and Elizabeth, and Katie. It was also great to see Roy Davies, Mike Harrington and Andy Hayhurst. The route was an abridged version of Norman’s “Ray of Sunshine” annual sponsored walk and it was highly pleasing that we have now been able to do it as a club walk.   

 

Well done everyone. We even managed to keep laughing and joking through being let down by the local bus service. If the buses are every ten minutes on a Sunday how come we had to wait 45 minutes for one?    

John Bullen.

 

We are very lucky on this walk, two write ups to peruse!!

 

Write Up 2.

 

Linear walk, catching the 125 bus back to the start. 

Start: The Blundell Arms

Finish: Bus stop by Fredericks Ice Cream parlour

Weather: Low grey cloud; light rain mid-morning; dry spell before more rain in the afternoon.

 

26 walkers including three new to the club; 2 dogs.

 

As we gathered in the car park of the Blundell Arms for the start of the walk it gradually emerged that we were embarking on a linear walk and catching the bus back to our start point.  This prompted much rummaging in purses and wallets to make sure we had the wherewithal with us to pay our fare to get us back to the car park.  Norman let us know that the walk was based to begin with on his "Ray of Sunshine" walk, modified towards the end of the walk to keep the distance down to allow an introductory walk for new members to try a Sunday walk out.  So despite the rather gloomy forecast we were pleased to have 26 on the walk including three new prospective members.

 

We struck out over field systems and tracks, climbing towards Winter Hill.  From Winter Hill the steep and greasy descent was made to the Rivington - Belmont road.  Here we huddled by the roadside for a morning coffee break.  Coffee break over we walked by Spitlers Edge to Great Hill.  Descending we made the delightful White coppice for lunchtime.  Here we were able to take advantage of the White Coppice cafe for a warm drink and lunch.  After lunch we proceeded by the reservoirs to the west of White Coppice to the "Malt and Hops" portion of the walk: the Malthouse Farm was reached where people took advantage of a range of beverages.  Out once more into the rain and now we were walking along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to the final destination of the walk: Fredericks Ice Cream parlour.  Here more goodies were consumed before congregating at the bus stop.  Much banter was enjoyed here as we waited for nearly an hour for the bus back to the start.  A damp and dull day, enlivened by gentle banter and good company.  Our three new members passed the test to weed out fair-weather-only walkers.

 

Steve

 

 

 

Wednesday September 19th. Heritage Trail Part 3.

 

Please see seperate write up under Heritage Trail on the main menu.

 

Sunday September 23rd. Two Crosses. LDWA 40th Anniversary Walk.

25 miles from Tottington. Leader: Jake Clarke.

 

Please see link below from Martin Banfield for a flavour of the day's walk. Thank you Martin.

 

http://phreerunner.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/sunday-23-september-2012-east.html

 

 

Wednesday September 26th. Rossendale Quarry Heritage Walk.

14 miles from Waterfoot. Leader: Mike Lee. 16 walkers.

 

 

Torrential rain had hit Rossendale for the two days before the day of the walk, so few of the 16 walkers who assembled in Waterfoot expected conditions to be dry underfoot. They were soon proved right as we encountered an ankle deep pool of water surrounding the gate to the first field on the route. This set the scene for much of the remainder of the walk, but at least the previous day’s heavy rain had given way to mainly short, light showers.

 

The first part of our route took us past a gem of quarry heritage: the Kimberley Club. The tiny Kimberley Club was established in 1879 by quarrymen as a place to drink after work and still serves a similar purpose, although few of its current members claim to be quarrymen. The door was open so we took the opportunity to look inside this quaint relic from the past. We then ascended to Lee Quarry, no longer a working quarry and now being promoted as a centre for mountain biking. We paused to admire two sculptures near the edge of the quarry before taking a drinks break surrounded by the massive rock faces of the old quarry.

 

Our lunch stop was in the picturesque setting of the Cowm Reservoir, which we viewed through the heaviest rain shower of the day. Fortunately, the rain stopped before our ascent to view the extensive remains of Ab Top quarry. These are all the more impressive for being excavated almost solely by muscle power. The only mechanisation was in the form of steam cranes to lift stone from the deep excavations and a narrow gauge railway to take the stone away. The remains of this railway track provided the next section of our route, contouring along the steep slope of Walstead Clough and through Thurns Head Quarry, before we left it to climb higher onto the moor, heading for Rooley Moor Road. From Rooley Moor Road, familiar to veterans of the Rossendale Way in a Day, the home stretch was a steep descent into Cowpe village and along a (dry) tarmac road back to the start.  

 

Thanks to everyone who turned out for what must qualify as the walk with the wettest underfoot conditions of the year.

Mike

 

Thanks to Don and Terry for the pictures.