Fabulous February?
Sunday February 3rd. Hey Diddle Diddle. 17 miles
Leader: Bob James. 13 walkers and 1 dog.
Wednesday February 13th. Up and Over. 14 miles from Belmont.
Leaders: Kathy Page & Chris Hopkins.14 walkers and two dogs (Holly and Mica)
Well Chris & I thought we would be the only two on the car park but as 10am approached we had 14 walkers & two dogs. It was blowing a gale & already blizzard conditions on the car park so the concensus was to keep to low level & not do as the walk said Up and Over!! This turned out to be a really good decision.
We had Chris's daughter Izzy with us for her first LDWA walk & Mr Gadget Yorkshireman! So we had no sooner set off & John Crook sprung into action rescuing a sheep caught up in the brambles. We followed the blue lagoon path & dropped into the valley leading to Dunscar golf club. After a short break & snowball frivolity (not me honest) the snow became heavier but spirits were still high. We survived the dogs guarding the farm before our lunch break at Barrow Bridge; no sooner had we cleared the tables of snow they were covered again.
Then up through Bolton golf course towards High Rid Reservoir. I had a surprise of the footpath now being closed, which we have used for years. Luckily Roger knew an alternative route - thanks Roger.
The snow was really heavy now so we thought it was best just to walk the quickest & easiest route back to the cars. Thanks to Doreen & Gareth leading us past the Pigeon tower & back to the cars. The same rescued sheep was now wandering aimlessly down the road (it must have a deathwish!). Everyone got home in one piece & well done to Izzy for finishing the walk (think it put her off for life).
Roll on summer when we can walk in shorts again.
Kath Page
Sunday February 17th. Blackstone Edge. 20 miles.
Leader: Andy Griffin. 18 walkers and 5 dogs.
After a pretty miserable start to the year weather wise Sunday was blest with clear sunny weather for a twenty mile walk through the South Pennines. I was joined on the walk by 18 walkers and 5 dogs.
The route before the mid-morning break took us from the White House down to the Rochdale canal via Chelburn. The canal was followed to Ealees for a break at Hollingworth Lake visitors centre. However in Ealees one of the dogs (a trail hound) did a runner and I had to leave the owners tracking one of their dogs which was fitted with a transponder. A first for a walk I’ve lead. It seems the dog has done this before and can go quite considerable distances once it picks up a scent.
So after a break at Hollingworth, 17 walkers and three dogs continued towards Piethorn and lunch at Readycon Dean Reservior which was bathed in sunshine but open to a cold SE wind. We then walked towards the Pennine Way where we joined it on Huddersfield Road. We walk to Windy Hill, crossing the M62 to bear right to Green Withens Reservoir where our last break was taken.
The walk then took us across Rishworth Moor and finished with a loop around Light Hazzles Edge and we finished by 4.05pm.
Thanks to everyone who came along,
Andy
Thank you to Andy Dobney for the pictures
Wednesday February 27th. The Greenheart Way Part 2.
Leader: John Bullen. 15 walkers and 3 dogs. 15 miles from Pennington Flash.
The Greenheart Way – or In Search of the Leigh Leprechauns!!!!!!!
What a beautiful day it was to go searching for Leprechauns! It really was glorious and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. Just to remind everyone, the Greenheart Way is a swathe of land between Haigh Hall at Wigan and Pennington Flash at Leigh. Norman led Part 1 from the Pie-Eaters end and John planned the route from the Lobby Gobblers neck of the woods.
Fifteen people on such a lovely day was a good turnout and it was refreshing to see Peter Todd out with us again after a long absence, even if we did have to go a mile off route to pick him up! Off we went round the south east bank of the Flash to the impressive Byrom Hall, reputed to be haunted and certainly looking as though it could be!
A trek round the outside of Byrom Wood brought us into Lephrechaun country and John promised us even if we didn’t see one there would be proof of their existence. There it was at the Leprechaun Bench, one of the Little Men, disturbed in his sunbathing had left his boots next to the bench (see photos!).
We had a coffee break in the quite beautiful orchard at Lightshaw Hall before heading off down a disused railway line for the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. We departed the towpath at Abram into Viridor Woods and across to Three Sisters. It was so lovely sat in the sunshine eating our butties and watching the ducks, swans, geese and moorhens that we really didn’t want to get under way again.
Eventually we cracked the whip and got going and it was out along the bridleway to Landsgate Lane, through more woodland to Scotsman’s Flash. Heavy mud on the recce had forced the decision to stick to the canal on the actual day. It made for a long towpath trek in as we headed back to Pennington Flash to finish just before four.
John.