October, time for spookiness and mists

Sunday October 30th. What Castles? 20 miles. Leaders: Dave and Alma Walsh.

The reccies of this walk had been done in bright sunshine but today the weather was overcast but at least it was mild & dry. Twelve of us, including two ladies from the West Lancs group & a new East Lancs member lined up for the group photo & as a nod to Halloween, Ken donned a scary mask but none were scared, in fact some said it was an improvement, I'm sure they were joking.

As the clocks had gone back we set off at a briskish pace determined to get back in daylight. We headed North West over fields which were quite wet & muddy from the previous days heavy rain. After negotiating wobbly stiles, a slippy plank over a stream & barbed wire hidden in the grass Ken nicknamed us the Duke & Duchess of Hazard.

We eventually reached firmer paths at Bleasdale where we had a morning break. Viv treated us all to cheesy biscuits which she was trialling for the Red Rose 50. Shortly after we turned North East & followed a lane past stone properties until a turn off took us up to the fell where a long upward path led us to Fiensdale Head. We paused at the top & held a minutes silence for one of our LDWA walking friends Terry Griffiths who sadly passed away recently.

We then went downhill along a wet narrow path until we reached Langden Brook valley. After a few wobbles on some slippery stones, the stream was crossed & we followed a path to Langden Castle (not very impressive as castles go) for lunch supplemented by more cheesy biscuits, it was quite a big bag!

After continuing along the valley we turned off at Hareden Farm & began a long ascent to Mellor Knoll. From there we dropped down to Whitmore where trees had been felled & a very muddy track was encountered. Onwards over fields to the old Lime Kiln at Knot Hill. Barbara showed she still had some energy left by climbing to the top & then doing a superman pose.

We arrived back at Chipping at 4.40pm, fortunately still in daylight.

Thanks to all who attended, Dave & Alma.

Ken convinces Angela he is not scary really

Alma searches for eye of toad and wing of bat.......

An East Lancs member who forgot their lunch

And when you've been up... you must come down

Viv recruits a volunteer for the Red Rose 50?

Wednesday October 26th. Watergrove Skyline. 13 miles. Leader: Peter Steckles.

17 folks arrived at Healey Corner for the Watergrove Skyline walk in time for the 10 o'clock start.

The cloud base was low - about 3 feet underground actually, but we set off anyway. SatNavs were fired up. Hats were donned, and Don knew where we were going...

Ending Rake saw us under the folly bridge for the Team Photograph. We soon started to climb up to Rushy Hill Trig Point, and in true East Lancs fashion, we all trouped over to touch the trig point for good luck. We then descended across Lobden Golf Course before crossing to the bottom of Brown Wardle.

Brown Wardle saw a steep climb to the summit, where we looked in vain for the trig point which is shown on older maps. Someone had stolen it, and indeed on the TrigPointing UK website, TP 7323 is reported as DESTROYED!!! With hardly a pause for breath, we decended Brown Wardle just as steeply and climbed up to Middle Hill. Sadly, one of the group felt a little unwell, and so he and his friend returned to the cars. We later had a phone call to say that all was well, and that they were on their way home.

We continued across a plateau, where Curlews have been spotted, but not today. The cloud was still down. We approached the access road to the 11 Turbines of the Crook Hill area and here we took drinks. Soon after, the wind increased and the cloud lifted. Watergrove Reservoir came into view, as did Middle Hill and Brown Wardle where we had come from. So we hadn't been dreaming after all...

We followed the wind factory service road round to T10, where we dropped down to Higher Calderbrook Road before passing the Calderbrook Railway Tunnel Air Shafts. From here we dropped down to Summit at Littleborough, crossed Todmorden Road and joined the Rochdale Canal, where we took luncheon.

The weather was positively tropical as we followed the canal into Littlebourough, passing under the railway station, through the village centre, and climbing up Shore Road, where we saw the reddest Acer Tree in the known universe. It was so red that two photographs were taken!

At the King William IV Pub, we followed the Middle Wood Lane bridleway up past the Birch Hill, where we spotted an old truck which had been lovingly restored, and hand lettered J B Bennet. Stone and Slate Sales. We had sweets from Hilary to celebrate at this point.

Through Wardle, and behind the Church to join Hey Bottom Lane where we had a final drink of taperino water, and an impromtu reminder from Dave and Alma that walk leaders are respectfully required for the May 2017 to August 2017 schedule. Dave also reminded the group that this Sunday was the end of BST, and to remember to put the clocks back on Saturday night. This is particularly important for anyone planning to walk Dave and Alma's 'What Castles Walk' on Sunday 30th October.

Final stretch, down to the strangely named Brown House Wham Reservoir, now defunct, past Healey Stones and back to the cars down Ending Rake.

Mixed weather. Good company. And a 4 O-Clock finish. Good day out.

Peter.

Click here for Peter's pictures.

Pictures below from Hilary

Wednesday October 19th. Loaf and Fishes Walk. 13 miles. Leader: Norman Thomas.

Eleven walkers took part today (elite plodders). The weather was wonderful, no wind and not a drop of rain. We made our way through Settle, up to Giggleswick, onwards to the quarry and then to Feizar Hamlet for a mid morning break. I decided then that because of the good weather I was going to alter the walk. We went up over Smearsett Scar where the views were amazing and we decided to have lunch at the top.

After lunch we descended to Little Stainforth and some of us went into the Knight’s Table café, others walked down to Stainforth Foss to watch the salmon leaping up the Ribble, a wonderful sight. We joined them and made our way to Stainforth village and onwards to the Hoffman Kiln, in its day one of the largest in the UK. We walked through its wonderful building and a notice board told us what lime was used for; apart from spreading on farm land it was used for paper, clothing and also in chocolate making.

Onwards to Langcliffe village past The Naked Lady – which was the pub when the Settle railway was being built. It closed and never re-opened because of fighting by the navvies working on the railway. We finished our walk along the old railway line into Settle.

Well done everybody, I also quote our elite plodder (Don), who remarked ‘a good tough walk enjoyed by everybody’.

Thanking you, Norman.

PS: we got the fishes but not the loaf!

Thank you to Don for the pictures.

Thank you to Geoff for the pictures below

Don trys to persuade Norman to drink the water

Sunday October 16th. Julie's Jaunt. 21 miles. 3000' ascent. Leader: Julie Spencer.

Julie’s leading again, the weather was forecast wet and a bit breezy, typical! 18 hardy souls (including 3 from West Yorkshire group) joined me for an undulating walk in the lovely Calderdale area.

We set off from the Visitor Centre at Hollingworth Lake, initially following the Rochdale Way through the small hamlet of Whitaker before climbing to the White House Pub on the A58. By this time we were in full waterproofs as the wet weather had arrived. Following the paths past Blackstone Edge and White Holme reservoir, crossing the B6138 and Soyland Moor to climb Great Manshead Hill, we had our morning break but alas, the views were not to be (low cloud but it had stopped raining.) We then touched on a bit of the Hebden route descending to the Hinchliffe Arms in Cragg Vale.

We then followed the Calderdale Way towards Withens Clough reservoir (our original path along Turley Holes Edge had been closed due to a landslip) then ascended to Stoodley Pike over Higher Moor (lunch). We dropped down to Mankinholes/Lumbutts, following the Pennine Bridleway to the Rochdale Canal at Bottomley where we had our afternoon stop. Still following the Pennine Bridleway, we picked up the Rochdale Way climbing up to Allenden Hill before descending to Calderbrook and the A6033. The canal was then followed for a short distance before picking up a path back to the Visitor Centre.

Many thanks for those who turned up on the day. We ended the day with dry, sunny weather.

Julie Spencer

Click here for Howard's pictures

Thank you to Dave for the pictures below

Click here for Peter's pictures

Wednesday October 12th. Wainwright's Birthplace. 14 miles. Leader: Barbara Shelton.

For years I’d been wanting to visit the terraced house in the Higher Audley area of Blackburn where the revered Alfred Wainwright was born, to see the house and the blue plaque, but never got round to it. Hence the walk, which is really the only appropriate way to arrive at the former residence of AW (as he is known to many), fell wanderer, writer and artist.

Twenty five devotees and two dogs, who may or may not have heard of AW, set off on a gloriously clear and sunny day to take the path down to Dean Clough Reservoir, disturbing a deer on the way, and on to Parsonage Reservoir. According to Nick Burton, in his book ‘Wainwright’s Way’, AW and a friend would have walked by Dean Clough reservoir when following a walk in a book by Blackburn journalist Harry Green. Some of our party recognised part of the ‘Red Rose 100’ route at this point.

Heading broadly south, with Rishton reservoir in sight ahead, we picked up the Leeds Liverpool canal and followed it into the east side of Blackburn via old mills, new industrial development and busy roads before plunging into the tightly packed terraces that AW knew as a lad. Emerging onto Audley Range, we paid homage to the great man at number 331. Wainwright was actually born in this house, as was common in those days, on 17^th January 1907, and he spent the first 24 years of his life there. The plaque states simply ‘The birthplace of Alfred Wainwright – Author and Fell Walker (1907 – 1991)’.

Photos taken, we carried on to our lunch stop on the outskirts of town, in the grounds of a church, where serendipitously (or was it all arranged?), we were offered the use of the church loos by a very kind parishioner. Some came away with jars of jam too I believe! Crossing the M65, we dropped down to Magnoll’s Farm (beware the hovercraft!), skirted Oswaldtwistle and entered Foxhill Bank nature reserve, leading us back to another stretch of the canal, including the Dunkenhalgh Aqueduct over the M65 which many of us hadn’t crossed before. Through Rishton on the towpath we joined a number of cyclists for an afternoon treat at a canalside café – they were on a 50 mile charity ride and were heading for the Pack Horse at Affetside. Then it was just the sting in the tail going steadily uphill back to the cars on Blackburn Old Rd. A little over 14 miles, good views, a blue plaque and hardly any rain – not a bad day out!

PS – plus quite a few people partook of a pint of Wainwright beer at the Dog and Otter at the end – very appropriate!

Barbara Shelton

Lunchtime in the sun A wave from the rear of the garden Foxhill Bank Visiting the ducks

Dunkenhalgh Aqueduct Narrowboat on the canal Towpath from a bridge Narrowboat passes by

Click here for Peter's Pictures

Gathering of the group to listen to Barbara

Wainwright's Birthplace, 331 Audley Range

Rain in the distance, we made it back before it caught us up

Wednesday October 5th. 36 Degrees Part 1. Leader: John Pickton.

Click here for Martin's Report

Sunday October 2nd. Blackburn Beauty. 20 miles. Leaders: Norman Thomas and Neil Smith.

Nineteen walkers took part in the walk. This was a joint walk between Neil (Billy Whizz) and myself. Billy decided he would lead up to Darwen Tower at 6 miles per hour leaving many of us in the distance (I think he was miffed because we had to cancel the 3 peaks in Yorkshire on the Monday before (very wet weather forecast).

The weather today was very hot for October and the views were good. From Darwen Tower we progressed to Tockholes then had lunch at Witton Park near Blackburn which had a good café etc. After lunch we progressed over Billinge Hill, Houghton Bottoms and on to Abbey Village. The last leg was into Roddlesworth Woods, this part of the walk was very testing indeed. We arrived back at the car park before 5:00pm.

Well done everybody, I think it was enjoyed by all and the weather was A1.

Thanking you

Norman

Click here for Howard's Pictures.

Thank you to Peter for the pictures.