After the Walk April 2021
Wednesday April 28th. Up and Under, Plodder Walk. Leader: Mike Lee.
Nine walkers met on a dull, but dry morning for the first Plodder walk since lock-down.
The “Up” part of the walk came first, with much of the advertised 1300 foot of ascent in the first mile as we followed the Pennine Bridleway from Waterfoot up to the base of Cowpe Lowe. From there a short walk took us to the remains of Foe Edge Farm, which provided seating for our elevenses stop.
Suitably refreshed, we continued up to Waugh’s Well and the wide stone road running along the edge of the Knowle Moor windfarm. This road took us to the highest point of the walk on the edge of Ding Quarry, where we joined the bed of an old quarry tramway.
A hundred years ago this tramway would have been busy with narrow-gauge steam locomotives hauling stone from Ding Quarry some three miles across the moor to a stone processing works above Rawtenstall. For us it provided a convenient footpath to Cragg Quarry and the Pennine Bridleway track leading to Rooley Moor Road.
From Rooley Moor Road we followed the new mountain bike trail down into Lee Quarry and from there dropped down to the bottom of the Rossendale valley. A new “multi-user” track has been constructed along the valley from Bacup to Rawtenstall and we followed it back to Waterfoot. This track follows the route of the old Bacup to Rawtenstall railway line, including two refurbished tunnels, which provided the “Under” part of the walk.
Thanks to everyone that came.
Mike Lee
Click on the link below to see Peter's pictures of the day.
Wednesday April 21st. Long Distance Golfer Strikes Again, 15 miles, Leader: Roger Jackson
On a a fine dry morning Twelve walkers and one dog set off from Chez Roger , for the first official East Lancs Social Walk since the start of Covid-19. Sadly no Maude ( the Magnificent) who has now retired from top class walking and is enjoying a lazy retirement at Hilary's, but we have an able replacement in Poppy ( the Powerful) , an experienced mountain walker.
Leaving the housing estate we joined a minor road leading up to Dunscar Golf Club, the official start of our Virtual Long Distance Golf round and ideal place for the team photo, continuing past the Golf Club to reach Longworth Lane, then after a short road walk, turned right onto a path going round the back of Delph Sailing Club which eventually joined The Witton Weavers Way (W.W.W.) just above Stones Bank.
We then followed this path, for approximately two miles to our morning coffee stop , just past Belmont Reservoir, giving a fine view of the Sailing Club, Belmont in the dip and Winter Hill in the distance. Still on the W.W.W. for another 1K then followed it round to the right heading upwards to cross between Darwen and Turton Moors, before heading downwards to our lunch stop at a house ruin just before Cadshaw. After lunch we had a short road walk then headed down to Entwhistle Reservoir and a picturesque walk, down to the dam, then back up to meet the long track leading eventually to Turton Tower.
Just before the Tower we turned right over Turton Golf Club , the end of our virtual Golf round and our afternoon coffee stop. Then after walking past the Golf course took a series of minor roads to return to the start. Good day out and great for everyone to have been able to meet up at last, sadly no pub available at the end to celebrate this time. ( hopefully next walk ).
Roger.
