Wednesday August 25th. Gisburn Gyration. 10.5 miles. Leader: Lynn Rossiney.

6 of us set off on a beautiful day from the Festival Hall Gisburn towards Weets Hill, we had  panoramic views clockwise from the West Pennine Moors to the Three peaks & Ilkley & Rombald Moors & beyond.

Lunch was in the grounds of Bancroft Mill in Barnoldswick, from there over to Bracewell we had a break in the little church porch

Once  through Big Covert wood with the lovely lake we carried on through Cravens drumlin country back over fields to meet the A59 in Gisburn

Thankyou to everyone who came along & to Don for taking photos

Lynn

Sunday August 22nd. A Walk with Nancy. 20.6 miles. 3,700 ft ascent. Leader:Pauline Melia.

I was really looking forward to this walk, having enjoyed both recces on what is a varied and interesting route, combining natural beauty, glorious parkland, historic buildings and reclaimed industrial sites.

We started at Nelson’s Pit visitors’ centre at Higher Poynton, the site of a former colliery. From here we set out on a very short section of Middlewood Way (reclaimed railway line) to bear left across fields and immediately into Lyme Park Estate. The track and then tarmac path approach through the parkland and up to the house is an attractive route (no Colin Firth spotted though!) and from here we skirted around the buildings and right onto a path where we started our climb onto higher ground. The views became extensive as we gained height and could see the rolling hills and in the distance Shutlingsloe (aka the Cheshire Matterhorn).

After our morning break we took a sharp descent to cross a stream and then began a gradual climb towards the road alongside Pym Chair (a craggy outcrop always popular with climbers), then Cats Tor and then Shining Tor, the highest point of our route, where we anticipated bad weather (approaching black clouds looked very threatening) but we were lucky to avoid anything but a very light shower. From the summit cairn we dropped down via Andrew’s Edge to Lamaload Reservoir where we took a late lunch.

Dropping down from the reservoir and then up steeply after the dam, we passed through villages and along pleasant country lanes to our next stage, which started with a very short but very steep climb onto Kerridge Hill. The highlight of the hill being White Nancy, a folly built to commemorate the victory at the Battle of Waterloo. After a short stop to take in the glorious views we began our sharp descent into Bollington after which we joined the Macclesfield Canal for a few miles before joining the Middlewood Way for our final stretch back to Nelson’s Pit.

A great walk of 20 miles, with fine company and good weather. Loved it!

Pauline.

Pictures from Jane and Hilary

Wednesday August 11th.  Forgotten Valley, Plodder walk. 9.5 miles. Leader: Mike Lee.

Fourteen walkers met at Owd Betts on a cloudy but dry morning to start the Forgotten Valley Plodder walk.

The title of the walk is taken from a book of the same name which describes how 150 years ago the Ashworth Valley was a hive of industry with a mill almost every half mile taking advantage of the water power offered by Cheesden Brook, but as steam power became dominant these mills were abandoned. As they became derelict nature reclaimed the land and they are now barely visible and almost forgotten.

We started by crossing the Ashworth Valley close to the most visible of these remains at Cheesden Lumb Mill. Then, leaving the valley, we crossed Harden Moor to Bury Old Road and Grants Tower. A drinks stop gave us the opportunity to explore the recently renovated tower.

Then we went back to Bury Old Road and headed towards Nangreaves. Just before the now closed Raglan Arms pub, we took to footpaths across the fields and joined old lanes that took us back to the Ashworth Valley.

We descended past the reservoirs (lodges) that held water for the mills into Deeply Vale. Deeply Vale was heavily industrialised and we could see the remains of the mills amongst the trees as we walked along cobbled roads originally used by carts going to and from the mills.

We stopped for lunch amongst the ruins of Washwheel Mill, now overgrown with mature trees. After lunch we climbed steeply out of the valley and continued our journey along the southern edge of the valley until we met a bridleway going steeply down to the bottom of the valley and just as steeply up the other side.

We now left the Ashworth Valley behind us and crossed Ashworth Road to join the Rochdale Way back to Owd Betts.

Thanks to everyone who came.

Mike Lee

Sunday August 8th. Parbold Walk. 18.5 miles. Leaders, Dave and Alma Walsh.

Ten of us set off from the lay by opposite Fairy Glen including one LDWA member who had not walked with the group before. Most were dressed in waterproof trousers & jackets in view of the rainy forecast. The weather turned out not too bad but the trousers came in useful for the brambles & long wet grass.

We walked through Fairy Glen which was very quiet & then followed the road to Appley Bridge. From there we picked up the canal & walked to Gathurst. We shared the canal with a running group & cyclists.

From the canal we followed a muddy track which got muddier & wetter as we climbed uphill. At the top it opened out into green fields & we had our morning break next to a pond.

Fields & tracks took us to Ashurst Beacon for a quick drinks stop. On the way there we had met up with a group from Leigh Ramblers. From there we made our way to Parbold where we had lunch by the canal.

After walking through the small town centre we climbed up hill to a track which we followed to Hill Dale. Some quiet road walking took us to a track which went past the old windmill on Harrock Hill.

Pleasant field walking ensued as we made our way past the High Moor restaurant, which is still closed, & back to the start at Fairy Glen.

Thanks to all who attended & Hilary who took photos.

Dave & Alma

Photos by Hilary and Dave.