Wednesday March 29th. All Aboard for Standish. 14 miles. Leader:Andrea Foster. 

Starting off outside the Charnley arms pub on Arbour lane in Standish, 12 of us intrepid explorers set off hoping for a dry day. Today's walk was based on a booklet called "The Standish Way"... following the boundary line of the parish of Standish with some local history thrown in. I had adapted the walk slightly to avoid a lot of the road walking. We were rewarded instead by lots of muddy paths, only to be expected given the recent rain fall. All good fun.

Heading down Almond Brook road we diverted off via a squeeze bally alley and onto Shevington Moor. Here we met Boundary lane which became Pepper lane and cut across to the public footpath leading to Thompson House (also a cafe known as My life).

Continuing on passing a solar panel farm we came to Langtree old hall farm and crossed the A49 to continue on the public footpath, along side a stream towards Hic Bibi nature reserve.

Near here is a stone with Hic Bibi written on it to mark the spot of an ancient Hic Bibi Well... Roughly translated from Latin as "drink here". So we did just that and had a brief brew stop. We then headed away from the stream and followed the path over a railway bridge and over Chorley Road leading to Worthington lakes and through Arley wood, emerging at the side of Wigan golf course.

From here we soon met the Leeds Liverpool canal and followed this until bridge 61 where we rested for lunch. After lunch we left the canal and followed Sennicar lane and over the river Douglas and briefly up A49 and down Walter Scott Avenue diverting off through Gidlow cemetery.

At this point there was a brief detour where I confess to going slightly off course but thanks to my helpers we were soon back on track. We then followed a wooded path at the back of Beech hill Housing estate and came to Standish lower ground. From here it was down to the Leeds Liverpool canal again. 

Following the canal we tried not to disturb the fishermen too much and crossed the bridge for an afternoon stop and welcome sit down on the benches by the canal supplied by Crooke village pub which was unfortunately closed.

From here it was a muddy stroll through Burley wood where we passed a war memorial and then Elnup wood and return to Arbour lane. A few of us stopped for a drink at the Charnley arms pub.

Thank you to all who joined me..a very enjoyable and mostly dry day.

Hope to see you soon. Andrea.

Sunday March 26th. Planes and Boats and Trains plus. A 10 mile Boots and Brews walk. Leader: Hilary Scott.

Even though the clocks had sprung forward and it was a semi urban walk, 22 people and 1 dog turned up on a much better Sunday weatherwise than the forecast. Leaving Ladybridge estate we made our way over to the Middlebrook Trail to walk besides the railway up to Lostock.

Turning here we crossed the second of the four golf courses on this route and made our way over to the site of Lostock hall. The gatehouse to this survives, one of the oldest buildings in Bolton, a few of us made a quick visit and disturbed two very frisky dogs who were celebrating spring in their own way! The area round here used to be the site of BAE, no planes now but lots of houses being built.

Up to High Rid, passing a Thirlmere Aquaduct gate on the way, the equipment was being made ready for some canoeing on the water. It was a bit breezy walking round the reservoir. Over the Chorley Old Road and up through Old Links golf course. Unfortunately I lost my 10% of people here with two walkers stopping for golfers and losing us on a turn. We did find them later on! Whew. 

Most of us made our way to Walker Fold where there was plenty of seating for a break and refreshments if needed. Onwards with good views of Manchester and down to Barrow Bridge, Bolton's industrial model village.

Onto Moss Bank park, through the walled gardens and over a busy road to make our way to Doffcocker pub. We had a quick sweetie stop here and then walked around and across the lodge.

It was then an urban stretch back to Ladybridge Lane and down to the railway. Up to our starting point. A few of us called in at the pub for a quick drink.

Thanks to all who came especially our newer LDWA members and those who were joining us for the first time. We hope to see you again.

Hilary.

Wednesday March 22nd. Knott only Arnside. 17.5 miles. Leader: Geoff Halliwell.

An exceptionally high tide greeted the 12 walkers who set off from Arnside Pier on a windy but dry day.

We followed the coast to Silverdale eventually arriving at Jenny Brown's Point only to find that the tide was too high for us to pass.

Re-tracing our steps to Silverdale we instead went over Heald Brow, descending to Quaker Stang. 

We next climbed the hill towards Yealand Redmayne where we stopped for a blustery lunch overlooking Leighton Hall. 

We then passed through Leighton Moss RSPB reserve where Barbara alerted us to a nearby booming Bittern. 

Trowbarrow quarry next, followed by Hawes Water, Eaves Wood and an afternoon coffee stop by the Pepperpot. 

Arnside Tower and an ascent of Arnside Knott completed this 17 mile walk around this impressive area of outstanding natural beauty. 

 Geoff Halliwell 

Sunday March 19th. Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail Part 1. 21 miles. Leaders: Paul and Jeanette Banks.

19 walkers and 3 dogs completed the first of five circular walks that are planned to complete The Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail.  The first walk was a total of 21 miles and we enjoyed a dry day with wonderful views over the Ribble Valley.

The Jubilee Trail is a new 65 mile circular hiking route through the scenic countryside of the Ribble Valley and Forest of Bowland.   The Ribble Valley Mayor, Stuart Hirst, inaugurated the walk in 2022 as part of the Borough’s Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee celebrations.   The walk starts in the town of Whalley and visits   Towns such as Downham and Slaidburn, and climbs to the summit of Pendle Hill.

The walk left Spring Wood, following the Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail, and climbed for over two hours from Spring Wood via Whalley Golf Club and Clerk Hill Road to the Nick of Pendle, before ascending to the summit of Pendle Hill.   

Walkers enjoyed a morning break on Pendle Hill before descending into the village of Downham, which is often hailed as the most beautiful village in Lancashire.   Field paths were followed towards the village of Rimington, with beautiful views of Pendle visible on our right.

At Rimington, we left the Ribble Valley Jubilee Trail for our return journey to Whalley and Spring Wood.   We had a lunch break just after leaving Rimington and walked along Swanside and over Swanside Beck via Monks Bridge, Swanside - sometimes known as ‘fairy bridge’.    The pack horse bridge is thought to date back to the fifteenth or sixteenth century.  It is call Monk’s Bridge because it is believed to be used by the Monks of nearby Whalley and Sawley Abbeys.

The walk then continued via Chatburn , crossing the A59 and took the path between Warsaw Hill and Warren Hill and dropping down through Warsaw End Farm, which was used in the filming of the 1961 movie ‘Whistle Down The Wind’.

Mearley Lane was followed to Pendleton and on to Wiswell.  We walked up Moor Lane and took the footpath through Deer Park Wood before descending the fields and returning to the cars at Spring Wood.

Jeanette 

Wednesday March 8th. Watergrove Wanderings. 12.5 miles. Leader: Barbara Shelton.

There’s history in them there hills! From ruined farmsteads and evidence of coal mining, to ancient packhorse routes dating back to the 1700’s, it’s all out there on the West Pennine moors. Nine of us set off from Watergrove Reservoir near Wardle, opened in 1938 after a series of drought years, to supply the good people of Rochdale. Heading north and north east for the first third of the walk, we passed Brown Wardle Hill, breaking at the ruin of Higher Slack Farm, which bears a plaque telling us that the last family to live here had nine children! Passing Rough Hill and Ramsden Hill to our left, we looked down on the prettily named Cranberry Dam reservoir.

Then it was on and down to Gauxholme with fine views of the valley with its industrial heritage, as we dropped towards the Rochdale Canal. Picking up the towpath by the locks, heading south, it wasn’t long before we hit the lunch spot at St Peter’s church in Walsden. It was a good place to people watch, with a gang of men restoring a drystone wall, a digger preparing graves, and an octogenarian pushing a wheelbarrow who said he didn’t want to retire as he’d get bored! It started snowing at this point but he was undeterred.

After a tour of the churchyard with its snowdrops and budding daffodils (Spring is just around the corner), we picked up the canal again for a while before the sting in the tail – up and over the moors again on the Pennine Bridleway. By this stage the snow was horizontal and in our faces but it didn’t hurt – honest! I think we actually enjoyed it!!! We refuelled on wine gums and fudge before the final stretch back to the reservoir, stopping to admire some of the old date stones and lintels built into the wall which originate from the drowned village of Watergrove.

We covered twelve and a half miles and about 1,800 feet of ascent. Thanks to all for your support and company.

Barbara Shelton

Sunday March 5th. Pendle - The Hill, The Sculpture Trail and Clarion House. 20 miles. Leaders: Paul and Jeanette Banks.

19 walkers and 2 dogs completed the challenging 20 mile walk with 3,900 feet of ascent in the Pendle area.   We were blessed with dry weather and stunning views throughout the day.

 

Leaving Clitheroe Road above the village of Sabden, we climbed above Churn Clough Reservoir via Deerstones rocky outcrop and Ogden Clough to the summit of Pendle Hill.  We then descended Pendle via the Pendle Way to the village of Barley, where a morning break was enjoyed by all.

 

The walk continued from Barley, passing Upper and Lower Black Moss Reservoirs and then a tour of Aitken Wood where Pendle Sculpture Park is situated.   Stansfield Tower on Blacko Hill, was a dominant feature in the landscape on the walk to Blacko.   It is a simple castellated tower built by Johnathan Stansfield in 1890 and restored in 1950 - is not certain why he built the tower.   It is clearly visible from the road and public footpaths, but is inaccessible to visitors as it stands on private land.

 

Barrowford was reached by a riverside walk on the Pendle Way.   We passed through the Pendle Heritage Centre site and on to Barrowford Memorial Park with its Lake and plenty of seats for our lunch break.

 

Fully sated, we started the arduous climb out of Barrowford on the Pendle Way, passing through Roughlee, White Hough Outdoor Centre and Thorney Holme on the way to Clarion House in Roughlee.   This is the last surviving Clarion House, built in 1912 by early pioneers of Socialism.   Last century saw scores of Clarion Houses dotted across North west, London and Scotland.   The Nelson ILP Clarion Society keeps the building open, serving refreshments to walkers and cyclists each Sunday.   It is a non-profit making co-operative, historically planned as a model of how society ought to be organised.  Many walkers enjoyed mugs or half pint pots of tea both indoors and outdoors in the garden of Clarion House for our afternoon break.

 

The last leg of the walk proceeded through Newchurch-in-Pendle continuing on the Pendle Way and descending steeply through Fell Wood.   Passing Upper Ogden Reservoir, the last steep ascent followed Ogden Clough before climbing out of the clough onto Badger Wells Hill.  Here we joined the main path descending to the Nick of Pendle and returned to our cars.

 

Jeanette