Pendle Hill from Barnoldswick | Saturday 7 September 2019


Walk Leader: Iain Connell
Participants: 6
Mileage: 17 miles
Ascent: 3,500 ft
Walk Register: Yes
Walk Report: Wendy Leete


There weren’t many of us today; just six, but what a treat we were in for.  Leaving Letcliffe Country Park with its panoramic views of both Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales we picked up the Pennine Bridleway.  Our direction was to circumnavigate, on a grand scale, around Stanfield Tower (or Blacko Tower).  The tower was originally built by a local grocer, John Stanfield, as a view point for his personal use, and today it is still private and hence, we were not able to get close to it…!!  As a matter of interest to us golden oldies and those that didn’t already know, the village of Blacko was childhood home of the comedian Jimmy Clitheroe!!

After a brief feeding stop at a waters edge we continued through fields and tracks towards the small village of Barley, which was host to several cotton factories since the 1800s.  From here our destination was very clear as we stood at the foot of Pendle Hill, where once at the top we were rewarded by lunch and made new friends with the local sheep who thought they’d join us.  Unfortunately, they were too late, we’d eaten the lot.  The views from here are breath taking on clear day…today we were lucky.  

Once off the hill we headed towards Black Moss reservoir before reaching Black Moss Road.  On the road for a little while we soon passed Stanfield Tower again.  A little further on we eventually, reached moorland – our leader had expressed that we would soon all go “wow”?  But we were too full of chatter to give that any notion until we hit an old farm house and all went “wow”.  The wow was the two giant sized busts (sculptures, heads….) ha ha, that stood about seven foot high, or more.  It did take us by surprise even though we had been warned. 

With the joviality over we made our way back to the Pennine Bridleway to soon return back to our cars.  A good day out. 

Thank you leader.