2019 06 29 Pendle Marathon


 
Slaidburn YHA 
 
 
SP Group
 
 
Slaidburn Church
 
 
New Stone Seat On Pendle Hill
 
 
Peter, Julie & Pete
 
 
 
 
 
This Years WI Charity Appeal At Barley 
 
 
 
Previous WI Appeal In Barley 
 
 
Being the height of our holiday period at this time of year, numbers where depleted for this one.  With hindsight and lesson learned, in future when hired transport is involved, perhaps gathering the number of participants before booking the required mini-bus/taxi would be best?
 
We where six in total, Hazel, Kim, Julie, Peter, Norman and Pete.
 
Our min-bus arrived in good time at Earby, for an 8am departure to Slaidburn and we where walking by 9am
Passing through the historic village, we posed in front of the youth hostel where our chairman Andrew, generously volunteers his time on an annual basis.
After the ancient school and church of Slaidburn, we took a left immediately before Dunnow Hall crossing the fields over to the hamlet of Easington.
Then gradually rising onto the fells, over the top of Easington Moor moor meeting the Clitheroe Road near Walloper Well, with good viewing of the Bowland landscape.
Picking up a track off the road north eastward, across the back of the moor and dropping slightly into the attractive pinewood on Grindleton Fell, with views now of Ribblesdale in the Clitheroe area and the backdrop of Pendle Hill.
 
By now the temperature was warming up and as forecast was to be the highest of the year so far at 27 degrees, a tad to much for walking marathons? 
Leaving the wooded area we had our first refreshment stop across from Simpshey Hill at 11am with Grasmere Gingerbread all round.
Loosing height now down the bridleway to the River Ribble at Grindleton, passing wealthy dwellings at Cobb House, White Hall and Green Banks.
Picking up the river path we continued for a mile to Bradford Bridge and back along the opposite bank and veered off right up into Chatburn for our lunch stop by Hudson’s Cafe, for drinks and ice cream at 1pm.
 
Suitably fed and watered, we made our way towards Pendle Hill via Worsaw Hill and the old farms of Radbrook and Hookcliffe to Lane Head and the start of the climb to Pendle trig, a very attractive approach into the climb I think.
At this point Hazel opted for a deviation around the big end of Pendle via Great Copy to Barley, with able assistance from Kim.
Steadily, Julie, Norman, Peter and Pete strived up the flank of Pendle Hills Big End in the by now sweltering heat, pausing at Robin Hood’s Well for a much needed top up of beautiful cool fresh water.
 
Hitting the top of Pendle we met lots of people enjoying the splendour of its summit.  We walked over the top overlooking the extensive views of the Pendle Valley, dropping down to Ogden Hill at Buttock Farm and taking the field system into Barley Green.
Meeting Hazel and Kim again by the Wood Hut Cafe on Barley CP and enjoying further nourishment together, before departing for the final leg back to Earby.
Leaving Barley along Pendle Water passing, Narrowgates, White Hough and Roughlee, picking up Pendle Water again to the Water Meetings, left up into Blacko Village and over to Cross Gaits.
 
Joining the field system parallel with the old Barnoldswick Road to Hollin Hall, right down the field to Slipper Hill Res’ and along its southern path, a right turn onto the track for Foulridge Res’ and around the res’ into Foulridge Village. 
At Cafe Cargo by the Canal Wharf, I decided yet another refreshment stop was needed in view of the excessive heat, refilling our water bottles again we set off for the final 3miles.
Two miles along the disused Colne - Skipton Railway to Sough across the busy A56 and fields for the final mile to the top of Earby Village and the youth hostel.
An extra half mile now and we where back at the start and as Norman said we would not require rocking tonight!
 
Leader Pendle Pete.