Two Roses Way (A walk in 6 stages)
Stage 1 - Thursday 14th. July 2011. Whalley to Gisburn - 15 miles.
Picture is of five members of the Group, all raring to start at Whalley bus station.
What a great day and what lovely weather.
Will our luck continue???
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Stage 2 - Gisburn to Skipton,
Thursday 18th. August (16 miles).
Our luck continued and the weather was great.
Pretty good considering all the rain we've had.
This leg, under the conditions, has some extremely
scenic sections, but also quite a lot of road and track.
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THE START AT GISBURN
Descending towards the Leeds- Liverpool canal,
where we had a break for "elevenses"
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Stage 3 - Thursday 22nd. September.
Skipton to Malham - 18 miles
Yes, we were fortunate again with the weather. Dull at first but sunny later.
Best section to date in spite of early start. We left our cars in Malham
and took the early bus to the start in Skipton.
OUTSIDE MALHAM SMITHY RYLSTONE CROSS
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Stage 4 (Part 1) - Thursday 15th. December 2011. Malham to Settle
Because of lack of daylight and likely difficulties in the Gisburn Forest, we decided to split Stage 4 into two easier legs. So after an enforced 3 month lay-off, we parked in Settle and walked over to Malham to continue where we left off in September.
No pleasant sunshine this time, but not much in the way of rain either. Wet and muddy underfoot in the lower sections, snow over the tops. Just the weather to bring out the good humour and banter, especially as some of us seemed to spend as much time slipping on our bums as we did staying on our feet.
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LEAVING MALHAM
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WINTRY ON THE TOPS
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JOURNEY'S END IN SETTLE
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Stage 4 (Part 2) - Thursday 19th. January 2012.
Settle - Slaidburn 13 miles
Pleasant sunny morning as we took the 'Little Red Bus' from Slaidburn to Settle. To fit in with bus times, it was around 11.00am. when we started our walk, first along the Ribble Way then over the hills to the Gisburn Forest. The section through the forest needs care, both underfoot and with navigation, due to the total disregard of the public right of way by forestry operations.
The weather went off at this stage, but not enough to spoil the last few miles, as our jovial group of 7 made it's way down past the ancient Hammerton Hall and along the River Hodder into Slaidburn.
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LEAVING SETTLE
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PACK HORSE BRIDGE AT SHEEPWASH
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RIVER RIBBLE NEAR SETTLE
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Stage 5 (Part 1) - Thursday 26th. January 2012
SLAIDBURN TO DUNSOP BRIDGE
Stage 5, given the time of year and the terrain it crosses this could potentially be a very serious 17 mile undertaking. With this in mind and to make transport arrangements simpler, we decided to split this leg into two parts and incorporate each part into a more manageable walk.
We therefore, chose to start the first part in Dunsop Bridge and follow the River Hodder to Slaidburn, where we joined the Two Roses Way. After a coffee at the cafe we headed uphill and over Dunsop Fell to Whitendale. Here the weather deteriorated and the walk over the hill to Brennand and then over Whin Fell to the Trough of Bowland was accompanied by heavy hail and snow showers. We left the route of the Two Roses Way where Langden Brook joins the Trough and then headed back to our transport in Dunsop Bridge, in a mixture of rain hail and snow, having successfully completed another 8.5 miles of our route.
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LEAVING SLAIDBURN
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WHITENDEALE
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LOOKING DOWN ON BRENNAND
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Two Roses Way Stage 5 (Part 2). Thursday 2nd. February 2012.
Dunsop Bridge to Chipping
A much better day today, cold, frosty and bright. Idea for the boggy section over the Bleasdale Fells which, on the day, was frozen solid.
With some of our original members having already completed, and some unable to do previous sections and hoping to follow at a later date, our small group of 4 left Chipping and did the 8 mile walk to the Trough of Bowland, to the point where we left off the previous week. We then followed Langden Brook to Fiendsdale Head, then over the hills to Fell Foot. From there the route took the quiet road down to our cars in Chipping. Another 8.5 miles of the route done and a great day out!
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LOOKING DOWN INTO THE
TROUGH OF BOWLAND
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CROSSING LANGDEN BROOK
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WINTRY SCENE ON FAIR SNAPE FELL
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Two Roses Way - Stage 6. Thursday 16th. February 2012.
Chipping to Whalley 12.5 miles.
It was a pleasant February day as we left Chipping on this our final leg. With our numbers now down to 5 we soon crested Longridge Fell, the last remaining climb of any consequence on the walk. Unfortunately the weather didn't hold up and from Hurst Green to the end, in Whalley, we had to contend with a driving drizzle. What a contrast compared with the sunny start way back in July. What an enjoyable series of walks, so much so we'll starting a series of 3 walks round the Calderdale Way next month and hoping to do the Witches Way later in the year. Fair Trade Way next year...who knows?
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LONGRIDGE FELL
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ALMOST THE END OF THE WALK - WHALLEY
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