Fifteen of us were getting ready to set off when another car came into the car park at Horrocks Fold and a guest, Joan from Chorley, arrived followed quickly by another car, this time with Angela who has walked with us before leaving to join her husband working abroad. So, seventeen people started out along the concession path leading to the hamlet of Horrocks Fold itself. Crossing the main road we descended past Gleaves reservoir, passing Dunscar golf club, and continuing through Longworth Clough.

Leaving the Clough near the San Marino restaurant we commenced the ‘long mile’ ascent to the summit of Winter Hill where we stopped for lunch in the shelter of the transmitter buildings. After our stop we went downhill across the moor to Holden’s farm before turning right on the well-surfaced bridleway to enter Walker Fold woods and going through Walker Fold hamlet to eventually descend the 63 steps leading onto the Barrow Bridge road.

After a brief stop for a drink we carried on, going through a couple of fields that had some cows grazing. A couple of them took a dislike to Dave’s dog, Maisie, and came after her a bit menacingly. Dave got them all in control and the final 1.5 miles took us round Smithills and the attractive Tippett house and back to our cars which we reached at 2.30pm.