Barker Brow, Ribchester - Tuesday 12 April 16

The Pictures.

To see who was on the walk, click on the following picture.

To view all the pictures taken on the walk click 'Here' then view slideshow.

The Walk.

Walk leader:- Harry Bretherton.

The day started dry but rather overcast as we left the car park off Barker Brow near Ribchester. We had a good turn out of 22 members, all of whom were of good spirits.
After admiring Dave Whittaker's brand new Audi Q 7, we set off on our 11 mile excursion, broadly speaking following the well established Ribble Way. On route we passed many places of interest, starting with 'New Hall,' a Jacobean House built on the banks of the Ribble and restored by George Talbot in 1665. Of interest above the first floor porch window is a moulded freeze on which is depicted a Talbot (a breed of hound). It was this hound that gave Sir Arthur Connan Doyle, when a student at nearby Stoneyhurst College the idea for his book The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Some 7 miles later we entered the grounds of Stoneyhurst College, one of the finest Catholic boarding schools for boys in the the Country. The house itself was the main residence of the Shireburn Family until 1774 when it was given over to the disposal of the Jesuit Fathers of Liege.

Having enjoyed a light lunch on the steps of the College Priory we set off in lightly falling drizzle along the half mile broad walk into the village of Hurst Green. Unfortunately the rain continued to fall, which meant the remainder of our journey was over muddy fields, before eventually finding our way onto Gallows Lane and back to our starting point.

Thanks Harry for leading the walk (with a little help from his friends!) and for this report.

Stan.