Leader: Jeff Parr

Number on walk: 17

Distance: 11 miles

Weather: Sunny and dry

After a recent recce the original route which I had planned to go over the Martholm viaduct had to be altered, due to the fact that it was not open after all, despite reports in the local newspaper -

https://www.sustrans.org.uk/news/martholme-viaduct-opens-after-15-years

The now revised walk became a figure of eight route, starting with the steady climb up to Read Heights and downhill on a traffic free lane to pass the ice house of Read Hall. The original building at Read Hall was the home of Roger Nowell, the Justice of the Peace for Pendle who was the Prosecutor at the Pendle Witches trial in 1612. The next notable landmark was Read Old Bridge, which was the scene of a Civil War battle won by the Parliamentarians in 1643. On the way for a short stop at Spring Wood we passed the three and a half acre site of the iron age fort of Portfield, although well hidden from view. On the river path we passed the weir and the mill leat built by the Cistercian monks, which originally fed the water wheel and mill at Whalley Abbey. The route just avoided the fleshpots of Whalley, but Glyn could not resist running into the village for a bag of chips, but soon caught us up on the short but steep climb to Whalley Banks.

After lunch taken above the River Calder, we continued along the popular path near the river to Cock Bridge, where in times past, families used to throng and enjoy picnics and paddling in the river, helped by a supply of ice cream and pop from a nearby shop. Continuing past Read Garden Centre now, as Whalley back to normal, after the devastating floods of December 2015 and then back into Read Park, past the hall again and along the quiet lane on the northern outskirts of Read with its many lovely dwellings, snowdrops on the verges and the emerging daffodils after their winter hibernation. A final climb by a developing horse venture including new buildings, gallops etc. to emerge by the remains of Simon’s Cross, also known as Wart’s Well, where a few of the party tried the cure by dipping their affected skin in the socket water. It was then just a matter of finding our way through the woods and down to the track that took us back to our cars in Sabden. 

A lovely area with many possibilities including Pendle, with its well walked paths, but many other intriguing not so well known areas of the hill. 

To see the photos press 'here'