Foulridge 9th November
Walk leader: Jean Bobker
Number on walk: 18
Distance: 10.5 miles
Weather: Morning was dry, afternoon was very wet
On a dryish day (to start with) 17 walkers and 3 dogs set off on a 10.5 mile walk from Foulridge to pass Foulridge Lower Reservoir and Slipper Hill Reservoir [one of Jean's favourite spots] to pass through a couple of Hey hamlets to reach the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Mill Hill Bridge which had a sign on it "Welcome to Lancashire". It was then along the canal for a stretch passing a mooring of boats, one of which was named Jam Pud, to reach Salterforth Bridge and the Anchor Inn. We had our first tea/coffee stop on the picnic tables opposite the pub. Passing through Kelbrook we walked along Fairies Lane at the side of the brook where children had made things hung from the trees from a nearby nursery. We began an ascent to Paris Farm which had a tree house and then we sat in a quarry for lunch where it started to rain and never stopped. Over the ladder stile and onto Roger Moor with its meandering path, which in the Spring is beautiful with its colourful heather. At the end of the moor we turned left up the side of a wall and reached another wall which the grandfather of Harwes Farm had it built as a wind break for his cattle. We reached the trig point on Sheep Hill and followed the path through the gate to turn right via Kelbrook Wood with a muddy bit to reach Kelbrook Lodge, an impressive house which does Clay Pigeon Shooting. Before the last half mile back in a scenic craggy disused quarry Jean had a prize to give away and David Watkinson won it.
