Tuesday 25 October 2022 Social Walk – Foulridge, Weets Hill and Higherford Circular.

Walk Leader – Neil Harwood

Number on walk – 13

Distance – 11 miles

Weather – Some cloud but mainly sunny . A lovely autumn day.

The walk began at the old Wharfe at the northern entrance to the Foulridge Tunnel on the Leeds Liverpool canal. I can confirm that the car park by the canal just beyond the Wharfe is useable for future walks and there are currently no restrictions and no charges. It was a pleasant start to the day although still a little cool at 10am. The sun was shining through a cloudy sky and I promised the walkers a partial eclipse of the sun, which was due between 10 am and 12 noon.

We set off along the Leeds Liverpool canal north for about 15 minutes before coming off at Bridge 149. Then begins the climb up to the summit of Weets Hill about 3 miles away. We pass an old mill and its lovely access footbridge and through some fields with good views across the valley to Kelbrook and Earby. From High Lane we pick up another track with some steep sections to the Pennine Bridleway. From here we make a bit of detour to take in the two metal cast statues at Duck Pond Farm, which some maps refer to as “The Heads”. These are quite strange but give a great foreground to views north into Yorkshire.

From here it is short 20 minute walk to Weets Hill, which although only 397m high, gives great views across the Ribble valley into Yorkshire and south to Pendle Hill and beyond. Although it was just before noon we had an early lunch to make the most of these views. Unfortunately, in the climb I for one had forgotten about the solar eclipse so could not be sure how visible it had been!

The route so far had been following Stage 45 of the Lancashire Way but from Weets Hill the route largely followed the Pendle Way down into Higherford on the outskirts of Barrowford with one exception. Rather than turn right down to the A682 and then to Admergill we carried straight on to skirt around the Blacko Tower. Unfortunately, there is no public right of way past the tower and there are stories within the LDWA, including Jean, that the local landowner takes a strict view of this. So looking from as near as we could I inform people that it was built by one Joseph Stansfield, a local green grocer, in around 1890 and his aim was to build it high enough to see over into the Ribble Valley. He failed!

Just after the village of Blacko we pick up the Pendle Way again with some lovely sections especially with the autumn leaves and follow first Admergill Water, then Blacko Water and finally Pendle Water into Higherford. At the old Pack Horse bridge, which we cross, we pick up the beginning of Stage 45 of the Lanacshire Way again which takes us back to the start at Foulridge. This involves a pretty section of canal beginning at the Lock Keepers house at the Barrowford Locks on the Leeds Liverpool canal to the southern entrance of the Foulridge tunnel. It is then over land to the end via the Lower Foulridge Reservoir, which was still looking very empty after the hot dry summer.

I had promised refreshments at the end but the café at the Wharfe was closed for refurbishments.

For more photos please see the Walks Database menu.