Favourite Walks and Rambles

[Stanley]

Wendy, your mention of Elslack reminded me of my connections due to working for Harrisons at Smearber. It also reminded me of this which I found near the reservoir....

[Wendyf]

Looks like a snug retirement home Stanley. Is that a metal hand gripping the chain?

[Stanley]

Sharp eyes Wendy. Yes, it was definitely a high class kennel. Never saw Stanley.....

[PanBiker]

Did a Weets Circular yesterday same last week but back down two different routes. Last week the top was sodden, a lot of water with nowhere to go held in the rough moorland grass tussocks and moss on the top. Yesterday it was bit drier on the top but not much. I came back down yesterday over the side and down into the valley, across the moor and then right via the Edge, just as the path drops down off the slight scar I came across this which looks rather peculiar in the distance, definitely a work in progress I think.




The next picture is the stile as you approach the top of Dark Hill, I don't know why but this particular stile is one of my favourites. I can't quite explain why I like this particular one over the hundreds of others I have climbed over the years other than it "looks right". I do like a good ladder stile as well though.




Route back home became very claggy the other side of the buttercup meadow in the field in front of Pasture Farm on the way down to the lane. The amount of water on this patch has turned it to a quagmire. A drainage trench looks to have been dug to try and combat the mud but it's not doing a lot. Mud was over the tops of my boots with no opportunity to skirt round it. I had to get in the beck at Pickles Hippin to get the mense off before getting back home. My boots are still drying off.

[Stanley]

It's for the sheep to practice on.....

[David Whipp]

A handy favourite walk of mine is along Coates Lane to the canal, following the towpath to the back of Ghyll Brow, skirting past the factory and then across to Ghyll Church and back down Ghyll Lane. Not much mud to contend with...

Here's a view of Greenberfield Farm and canal boats from Coates Lane.

[PanBiker]

Living up at the top of town, we often do that one in reverse. We tend to go down to the marina first then through to Long Ing, up Rainhall, over to Ghyll and then rejoin the canal at the turnover bridge and back up into Barlick.

[Stanley]

The valve house at Greenberfield which controls the water coming down from Winterburn reservoir.

[Wendyf]

We did one of our favourite walks this morning, down into Earby via Dodgsons Lane and back up on Standridge Clough Lane, taking the car just up the road to the top of Dodgson's Lane near to the masts. I've described the walk on here before but I remembered my camera this morning, so there are a few piccys.



Bertie is keen to set off down that tempting track...



This is the junction with Dark Lane, another ancient track leading from Earby up onto Bleara.



Bertie at the junction..



The old barn above Fiddling Clough.



Coming down towards Fiddling Clough Farm...this place tugs at the heart strings every time.





Looking across to Highgate Farm and new barn conversion....



and towards Oakslack, which we pass by next.



A quick look back at the way we have come from beside Oakslack. Then on to join Gaylands Lane down towards Earby.



Approaching Mill Brow Road and Earby.



We come out onto Mill Brow by the Youth Hostel...



Then walk up Birch Hall Lane and onto Standridge Clough Lane. Looking back at Standridge Clough Farm...now renamed "Sweet Pea Farm".



Up the lane a bit and you can see across to the new barn conversion on Stoneybank.



Col & Bertie leading the way.



Lovely view looking back.



Past the remains of Higher Varges or Verjuice Farm.



Nearing the top, where the lane meets up with Dodgsons Lane again..



Then back to the car and home again by 10am.

[LizG]

Beautiful photos. Thank you.

[Stanley]

What a good advert for the country we see every day.... I agree with Liz, lovely images.

[David Whipp]

A free evening led to a lovely walk along the canal to Thornton Church and then back by the radio mast at Nutter Cote.

More pictures on Visit Barnoldswick HERE

[Wendyf]

Been for a walk over Weets this morning, going up via Lister Well Road and Gisburn Old track. It was beautiful up there and we had it all to ourselves. There were loads of folk doing some sort of training exercise in Letcliffe, but once we left the park we didn't see anyone till we were coming back down Folly Lane.

[Stanley]

Round Valley Gardens with Jack will be enough of a treat for me this morning.....

[PanBiker]

Been out for walks around the lanes and fields yesterday and today. The fields are all completely waterlogged, becks are all full, nice out but difficult in parts to traverse. The trench I mentioned in an earlier post up on the approach to the buttercup field by Pasture Farm is completely full of water. I think the idea was to help the run off from that corner of the field, plenty of water but it's not going anywhere.

[PanBiker]

I think this one could have gone in forgotten footpaths as although this route is in the immediate district it is probably thirty years since I have walked an odd section of it.

We went down onto Brogden via Fernbank and then down to the old stone bridge over Cloggers Beck, across the field and through the style by the plantation and down into Bracewell. It has to be said that the way-marker at the corner of the plantation is quite misleading as it sends you left down the side of the wood to find no further stile to exit the field. It should point straight ahead as the exit is onto the roadside before the village its not a pointing post marker, just one of the arrowed disks on the stile post but it does send you the wrong way if you are not familiar with the route.

From Bracewell we turned left down the side of the old bridle path to cross Stock Beck by the old fording point. Up over the hill towards the old village and then dropped down via the cluster of farm buildings. We were slightly disorientated here as we could not see the next stile or a way marker near Grazenber Farm. Knowing which way we needed to go to head for Gilbeber we found the step stile after walking the perimeter for a short way, not easy to see as there is no gap in the wall just a couple of through step stones so you can traverse the wall. The way-marker post was broken and we found it laid at the other side of the wall. The path marker disk if you are coming the other way is in place. Down the field and over the footbridge and on past Gilbeber Laithe, this old field barn used to be derelict but is now under development with obvious building works ongoing. We continued on to the wide stock moving bridge to get us back to the right side of the beck. Path then back to Greenberfield at the bridge and back home via the Park. Just short of 4.5 miles and a nice walk on a sunny Winter afternoon.

I have reported the broken way-marker post on the LCC Fault Reporting site that David posted in another thread last week. I have a reference number for my report and can check for updates on my flagged fault which is now showing on the rights of way map.

LCC Fault Reporting

[David Whipp]

Gilbeber Laithe in more ruinous (but warmer) days...

[PanBiker]

As I have always remembered it David until today.

[Stanley]

A long time since I saw it. Straight into the archive David....

[LizG]

What beautiful countryside you all have. Nothing remotely like that over here. Victorians seem to bulldoze any old buildings. They're a lot better over in South Aus though.

[PanBiker]

Quite a bit different now, there is a rough access road, looks like it comes in from Carr Beck. The building is scaffolded. I assume one of the biggest jobs eventually will be getting services to the building. Septic tank maybe for the the sewage but it will still need a clean water supply and electricity. Its not too far out into the back of beyond though.

[PanBiker]

Camera with me today for a Weets circular. I have described this before on the old site but never put the pictures up. Our Aussie members may like these:

Aptly named Moorgate Road.



Old technology off Folly Lane.



Looking back down Causeway Carr, Bancroft nestling at the bottom.



A bit slippy on the concrete bit on the way up to Standridge Farm.



Over the stile above Standridge and into the first field, a first look back at the town.



Another group of walkers following me up, view back from the second stile.



View upwards to Bronze Age bank visible on the hillside.



A watchful eye from the sheep.



Looking down into the valley.



Moor Close Farm



Another view of Barlick from slightly higher up.



Third stile.



Drifting



Levelling off on the approach to the fourth stile.



Fourth stile with the scar on the hill on the other side.



Summit Trig Point ahead.



Marker Cairn.



View over to Pendle on approach to trig point.



Weets Hill summit Trig Point.



Mounting points on top of Trig.



After a brew on the top I set off back down. Over the edge of the hill, the photo is about half way down.



Boots in the snow, there's a good coverage on the side of the hill at this height.



Final descent with open moorland ahead.



Heading for Brown Hill, a look back to my descent route off the top.



The stile is not easy to see here OK if you know the route well. In summertime I have seen walkers searching for this exit from the moor.



View down into Barlick from top of stile.



Looking the other way with Pendle in the distance.



Spot the stile here, hidden by the angle of approach.



Here it is, gateway to The Edge, the sheep have clocked my approach already.



Ladies on The Edge.



Further down and temporarily on the track, these way markers indicate the route to the next stile.



I have mentioned this before on the site, this is my favourite stile, there's just something about it.



Dark Hill ahead, Barlick in the distance, on the home leg now.



I detoured here down past the old lime kiln workings, Umps n Hollers or Humpty Dumpty's.



Dark Hill well rises just above here, this is the higher reaches of the beck.



The workings are fenced off now as a reserve. The area was a popular picnic spot much loved by Barlickers in days gone by.









Here's the path down to Cow Pasture Farm.



Short hop down the lane to return via the buttercup field.



Buttercup field has been quite waterlogged.



Last stile.



Triple trunked tree at the junction of the lanes. This tree was saved a number of years ago by a TPO placed on it by Sally and fellow councillors when a developer proposed a roundabout be installed at the junction.



A few shots of the BMX track being developed by Hope Technology at the back of the mill. Still a work in progress but some parts already usable.





It will look very well when it is all like this.



I returned via Parrock and had this to look forward to. Not the usual way to end a post in the walking thread but very welcome. A portion of last nights Cumberland sausage casserole.



The walk is 4.5 miles with a 500ft climb to 1100ft from our mean height of 600ft asl. It was a lovely day for it, cold but wall to wall sunshine, a good way to spend a morning.

[Wendyf]

A beautiful day for a walk Ian, and some lovely photos. Col & I must try that route one day.
I'm still struggling with a stiff & painful ankle and need a flat level surface to walk on....moving around outside here at the moment is a bit tricky, especially with the ground frozen solid!

[PanBiker]

My dodgy in ice Hi-Tech boots were a bit scary in places on patches of shot ice, ok with a reasonable snow covering on grass. I noticed that Boundary Mill are now stocking Karrimore boots. They were the manufacturers of my previous pair of KSB's that I loved. Had them for about 15 years before the welt developed a leak. I think I might treat myself to a pair of their latest offerings. I have fallen three times in winter walking with these Hi-Tech boots since I have had them, not to be recommended, it generally hurts.

[Wendyf]

I recently bought myself a pair of Brasher boots, heavily reduced on Amazon! Got fed up with the Hi Tec pair leaking.