Friday, 27th December

Moderate walk from Rivington Hall Barn

It has been a wet Autumn, but the route selected avoided locations known to be potentially muddy.

Low cloud all day, remaining murky, with Two Lads and Rivington Pike in the cloud, but fortunately it did not rain.

The Bridge in Rivington Terrace Gardens - erected by Lord Leverhulme as a folly, which enables a footpath to cross the driveway

 Sunday, 15th December

Club Christmas Dinner and Walk

A good covering of snow set the scene for our combined Club Christmas Celebrations. Both groups set out from Longridge Golf Club car park heading along Forty Acre Lane to Cardwell House. The 4s group made their way across Gannow Fell to Spire Hill, the highest point of the walk at 950 ft. They then descended to Weedacre Farm before heading up to Jeffrey Hill and back to the golf club. The 5s group also headed out along Forty Acre Lane to Cardwell House but then continued on towards The New Drop Inn and past Cuckoo Hall. After walking along Higher Road to Dilworth Upper Reservoir they turned back up Forty Acre Lane to the golf club.

A very Chrismassy walk followed by a very enjoyable meal, with 39 in attendance.

Sunday, 8th December

Strenuous walk from Barley

After several miles the walk was aborted due to strong winds and fast flowing becks. A return to Barley was made from Ogden Beck crossing via Upper and Lower Ogdden Reservoirs.

Wednesday, 27th November

Moderate walk from Ryal Fold

Low cloud to start, remaining murky, then light rain on the last mile.

Walk was advertised as Darwen Moors, but with the low cloud it was changed to Sunnyhurst Woods.

Sunnyhurst Wood

Wednesday, 13th November

Leisurely walk from Barrowford

Rain to start, then some good sunny intervals. Initially no views to be had, but then Pendle appeared.

Barrowford is now a P&D car park, which is clearly intended for shoppers and short stay visitors to the Park and Heritage Centre, so for using it for a short walk it is reasonable, but parking for a full day is now expensive.

Alice Nutter

Sunday, 3rd November

Strenuous walk from Borrowdale

A misty day with intermittent rain

Four walkers attended for this walk in the mist. Very little in the way of views as low cloud covered the fells all day. The rain stopped in the late afternoon which gave us a dry finish which was most welcome.

Whinfell Beacon

Wednesday, 30th October

Moderate walk from Jubilee Tower

Overcast, with good sunny intervals.

12 present. With September and October being so wet, the route was changed to have less field paths and to use quiet country lanes instead. From Jubilee Tower, climbed to Grit Fell, descended on shooters track to Higher Lees, then on field paths to Meeting House Farm (well named for this is where the Quakers met), continue to Low Moor Farm and then back to Jubilee Tower.

View from Grit Fell.

The side of the fence close to the camera is managed by the Duke of Westminster with few sheep so the heather is good, for the benefit of grouse. On the far side of the fence is the common, where more sheep are allowed, with minimal heather.

Sunday, 27th October

Moderate and Strenuous walks from Beetham

Sunny cool day with little wind.

20 people in all, 9 on the moderate walk and 11 on the strenuous had Interesting walks taking in woodland with slippery limestone paving, a dismantled coastal railway and a deer park.

An awkward descent down the Fairy Steps

One pair of wellies almost lost

Wednesday, 23rd October

Moderate walk from Chipping

A lovely sunny day.

10 present. We walked to Fell Foot, had a quick coffee stop then proceeded up Parlick continuing to Fair Snape for lunch. The walk back enabled us to enjoy the views. Many thanks to Phil for a great walk and for stepping in at the last minute.

Wednesday, 9th October

Moderate walk from Eaves Wood

9 present. Overcast, with a few showers and the occasional sunny interval.

Being limestone country it was relatively dry under foot, which was appreciated by those present - for it has been a wet few weeks with many places now saturated. 

Old chimney near Jenny Brown's Point

Wednesday, 2nd October

Leisurely walk from Waddington

Overnight frost (first of this Autumn) followed by wall to wall sunshine and blue skiesThe original walk had to be abandoned due to recent heavy rains.

The longer walk was mainly on lanes and the Ribble Way between Bradford Bridge and Brungerly Bridge before walking through the grounds of Waddow Hall. On the down side a couple of the group came a cropper due to slippery leaves on footpaths and a slippery surface near a poor stile. Whilst walking on the Ribble Way the group got chatting to people from the Ribble Rivers Trust. They were making a promotional film for the Trust. They informed the group that included in one of their many projects was the planting of 2,400 trees. Seven members took a shorter root around the village of Waddington.

Bradford Bridge crossing the Ribble - a few days previous to the walk the water level reached the intrados of the arches

Sunday, 25th September

Moderate walk from Hoghton

Overcast, with a shower possible, but thankfully none arrived. The previous day was very wet.

12 members were present for this walk. The original plan was to walk just over 8 miles, but with the poor ground conditions I decided to change the route. In the morning we covered just over 4 miles in nearly 3 hours. In the afternoon we achieved a better pace.

Weir

Wednesday, 18th September

Leisurely walk from Barnacre Church

Cloudy and nippy at first but soon cleared and warmed up for a fine autumn day.

There were 22 ramblers in total, 14 on the longer walk and 8 on the shorter one.   We attacked the first few fields with gusto but soon slowed as the incline took its toll after two long fields of ascent; not helped by the very soggy rough ground which had been churned up by the cows. The group dutifully followed the instructions for single file across one grass field as I knew it to be a sown crop.   It was a pleasant ascent up towards Burns Farm but the view was quite hazy towards the coast – no Blackpool Tower!   This was the highest point of the walk and after a few grumbles and a pause to catch our breath we made a steady descent into Calder Vale. We did wonder who lived at the very upmarket development at Lower Cottage. The climb out of the valley didn’t seem too bad and we were soon back on the homeward stretch.

Approaching Calder Vale from Kelbrick Farm

Sunday, 15th September

Strenuous walk to Great Whernside

A cloudy but largely dry day

Four walkers attended for this walk to Great Whernside. Fortunately, we were further east than the heavy rain and had a largely dry day and a pleasant walk.

Capplestone Gate

Sunday, 15th September

Moderate walk around Duxbury Township Trail

A dry and mild day

Sunday Fylde walkers indulged the leader by joining with members of Chorley Historical and Archaeological Society and others for the inaugural walk on the Duxbury Township Trail as part of Chorley’s contribution to Heritage weekend. It was inevitably a slow walk as the leader stopped from time to time to tell the historical tale. Meeting 300 runners going the opposite way on a narrow woodland path lost us half an hour.

Outside the South Lodge on Wigan Lane 

Wednesday, 11th September

Leisurely walk from The Houghton Arms

Dry and mild but very wet under foot due to heavy overnight rain. The sun also made an appearance.

The low attendance of fifteen was probably due to overnight rain which only stopped just before the walk. Due to wet conditions and many stiles (sixteen) the walk was shortened to just under five miles. This pleasant, slightly undulating, walk offered many fine views of Lancashire

 Acting sheepish

Sunday, 8th September 2019

Moderate walk from Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel

A dry and sunny day, Cool winds on the tops.

Thirteen walkers climbed from the car park ro reach Blea Tarns in time for coffee. Passing the volcanic plug of Castle Howe, the site of a Hill Fort, Slater Bridge was the ideal spot for lunch. After passing Chapel Stile a good footpath led back to the car park.

Langdale Pikes

Wenesday, 4th September 2019

Leisurely walk from Dolphinholme

Blustery with occasional showers, heavy at times

A total of 12 walkers arrived today, low in numbers because of the poor forecast and several regulars away on holiday. We booked a meal at the Fleece Inn, Dolphinholme and then transferred to Stoops Bridge to begin the walk. Seven participated in the main walk led by Elizabeth and 5 on Jane’s shorter walk. The walk was along minor roads, tracks and through fields. None of the fields had been cut since the reccy due to the spell of rainy weather during the previous two weeks so they were hard work to cross.  There was plenty of water going over the weir and lower falls though. We had a pleasant stop at the Shepherd’s Church and took advantage of the toilet facilities but not their welcome brewing up facilities which are available inside the church which is always open during the day.   The rain became more persistent during the last 30 minutes of the walk so we arrived at the Fleece Inn a little damp! The Fleece were very obliging throughout and everybody enjoyed the food on offer.

 Admiring Abbeystead Weir

Sunday, 1st September 2019

Strenuous walk to Fleetwith Pike      

From dry to rain, heavy hail storms and sunshine.         

A hard climb up Fleetwith Edge before heading for Branstree.  With cold heavy hail storms Branstree was abandoned for lunch in a bothy before heading down to follow the lake shores for Buttermere.

Sunshine in the valley with Buttemere as a backdrop