03/02/2018 - Map & Compass Day

Free Event held at The Ley Inn. 

Free Event held at The Ley Inn.

Starts 10:00am until 04:00pm.

Includes morning map reading workshop, Lunch, & Afternoon Practical.

This is your chance to learn or brush up on your Map & Compass skills. It is an all day event with the morning spent learning (or brushing up) how to use a map & compass.

After lunch which will be provided by the club - It's time to try out your newly learned skills. Members will be split into teams and then compete to design a ‘Walk’ using a map & given bearings. This will be carried out in the comfort of the Ley Inn, but don't worry, each team will have an experienced leader to offer help if needed.

Meet on The Ley Inn car park, Back Lane, Clayton-le-Woods (Sat Nav: PR6 7EU).

If you would like to attend this great day out, please give your name to Chris Cook or Dorothy Dobson.

28/01/2018 Sunday Car - Longridge / Preston

B Walk - Longridge with Chris Cook 

7½ miles (12km) with little climbing.

Meet at Longridge Civic Hall, Calder Ave (Sat Nav PR3 3HJ), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

Turning left from the car park we pass through Smiths playing fields to go down Lord's Lane to Longridge Road, Here we turn left and after 300 yards take a footpath through a wood to reach Inglewhite Road, We stay on this road a little while before heading north east, through the fields to Hill Chapel and school, We then go south east towards Cringlebrooks Farm, Tenter Hill, across Whittingham Road through an industrial estate before arriving at Stone Bridge and back to Civic Hall.

C Walk - Preston with Bob Tognarelli 

6½ miles (10km) with little climbing

Meet at Preston Sports Ground Car Park, South Meadow Lane (Sat Nav PR1 8JP), located on the left just before the Continental Pub ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

Leaving the car park we head along Broadgate to cross over the Penwortham New Bridge, and join the Ribble Way going west. Initial on a tarmac path as far as Priory Park, but changing to a grass path (or mud if wet) as we come to the open fields below Penwortham. We then will follow the paths through the fields towards Penwortham, passing Nabsack Planting to meet a farm track which gently climbs up to Howick Cross Lane. Crossing Liverpool Road we to go through the suburbs of Penwortham to Cop lane and Hurst Grange Park. From the Park we make our way down hill to Penwortham Old Bridge, cross the bridge and then it´s a short walk back to the start car park.

Refreshments can be had either at the Continental or the Pavilion cafe, should anyone be thirsty or even peckish after the long walk.

17/01/2018 Stroller - Meal Only

Meal Only with LEADER
No Walk

No walk this month but a meal at Duxburys Garden Centre. 12.15pm for 12.30pm.

Meet at Maple Leaf Café, Duxburys Garden Centre, Whitestake (PR4 4LB).

14/01/2018 Coach Walk - Hebden Bridge

8:00 start with 16:30 return

A Walk - Black Hameldon with Dave Colbert

13½ miles (22km) with 2000ft (620m) Total Ascent

Black Hameldon sits squarely on the main watershed of Britain (and two River Calders) and would certainly meet Private Frazer´s definition of ‘A Wild and Lonely Place’.

We start from Holme Chapel (bizarrely just outside of Burnley) and follow the Pennine Bridleway up onto The Long Causeway, leaving this at the windfarm for a trackless tramp across Black Hameldon (479m/1,572ft) to the pass at Gorple Gate below the dramatic Gorple Stones. Here we rejoin the Pennine Bridleway and head down to Widdop Reservoir, thence via Clough Foot and Gorple Lower Reservoir and a short climb to the ancient Reaps Cross. Leaving the Pennine Bridleway we ascend Standing Stone Hill (a trig point here, nothing more) before descending into the deep-cut valley of Colden Clough, which leads directly to Mytholm and Hebden Bridge. If the weather is really bad we will stick with the Pennine Bridleway between The Long Causeway and Gorple Gate.

B+ Walk - Packhorse Trail Trot (Stoodley Pike) with Susan Banister

9½ miles (15.3km) with 1830ft (558m) Total Ascent

We leave Hebden Bridge and head west along the Rochdale canal before climbing up through Callis Wood and joining the Pennine Bridleway to Swillington and London Road. Dropping down we will pass through the beautiful village of Mankinholes with its 18th century cottages and stone water troughs, a sure sign that this was an important stopping point on these old packhorse trails.

Heading south from Mankinholes we join the Calderdale Way and start the steady climb up to Stoodley Pike monument which dominates the moors for miles around. It was first built in 1815 to celebrate peace at the end of the Napoleonic war but it collapsed in 1854 and was replaced 2 years later by the present structure. The internal spiral staircase can be climbed, using torches as it is pitch black, to reach a viewing platform. Well worth the effort.

We descend by Law Hill, Pinnacle and the tiny hamlet of Horsehold to follow the steep lane back to Hebden Bridge. Don´t forget your torches!

B Walk - Crimsworth Dean with Colin Manning

7½miles (12.1km) with 1000ft (304m) Total Ascent

At the time of writing these details I have been unable to recce the walk due to a felled tree on a vital part of the route (no pun intended). The local authorities where working on it and I am assured this tree will be gone well before we do the walk today. This means that all the details are as accurate as I can get without having been able to recce the walk.

So, starting our walk from Hebden Bridge we head up towards Mytholm and Heptonstall. Here, we continue north to Lee Bank before baring west to continue through woodland paths towards Shackleton and round to Hardcastle Crags. Further along we reach Walshaw where we turn to open field paths to head East to Lumb Hole Waterfall at the top of Crimsworth Dean. Turning back towards Hebden Bridge we now start a steady decent through woodland paths down alongside Crimsworth Dean. At New Bridge we continue south to Midghole and Lee wood. Our descent steepens here for a short while till we reach Nutclough and follow the road back in to Hebden Bridge.

C Walk - Stoodley Pike — Well almost! with Margaret & Bob

5½ miles (8.8km) with 600ft (182m) Total Ascent

Leaving Hebden Bridge we pass the Railway Station and go under the railway track to join the path through Crow Nest Woods. It is a good steady climb all the way through the woods, we then exit onto a hard track. Crossing the track we take the path signposted to Pinnacle Lane, which goes through open field, and involves more climbing to the Brents, and the junction at Pinnacle Lane. Then it´s along a good path on Kilnshaw Lane to Kershaw Farm. Sadly, this is our nearest point to the Stoodley Pike Monument.

We now join the Pennine way at Lower Rough Head for a short distance, before crossing fields to Pinnacle lane. Then it is a descent through open field to the edge of Callis wood and onto Horsehold and a further long descent on the road back down to Hebden Bridge. At this point we will have walked 4 miles. At Hebden Bridge the walk will continue along the canal and the river Calder for approx 1.5 miles.

11/01/2018 Thursday Car - Longridge Fell from Hurst Green

B Walk - Longridge Fell with Susan Grierson 

7 miles (11km) with 1024ft (306m) Total Ascent

Meet at Hurst Green Village Car Park (Sat Nav: BB7 9QB), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

Leaving the village we turn left onto Whalley Road. After a short road walk we turn left onto a track taking us past the school and Timothy Cottage, and on through fields towards Stonyhurst College. Passing the college we take the road past Stockbridge Cottages turning right into fields and making our way to Kemple End. At Kemple End we turn right up a broad forest track up Longridge Fell where we will have lunch.

After lunch we take a descending path through bracken leading us to a forest path and then briefly onto a road. We continue onto a cart track that leads to the ancient house 'Greengore'. We walk on through beech woodland and follow Dean Brook back to Hurst Green.

Earlier Archives

For earlier walk archives please consult the 'Programmes' and 'Footprints' Pages

17/12/2017 Coach - Windermere & Ambleside

 

December

8:00 Start with 16:30 (4:30pm) Return

Fairfield with Sandra Robinson
12½ miles (20km) with 3200ft (975m) Total Ascent

We will do the fairfield horseshoe.

Hundreds and Thousands with Meriel Nutter
9 miles (15km) with 1800ft (549m) Total Ascent

This walk is similar to the B walk, so Tony suggests we move off first to avoid mix ups.

Leaving the coach at Windermere, we take the path to Ellery Bank & Orrest Head, before descending to Causeway Farm, Near Orrest and Far Orrest (Dirty bog! Gaiters recommended). Skirting Allen Knott, we turn right onto Moorhowe Road and then left onto Longmire Lane which leads us to Limefitt Park. We now follow the A592 right to the church before taking a track to Troutbeck where we will have lunch around here.

Walking through Troutbeck to Nanny Lane, we now climb up Wansfell taking a right fork to The Hundreds. Crossing a wall we now continue diagonally onto the ridgeline, then left along the ridge (clean bog) to Wansfell summit 482 metres (If you really want thousands you have to do it twice). Sorry but it´s a steep and stony descent to Ambleside, if it is very icy we will take Robin Lane and a minor road to a track leading to Stockghyll Force before returning to Ambleside.

Orrest Head and Troutbeck with Tony Ingham
9 miles (14.5km) with 1400ft (427m) Total Ascent

This is a linear walk starting from Windermere.

Immediately after leaving the coach we ascend 410 feet to the Orrest Head Viewpoint , which stands at 784 feet above sea level. We descend in a northerly direction to Causeway Farm and follow a minor road eastwards, past Near Orrest Farm, to reach Moorhowe Road. We soon turn off there to proceed north along a Byway for 1.5 miles before dropping down to Limefitt House Holiday Park and Troutbeck. Here we pick up Robin Lane (another track) and this climbs steadily for a mile to High Skelghyll where it drops down through Skelghyll Wood, past Jenkin Crag, to Waterhead. The rest of the walk takes us along the road to the coach in Ambleside for the journey home.

Ambling in Ambleside with Alison & Lesley
6.45 miles (10.1km) with 262ft (80m) Total Ascent

Today´s walk is a circular, starting from Ambleside.

We begin by heading North to Rothay Park where we turn West and make our way to the footbridge over the River Rothay. Keeping the river on our right we follow the road to Pelter Bridge. If the weather allows, we hope to take the lower path through a small wood and along the edge of Rydal Water. Approaching Loughrigg Terrace we turn North through another small wood, then cross the bridge and continue to the Banner Rigg car park. Next we cross the A591, and begin to slowly climb (180ft) North West until we reach the path to Rydal. Here we turn East. If the weather is good, we will have a lovely the view of Rydal Water and Loughrigg Fell to our right, before reaching Rydal Hall and continuing down through Rydal Park.

Finally we follow the road back into Ambleside where there should be time for a refreshments and/or Christmas shopping. This is a moderately easy walk with good paths. Alison and I would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy New Year.

14/12/2017 Thursday Car - Rivington

 

December

10:30am Start

Rivington Pike and Winter Hill with Dave Thornton
8½ miles (13.5km) with 1035ft (315m) Total Ascent

Meet at Rivington Hall Barn Car Park (Sat Nav: BL6 7SB. Map Ref: 633145), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

The walk starts using stony tracks to ascend through Lever Park and includes Lord Leverhulme's ornamental gardens. After following a zig-zag route we head northwards to the western slopes of Rivington Moor which we climb in an easterly direction to reach the summit which should afford stunning views of the surrounding countryside. After passing the TV mast we follow the summit road to Pike cottage and return to the car park via the tower on Rivington Pike.

If there is low cloud I have an alternative walk planned which will include the tower and Rivington reservoirs. The title for this walk is ‘the road to nowhere, destination unknown´ .

Hopefully we should be back for Christmas.

06/12/2017 Stroller - Christmas Meal

 

December

Meet 12:15pm for 12:30pm

No walk this month.

Christmas meal at The Ley Inn, Back Lane, Clayton-le-Woods (Sat Nav: PR6 7EU).

Meet 12:15am for 12:30pm.

To book contact Roy Smith (Telephone number on Programme of email: strollerspdwc@gmail.com).

03/12/2017 Sunday Car - Beacon Fell / Clitheroe

 

December

10:30am Start

Beacon Fell with Stuart Arnold
8 miles (12.9km) with 850ft (259m) Total Ascent

Meet at Barnsfold Outbarn (Sat Nav: PR3 2WH), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

We will walk up via Woodfold onto the fell hoping to find the picture on front of the OS EXPLORER map OL41. We will then search for the dragonfly and the woodpecker before visiting the plaque honouring the Queen's diamond jubilee. We will then drop down off the fell via Middle Lickhurst and Lower Lickhurst to Brock Mill. We will then progress upstream, hopefully crossing the river, if water levels permit. We may then visit the memorial, erected by the club, to Cyril Spiby, a former member of the club. We will then pass through Waddacer scout camp on our way the Gill Barn Wood were we will leave the river and proceed to Wickens corner and eventually Sagar's farm, Broadhead and Rigg lane. We will then pass round the south side of the fell back to Woodfold. This will complete the full tour of the fell and we will then drop down to our starting point.

Clitheroe with Tony Ingham
6.7 miles (10.8km) with 300ft (61m) Total Ascent

Meet at the long stay car park next to the railway station (Sat Nav: BB7 2ED), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

We start off on field paths leading down to the Ribble Way which we follow southwards, via Edisford Bridge (toilets), to Fishes and Peggy Hill Farm. Here we turn east to reach a Roman Road and from there through fields to Lower Standen. At this point we head west to follow a stream to Henthorne Road which leads back northwards for a mile to the car park through Clitheroe's southern suburbs.