11/03/2018 Coach Walk - Grasmere

March

8:00 Start with 17:30 (5:30pm) Return

A Walk - Caiston Glen with Stuart Drysdale

11 miles (17.7km) with 2900ft (884m) Total Ascent

Due to the recent weather conditions I have decided to lead a lower-level walk, starting in Ambleside.

We head uphill alongside Stock Ghyll past Low Grove and High Grove to the Kirkstone Inn. We then we follow the road downhill until we reach Caiston Beck which we follow upstream along Caiston Glen to the Scandale Pass. It´s then mainly downhill down Scandale to the Kirkstone Road and back into Ambleside for refreshments and the coach home.

B+ Walk - Blea Rigg with Kevin Poole

8 miles (12.9km) with 2000ft (610m) Total Ascent

Welcome Comrades. Starting from Grasmere We follow excellent paths up to Easedale Tarn. From here we have a good view of the imposing buttress of Blea Rigg. Dont worry, we climb up the easy way - via the ridge between Castle How and Blea Rigg. From here we go to the summit to explore the wonderful views.

We back track and head along the ridge to Castle How and Lang How. It´s then a gradual descent back into Grasmere.

I have picked today´s route taking into account the harsh snowy weather coming from Siberia. This is perfect for your average B+ walker who is suitably prepared.

B Walk - Alcock Tarn with Barry Mather

7½ miles (12km) with 1700ft (518m) Total Ascent

Leaving Grasmere car park we head north and after crossing the A591 take a minor road passing the Swan Hotel. We follow a stream uphill and after crossing it at the end of the lane we start a steep climb on the open fells. Eventually reaching Alcock Tarn. We then descend to White Moss Common stopping occasionally to admire the view over Grasmere we then follow the undulating 'coffin road to Rydal. At the church we pass through Dora's Field to the A 591. After crossing the River Rothay we make a slight ascent to Rydal Cave then descend to Grasmere Lake which we follow and on reaching the road arrive back in Grasmere.

C Walk - Glen Rothay with Bob & Joyce for Bill

6 miles (9.7km) with 353ft (108m) Total Ascent

A tried and well trodden route.

Setting off from Waterhead we make our way to Hayes Garden Centre. Plenty of time for a browse and a coffee! Leaving the Garden Centre we pass through Ambleside via the Churchyard and then along the River Rothay to Pelter Bridge on a limited access road. Here we turn left and climb gently until we reach Rydal Water. We will take the upper permissive path past Rydal Caves, the only real climb of the day. After the caves we follow more or less downward paths until we reach Grasmere. We take the shore path for about half the lake before a final road walk brings us to Grasmere village, the coaches, the shops and the cafés. 

25/02/2018 Sunday Car - Scorton

B Walk - Scorton with Mary & Kevin McEnaney 

 8½miles (13.6km) with 1000ft (305m) Total Ascent

Meet at the picnic area, near Cleveleys Bridge, North of Scorton village (Sat Nav: PR3 1AU. Map Ref: SD504504), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

Some road walking, field paths, farm tracks and woodland.

We leave the picnic area and head back to Scorton village, up Snowhill Lane and onto Nicky Nook to the trig point, then descend in the direction of Fell End Farm, continue south east to Holme Wood passing Grizedale Lea Reservoir, follow the stony track to a gate beside a footbridge, turn right for Higher Lane at Slean End. Walk up the lane for 120 metres to a signposted path on the left, cross the fields onto Tithe Barn Lane and back into Scorton village, then returning to the picnic area.

21/02/2018 Stroller - Avenham Park

Walk with Roy
2 to 3 miles with little climbing  

 Each Mid-Week Stroller walk has a destination providing a venue for drinks / snacks / meals etc and starts at 10:30am.

Meet at the car park South Meadow Lane (Sat Nav: PR1 8JT), then afterwards at the Pavilion Café on Avenham Park.

11/02/2018 Coach Walk - Clapham

8:00 start with 17:00 return

A Walk - Gaping Gill & Ingleborough with Sandra Robinson

13 miles (20.6km) with 2500ft (762m) Total Ascent

Up Ingleborough via gaping gill and down a different way.

B+ Walk - Scars, limestone and Gills with Kevin Poole

10 miles (16.09km) with 1500ft (457m) Total Ascent

Today´s walk is a circular walk from Clapham. Weather permitting we will have great views of Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent. We will walk along paths past Ingleborough Cave, Trow Gill, Gaping Gill and the weird and wonderful Limestone pavements.

B Walk - Clapham Curiosities with Dorothy Dobson

8½ miles (13.6km) with 1000ft (305m) Total Ascent

From the coach park (toilets) we go over the old Packhorse bridge to take a good track to Clapdale farm. From here we descend to a wide path which crosses a stream via a footbridge to climb a short steep slope to reach Long Lane. We follow this undulating track for some time, passing Thwaite Scars on our right and we are soon able to have splendid views of Ingleborough, Wherrnside and Pen-y-Ghent. Just before reaching Sulber Gate we change direction and head south to Crummack and eventually take a green road to the hamlet of Wharfe. We then make our way back to Clapham along Thwaite Lane and the tunnels.

This is a lovely walk.

C Walk - Austwick and Beyond with Joyce Bradbury

5.23 miles (8.4km) with 497ft (174m) Total Ascent

Our walk starts from the car park in Clapham across numerous undulating fields to the village of Austwick. We then walk along several lanes, crossing a stone bridge over Austwick Beck. Now we have a ½ mile road walk before turning onto Thwaite Lane and our first real climb of the day. We leave the track and cross fields heading for Nappa Scars and the Norber Erratics (rocks left behind when the last glaciers melted). We descend to Thwaite Lane which takes us back into Clapham.

This is a typical Yorkshire walk: plenty of mud, numerous stiles, lovely views — BUT free toilets!

09/02/2018 - Annual Club Meal

Annual Club Meal 

Club Meal at Ferraris, Chipping Road, Thornley, near Longridge.

Arrive 7pm for 7.30pm. (Sat Nav: PR3 7PR)

3 course meal and coffee. Price: £17 per person, payable on the night.

Bookings to: Tony Ingham (see programme for contact details).

08/02/2018 Thursday Car - Southport

B Walk - Southport with Peter Cobb 

? miles (?km) with ?ft (?m) Total Ascent

Meet at The RSPB Marshside Car Park, Marine Drive, Southport (Sat Nav PR9 9PJ), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

From car park, head to Marshide, continue to sewage works, left along coastal path, continue to Old Hollow farm, lane to bridle way then onto Sefton coastal path returning to car park.

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.