14/07/2019 Sunday Car - Pendleton

B Walk - Pendleton, near Clitheroe with Stuart Arnold

7½ miles (12km) with 600ft (183m) Total Ascent

Meet at Pendleton Village (Sat Nav: BB7 1PX), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

The walk will start from the car park next to the Swan with Two Necks pub in Pendleton. This is a free car park but donations are expected for its upkeep by the villagers.

We will walk past the pub bearing in mind that we will return here later in the day. We will walk up the road and past Pendleton Hall carrying on along the track towards Mearley Hall. Here we will head onto the lower reaches of Pendle hill passing Howcroft Barn before reaching the road for a short distance past the ski slope and going back onto the fell by the Well Springs pub. The track then leads us back onto the road at the Nick of Pendle. Down the road towards Sabden for 200yds we reach a bridleway on the RHS which leads us past Parsley Barn and Wilkins Hey to a point where we head to Jeppe’s Grave the resting place of a highwayman, on the site of a Bronze Age burial site, who was beheaded in 1327 for his sins. We then go back across the fell to the Nick of Pendle were we start our descent back to the start via Wymondhouses.

11/07/2019 Thursday Car - Whitewell

B Walk - Whitewell with Stuart Arnold

7½ miles (12km) with 800ft (244m) Total Ascent

Meet at the Inn, Whitewell (Sat Nav: BB7 3AT), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

The walk will start from the Whitewell Inn where we will have to park on the side of the road. We will start on the road opposite the Whitewell Inn just after the Whitewell Social Hall and then climb steadily via Seed Hill, Raven Scar Plantation on to Crimpton. After reaching the chimneys of the Spire we head through the fields to Browsholme farm. A short distance on the road leads us to the path carrying us across farmland to Mickelhurst, Kinder Barn and eventually Lees House. Down the track we join the road which leads us past Middle Lees and across the fields to Lower Lees. We then walk down to the banks of the river Hodder before crossing the road again and through fields past a disused quarry back to the start.

06/07/2019 - Map & Compass

Free Event held at The Over 60's Club.

Starts 10:00am until 04:00pm.

Includes morning map reading workshop & Afternoon Practical.

Tea & Coffee will be provided by the club, but please bring your own lunch.

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, 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 he Over 60s Club, but don't worry, each team will have an experienced leader to offer help if needed.

Meet at the Over 60s Club, Priory Lane, Penwortham, Preston PR1 0AR.

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

Please Note: If you attended this event last year, please bring your course work folder with you.

 

30/06/2019 Coach Walk - Betws-Y-Coed

8:00 start with 17:30 return

A Walk - Moel Siabod with Dave Colbert

11 miles (17.5km) with 3100ft (950m) Total Ascent

Bore Da! Moel Siabod rises as an isolated pyramid between the valleys of the Afon Llugwy and Afon Lledr to the west of Betws y Coed. The panorama from its summit is regarded as one of the best in Snowdonia, with all the major hills of Eryri from Cadair Idris in the south to Snowdon and Carnedd Llewelyn in the north in view, weather permitting of course!

The mountain presents its most impressive features to the south, so we will begin its ascent from the village of Dolwyddelan in the Lledr Valley, initially following the course of the Afon Ystumiau up to Llyn y Foel, hidden in an impressive hollow beneath Moel Siabod´s massive crags. An entertaining scramble up the airy Daear Ddu ridge (literally the ‘Black Earth’) takes us directly to the summit, at 872m/2,862ft the highest point on the walk. Following a lengthy descent of the north-east ridge to Pont Cyfyng in the valley of the Afon Llugwy, we head for Betws y Coed alongside said river, passing Ty-hyll and the famous Swallow Falls on the way. Mwynhau!! 

B+ Walk - Eastern Promise: Undulating countryside east of the Conwy. with Val Walmsley

10½ miles (16.9km) with 1300ft (396m) Total Ascent

Leaving Betws y Coed railway station we cross the Afon (river) Conwy and pick up a path which takes us to Coed-y-Celyn. From here we continue south, passing though Dinas Mawr and Penrhyddan Pella to Maes-y-Grnedd. Turning north past Capel Garmon with its neolithic burial chamber, we now head to Moel Treriw. Looping back south via Tany Foel to Pentre-bach, we then head easterly on paths and a road to cross the railway via a footbridge, before heading back to railway station and Betws y Coed.

B Walk - Forest Walk with Chris Cook

6½ miles (10.5km) with 1280ft (390m) Total Ascent

Forest Walk (some steep climbs) from Betwys-y-Coed (Betwys-y-Coed means Praying in the Park).

This is a forest walk with many indigenous trees. We leave the bus park and head for Pont y Pair and the Gwyndair Forest. This walk is a combination of forest trails and some steep narrow footpaths. It takes you high above Conwy Valley with beautiful views towards the town of Llanrwst. The return meanders along the bank of Llyn Parc a natural lake damned to power mining machinery in the Aberllyn Gorge. We then follow the signs back down to Betwys-y-Coed. (Time and energy allows this walk to be extended).

Walkers welcome at Glan Aber Hotel opposite the car park. Happy Daze.

C Walk - The Slate Trail with Lesley & Peter Stevens

6 miles (9.7km) with 397ft (121m) Total Ascent

Our walk today is a circular walk following the Afon (river) Llgwy down one side and back along the other side. There is some climbing in the first half but flat for the second half with good paths throughout.

The walk starts from the coach park in the centre of Betws Y Coed (toilets available ­ 20p). Heading west we walk along the main street to cross the river (Afon Llgwy) via a small road bridge. Turning left (west) we now follow the path along the side of the river until we reach the Miners Bridge. From here we start our main climb of the day; this is quite a steep climb (150ft / 45m) but we have loads of time so we can take our time on this ascent. At the top of the climb we join the Snowdonia Slate Trail which runs from Bangor on the coast to Bethesda near Snowdon for 83 miles. We now follow the Slate Trail for approx 1 mile before dropping down towards the river where we are afforded a wonderful view of the Swallow Falls. Leaving the falls we continue to make our descent to the river, which we now follow until we meet the main road at a bridge with the ‘Ugly House’ by its side.

This is the half way point of the walk, so we cross the river to head back on the far side heading east. Unfortunately for here we have approx 1¾ walk along the road, but on the good side it is a good footpath and downhill all the way until we leave the road to cross the Miners Bridge and head back to Betws Y Coed along our original river walk route.

19/06/2019 Stroller - Lytham

Lytham Wander with Bill and Marie

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 Lytham Railway Station (Sat Nav: FY8 4TQ), then afterwards at the Railway Café.

16/06/2019 Sunday Car - Bowgreave

B Walk - Bowgreave near Garstang with Tony Ingham

8½ miles (13.6km) with 250ft (76m) Total Ascent

Meet in the back car park at Bowgreave Rise Care Home, Bowgreave, on the B6430 Garstang Road to the south of Garstang, PR3 1YD (permission given to park there) for the usual start time of 10.30 am.

We initially cross a disused football field to join the Lancaster Canal where we head east before leaving it at the third bridge. We then go north across fields, cross the West Coast railway line and M6 motorway to Parkhead, Keeper's Lane and Higher Lane to reach Long Crossey Wood and Woodacre Great Wood (lunch). We continue into Scorton (pay toilets) and from there head south along the Wyre Way all the way back to the Lancaster Canal on the south side of Garstang. We then follow the towpath south and eastwards back to the start point.

13/06/2019 Thursday Car - Garstang

B Walk - Garstang with Christine & Nora

7-8 miles (11-12.9km) with flat walking.

Meet main car park Garstang (Sat Nav: PR3 1FU), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

From the Car Park the walk takes us through the Millennium Park and across the River Wyre, through fields, roads and tracks into Scorton. From Scorton we cross the A6 to join the Canal and head along the Canal path which takes us back to Garstang.

02/06/2019 Coach Walk - Threlkeld via Thirlmere

8:00 start with 17:30 return

A Walk - Helvellyn and The Dodds with Dave Colbert

11¾ miles (19km) with 4050ft (1230m) Total Ascent

The mountain range of which Helvellyn is the dominant height extends northwards from Grisedale Tarn for over 12 kilometres to the village of Threlkeld and forms the greatest area of high fells in the Lake District.

This walk traverses much of this range, taking in seven ‘Wainwright’ summits, beginning with an ascent of Helvellyn (950m/3,116ft) itself from Highpark Wood on the eastern shore of Thirlmere by way of Helvellyn Gill and Browncove Crags. It´s then north from Lower Man over White Side (863m/2,832ft) and Raise (883m/2,896ft) to the Sticks Pass, a natural escape route down into St John´s in the Vale in case of inclement weather. We will hopefully continue over Stybarrow Dodd (843m/2,765ft) and across Watson´s Dodd to Great Dodd (857m/2,811ft), thence past the rocky outcrop of Calfhow Pike to our final summit, Clough Head (726m/2,382ft). A grassy rake makes for an interesting descent to Wanthwaite and the road to Threlkeld. Although strenuous, this is a magnificent traverse consistently above 750 metres with stunning views if clear. 

B+ Walk - Blencathra - the Saddleback with Kevin Poole

8 miles (12.87km) with 2700ft (762m) Total Ascent

Today´s walk starts and ends in Threlkeld. Although the walk has a lot of climbing. The ascent is mainly gradual. At one point in the walk you will need at least three points of contact as you negotiate a small scramble.

This is not an easy B+ but well worth the effort for some amazing views of the Northern fells.

B Walk - Great How with Barry Mather

8 miles (12.9km) with 1000ft (305m) Total Ascent

We set off from Legburtwaite and after carefully crossing the A 591 we head towards the bridge over St Johns Beck and on to Smaithwaite. Then after skirting a wood we cross the A 591 again. We then head for Dale Bottom Caravan Site then join the road to St John's church. We then have a short climb over Low Rigg and after passing Tewet Tarn head for the old disused railway line. Following the River Glenderamackin we arrive at Threlkeld.

C Walk - Thirlmere & St John's in the Vale with Joyce & Maurice

6.2 miles (10.2km) with 580ft (177m) Total Ascent

We leave the coach at the Swirls car park (toilets available) and drop down to the shore of Thirlmere. We follow a permissive path northward, leaving the lake to pass east of Great How (the two short steepish climbs here mean that most of the climbing has now been done) and arrive at Legburthwaite. We will have lunch somewhere around here.

A rather stony track along and above St John´s Beck (care needed here) brings us to Low Bridge End Farm. Thereafter we follow field paths, initially near the beck as far as Bridge House, all the way to Threlkeld Bridge. At this point we follow the road into Threlkeld. Unlike most of our walks there are not many stiles!

19/05/2019 Sunday Car - Tockholes / Scorton

B Walk - Tockholes with Dorothy Dobson

7½ miles (12km) with Undulating ground

Meet at the Tockholes Visitor Centre, Darwen (Sat Nav BB3 0PA), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

Starting from Tockholes Visitor Centre, we cross over the road to enter the wood where we pick up the Witton Weavers Way. We follow this path through Tockholes village to the M65 Motorway. We now change direction going east to Winter Hill (not the familiar one) and down to the golf course. Still going downhill we walk along the length of Sunnyhurst Wood to Earnsdale Reservoir and make our way along a track and fields to the car park.

C Walk - More tramping around Scorton with Bob Tognarelli

6 miles (9.6km) with 300ft (91m) Total Ascent

Meet in Scorton, on the main road near the Scorton Bowling Club (Sat Nav: PR3 1BJ), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am. Toilets available if you pay.

From here we head south on the Wyre Way, beside the River Wyre, to Gubberford Bridge. Crossing the road we walk down Woodacre Lane to the railway line. Crossing the bridges over both the railway line and the motorway we again pick up Wyre Way, but now we head north. We are heading back to Scorton across fields and through woods to reach Tithebarn lane. Maybe have lunch before we climb to Higher Lane and then descend to Woodacre Pasture to pick up the Grize Dale track around the base of Nicky Nook and walk to the other end of Higher Lane. We turn into Higher Lane and follow for a short distance before taking the footpath that will take us passed Potter´s Hill New wood, Potter´s Hill and down to Sands Bottom. Here we turn right on to the gravel track that leads to Snowhill Lane and back to the cars.

We now have the opportunity to indulge in refreshments at The Barn before heading home.

P.S. Tramping “the recreational activity of going for long-distance walks in rough country”, so come prepared.

15/05/2019 Stroller - Beacon Fell Country Park

Beacon Fell Country Park with Bob and Christine

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 on the Beacon Fell Visitor Centre car park (Sat Nav: PR3 2NL), then afterwards at Owd Nells, St Michael´s Road, Bilsborrow (PR3 0RS).