05/03/2023 Coach Walk - Castleton via Peak Forest

8:00 start with 17:30 return

A Walk - Win Hill and Mam Tor via Ringing Rodger with Dave Colbert

 12½miles (20km) with 2,850ft (870m) Total Ascent

Recent investigations by Professor Bewaldeth from the University of Snittlegarth have cast doubt on the established view that there is a firm topographical explanation behind the name of the rock formation known as ‘Ringing Roger’. Professor Bewaldeth asks us to consider just who was Roger, why did he need ringing and by whom? He has concluded that Roger may actually be an extra-terrestrial long since lost on the wild and lonely moors of Kinder Scout, but you may decide differently if you come on this hike.

We start from the village of Hope with a direct assault on Win Hill (463m) via Twitchill Farm, continuing north-westwards along Hope Bank to Hope Cross, from where we climb across Crookstone Moor and onto the southern escarpment of Kinder to the Druid´s Stone and Ringing Roger (perhaps Roger was a druid?). A steepish descent via The Nab will take us down to Edale and across to Harden Clough for our third major climb to Mam Tor (517m). It´s then down to Castleton via Hollins Cross and Hollowford Road, and hopefully time to debate the truth about Ringing Roger! 

B+ Walk - The Great Ridge with Sue Banister

10 miles (16km) with 1400ft (425m) Total Ascent

We head north from Castleton on Hollowford Road then east past Losehill Hall to Spring House Farm. The climb then begins to the summit of Lose Hill (1561ft / 476m) and a walk along the tops past Hollins Cross and on to the summit of Mam Tor (1696ft / 517m) which is our highest point today.

We drop down and head south to Windy Knoll, past Oxlow House and Conies Dale to arrive at Conies Farm. A beautiful woodland track takes us up along Oxlow Rake and north to join the Limestone Way through Cave Dale back to Castleton (parts of Cavedale are a bit tricky underfoot).

B Walk - Castleton & Mam Tor with Chris Cook

7½ miles (12km) with 1300ft (396m) Total Ascent

We leave Castleton past Cave Dale and onto to Limestone Way passing the disused mines and Rowter Farm. We cross the road to Windy Knoll and on to Mam Tor. From there we carry on to Hollins Cross ( on a well paved path ). From there to Lose Hill ( time permitting ). If we don´t have time to get to Lose Hill the distance will be 6 miles.

HAPPY DAYS.

C Walk - Hope for the best! with Dorothy Dobson

6¼ miles (10km) with 450ft (137m) Total Ascent

Todays walk is in the shape of a figure eight.

Starting from the visitor centre (toilets), we follow the main street to eventually turn east, past an old mill to the river - Peakshole Water. We walk by the river for half a mile then we go over a railway crossing to reach Pirdale Road and Hope village. From here we begin climbing towards Losehill and at this point should have excellent views of the surrounding countryside.

Passing along paths we pass by Losehill Hall, where the remains of a Medieval hospital have recently been excavated. We now head back to Castleton to cross the town to take a footpath to Goosehill Road and climb gradually towards Speedwell Tavern. From here we head north to Dunscar Farm and walk along a path flanked by walls, to follow a rough track to reach Castleton.

19/02/2023 Sunday Car - Brinscall

B Walk - Brinscall with Chris Cook

7 miles (11km) with ?ft (?m) Total Ascent

Meet at Brinscall Baths, Chorley (Sat Nav:PR6 8QU), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

We set off from Brinscall Baths, along the Goit to head west, over the disused railway to Brinscall Hall, then onto a lake before taking the road to Longwood Mill and onto Heapey. Still on the road we take a style to cross two fields to join the disused railway line for ¾ of a mile to T junction. Going straight ahead for 100yds we turn left to go past the reservoirs before reaching White Coppice. After passing the cricket ground rejoin the Goit and back to Brinscall.

HAPPY DAYS.

15/02/2023 Stroller - Lytham Hall

Snowdrop Walk with Trudy Kirkham

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.

Note change of meal venue

Meet at Lytham Hall, Ballam Road, Lytham (Sat Nav: FY8 4JX), then afterwards at The Blossoms, 1-3 Woodlands Road, Ansdell, FY8 4EP.

09/02/2023 Thursday Car - Chipping

B Walk - Chipping with Chris Cook

7 miles (11km) with ?ft (?m) Total Ascent

Meet at Chipping car park (Sat Nav: PR3 2QH), ready for the usual start time of 10.30am.

From Chipping car park head down Green Lane to pass Dairy Barn Farm then head for Townley Moss Wood. From there onto Knott Barn and Lickers Farm, continuing on to Leagram Hall then back to Chipping car park ( It's a lovely part of the country ).

HAPPY DAYS.

05/02/2023 Coach Walk - Hawkshead

8:00 start with 17:30 return

A Walk - Loughrigg Fell and Hodge Close with Graham Hogg

11 miles (17.5 km) with 2300ft (700m) Total Ascent

From Ambleside Rugby Club (A5075) we cross the River Rothay and head on a quiet lane to Brow Head Farm before making towards the summit of Loughrigg Fell 1099ft (335m).

From the summit we´ll descend steeply to Loughrigg Tarn and then head on back roads to Skelwith Bridge to pick up the Cumbria Way footpath, following this until reaching Stang End.

Heading south towards Hodge Close there is a little known but interesting diversion that we can take into Parrock Quarry. Taking a careful line of descent down to the quarry floor we are suddenly confronted by two huge openings in the quarry face ahead of us. These lead through into the neighbouring Hodge Close quarry and present us with the opportunity to explore the industrial archaeology and the grandeur of Hodge Close from a different perspective than usual.

We retrace our steps through and out of Parrock quarry and head east over High Oxen Fell to the A593. From here we head to Tarn Hows and then quiet lanes to Hawkshead and the coach.

B+ Walk - Hodge Close & High Arnside with Val Walmsley

10 miles (16km) with 900ft (274m) Total Ascent

From Skelwith Bridge we take the Cumbria Way west to High Park, Stang End and then turn south to Hodge Close Quarry which now has flooded workings with a depth 300feet, so no diving please. We now turn East to High Arnside for views of the nearby fells before returning to the Cumbria Way to resume our walk to Tarn Hows circuit, we then head south east to Knipe Fold to follow paths to Hawkshead Hill, Keen Ground and Walker Ground on our way back into Hawkshead.

B Walk - Far Sawrey via the Heald with Stuart Arnold

9 miles (15km) with 1,150ft (351m) Total Ascent

From Hawkshead we cross fields to Loanthwaite Lane and on to climb Latterbarrow with fine views of the area. We then head easterly towards Belle Grange but turn southerly before the descent to go over the Heald to Far Sawrey. From here we take the path passed Moss Eccles Tarn and Wise Een Tarn and on to Guide Post 10 before making our way back to Hawkshead via Colthouse.

If conditions are bad an alternative walk will have to be implemented.

C Walk - Tarn Hows with Judith Kirby

6 miles (9.7km) with 400ft (122m) Total Ascent

This is a circular valley walk through woods and open countryside with some stunning views of the central fells with the added attraction of the beautiful area around Tarn Hows.

22/01/2023 Sunday Car - Ribble Estuary

B Walk - Exploring the Ribble estuary and the West Lancashire flatlands with Jean Gabbatt

5-6 miles (8-10km) with no ascents other than the embankment.

Meet at Roadside parking opposite All Saints' CE Primary School, Hesketh-with-Becconsall (Sat Nav: PR4 6RD)

Walking back towards Tarleton we will turn almost immediately left onto Guide Rd and half-way down this thoroughfare, veer off onto a track between the fields. This takes us to Dib Rd, the location of the RSPB viewpoint at Hesketh-out-Marsh. We will climb the embankment and follow it to the right for some miles with views across the river and towards Preston and inland ´peaks´. The path sweeps right at the confluence of the Douglas with the Ribble and we will continue as far as the track to Marsh Farm and Lane. This road will take us back to Shore Rd and our parked vehicles.

18/01/2023 Stroller - Rams Head Longton

Meal Only at Rams Head Longton

No walk this month but a meal at Rams Head Longton, 67 Liverpool Rd, Longton, Preston (Sat Nav: PR4 5HA). Arrive 12:15 for 12:30 for start.

12/01/2023Thursday Walk - Fulwood

B Walk - Fulwood circular with Chris Airey

Meet Moor Park car park, Sir Tom Finney Way, Preston - opposite preston north end (Sat Nav: PR1 6RU)

No details available.

08/01/2023 Coach - Ingleton & Clapham

8:00 start with 16:30 return

A Walk - Ingleborough Mystery Tour with Sandra Robinson

11½ miles (18.5km) with 2,926ft (892m) Total Ascent

The walk will start and end in Ingleton. A delightful hike in this beautiful area. 

B+ Walk - Moughton Scars with Sue Banister

10 miles (16km) with 1500ft (457m) Total Ascent

Todays walk starts and finishes in Clapham. We will head east on the Pennine Bridleway then north past Sowerthwaite Farm and Hunterstye to Moughton Whetstone Hole.

We then follow the path along Moughton Scars and Thieves Moss before heading west to Nick Pot. It´s then south to Long Scar and back down to Clapham along the beck and through the woods.

B Walk - Clapham with Chris Cook

7½ miles (12km) with 1100ft (335m) Total Ascent

Don´t Miss the opportunity to take part in this fantastic walk.

HAPPY DAYS.

C Walk - Clapdale with Dorothy Dobson

5¾miles (9.2km) with 650ft (198m) Total Ascent

From the car park (Toilets - free!) we cross Clapham Beck by an ancient packhorse bridge and walk by a picturesque man made waterfall which flows into the beck.

Leaving the village we head north on a stony track, a gentle incline, for one and a half miles to Clapdale. Here the path takes us through a farmyard where we descend a rough but short steep path which can be a bit tricky in parts, so we will take it slowly to reach the road and a footbridge.

After crossing the bridge we have a short muddy path to climb (This is the only really muddy part of the walk!) to reach Long Lane. Turning south we walk for a good mile along an undulating wide path before reaching Thwaites Lane. As we walk these lanes we are now in open countryside with extensive views all around.

Along the lane we take a stile into a field and walk for about half a mile to view the Norbert Erratics before retracing our steps to Thwaites Lane and on through the tunnels at Clapham.

11/12/2022 Coach Walk - Windermere via Ambleside

December

8:00 Start with 16:30 (5:30pm) Return

Please Note

The coach will be parking in Ambleside, usually in the car park on the right hand side just past Hays Garden Centre as you head into Ambleside, or failing that, at Waterhead, which is at the head of the lake and a bit further out. The coach will leave Ambleside at 4:30pm. Arrival time should be circa 10:30 with a clear run.

A Walk - Winter Warmer with John Parkinson

9.8 miles (15.8km) with 3350ft (1028m) Total Ascent

Leaving Ambleside opposite the Golden Rule we walk past the University of Cumbria´s local campus, the only university campus in the U.K. located in a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Reaching Nook End Farm we start the ascent to Low Pike and then onto High Pike on the right hand side of the Fairfield Horseshoe.

Continuing on the ridge and before Dove Cragg we head off the horseshoe over Bakestones Moss and Black Brow down to the Scandale Pass. From there we take the short, steep ascent to the cairn at Red Screes before starting our descent through Raven Cragg and Snarker Pike back to Ambleside. 

B+ Walk - Troutbeck Meander with Val Walmsley

9.6miles (15.4km) with 1166ft (355m) Total Ascent

Starting in Windermere take A591 for short way to pick up path to The Common. From here we walk on field paths to Near Orrest & Moorhowe Road than onto Dubbs Road for a 2mile stretch to Limefitt Park.

At Troutbeck we cross the A592 & join a path to Nanny Lane. We leave by the Wansfell Pike path to take one down to search for a waterfall & once found use Hundred Ends Road to Robin Lane. Following this lane all way back to Ambleside passing High Skelghyll & Skelghyll Wood, sunlit all the way!!

B Walk - Winderemere to Ambleside with Barbara & Alan Gilbert

We start from Windermere Station (toilets inside Booths) making our way up Orrest Head with spectacular views over Lake Windermere. This is where Alfred Wainwright had his epiphany after coming from a smokey mill town.

We then descend towards Causeway Farm and onto Far Orrest below Allen Crag before reaching the village of Troutbeck.

We make our way up Robin Lane to High Skelghyll Farm before entering Skellghyll Wood. If there is time we may climb up to Jenkin Crag and finally descending into Ambleside hopefully in time for some refreshments.

C Walk - Rydal Water & The Coffin Trail with Dorothy Dobson

We leave the coach in Ambleside to make our way across the park to the footbridge over the River Rothay. We follow the road by the river all the way to Pelters Bridge. From here we go to Rydal Water and take a footpath round the lake to reach the car park by A591 road. We cross this road to take a short but steep climb to join the Coffin route (Path from Grasmere to Rydal).

We follow the path in a southerly direction to reach Rydal Hall where we take the footpath through Rydal Park to Scandale Bridge to rejoin the A591 which leads us back to Ambleside.

If the conditions underfoot are unfavourable we will take the same route omitting Ryal Water, cross the main road at Pelters Bridge, climb the hill to Rydal Hall and continue as before. Apart from one steep hill the climbing is minimal.