Christ Church, Longridge - Methodist/URC

If you look South from Longridge, you will see the large Winter Hill TV mast. Move your attention to the East, at the top of the next hill and you will notice the Darwen, or Jubilee, Tower. This prominent landmark was the target for this month’s walk. The tower was built to commemorate the local landowner’s decision to allow free access to his land for all.

As the Bolton group were in charge today, we had to start from a civilized starting point, Roddlesworth, with its café and toilets. (more…)

For this month’s walk, we ventured a little further from home to explore the pretty landscape to the north of the county around Abbeystead.

Starting from the car park at Stoops Bridge, we entered the estate of the Duke of Westminster, following the Wyre Way, a good path which crossed the Marshaw Wyre a number of times. To our left appeared the imposing manor house, one of the Duke’s many properties. Pheasants were a regular sight, reminding us that this is a shooting estate. (more…)

The walk for February consisted of a seven mile circuit to the East of Chipping. Unfortunately, three of our regulars were non-starters, due to undercarriage problems, but I’m sure that they will be back soon. However, we had a good turnout from the Bolton group which brought us up to strength. Starting from the village car park, we first had a stop for coffee at the village café. (We really are going soft). Then it was through Chipping via Windy street and onwards, entering the fields along a curving path towards Pale Farm. Our route now took us through the garden of a beautiful barn conversion, but instead of the usual hostility to walkers, the owner had constructed a pretty walkway covered in climbing plants that led to the fields beyond. Then it was on to the Gibbon Bridge Hotel, Read more…

Having trodden new ground last month, this month’s walk was on more familiar territory in the Ribble valley. Jim was back in charge and he chose a pleasant ramble along a selection of marked footpaths in the Gisburn Forest. Meeting as usual in Longridge, the five of us managed to fit into one car for the enjoyable drive to Slaidburn and on to the forest car park. The Gisburn Forest contains an extensive network of excellent public footpaths and cycle tracks and walkers and cyclists seem to co-exist quite well with each other. Starting from the car park, we walked north and west, heading for Stocks Reservoir, the source of much of our drinking water in this region and walking a little way on a quiet country lane which gave us a splendid view of this large body of water Read more…