Woodland Walkers

Our September walk was meant to be from Barnoldswick but owing to unforeseen circumstances it had to be abandoned. So, at short notice it was decided to stay local.
We do have some lovely countryside right on our doorstep.

A goodly number of us met at church at 10.30am and we set off down the Crescent and then into Pleasington Fields with, first one deciding and then another, which way to go. Hoghton Bottoms was our goal with a picnic table for four and a handy stile for a comfortable at lunch.

We passed by the Priory on what used to be called the Sandy Path but it is not so sandy any more; we then headed down the fields towards Hoghton with lovely views of Hoghton Tower hill, before cutting across to the ford. Here it was we paused to enjoy our sandwiches, as we were eating drizzly rain began to fall, so our cagoules went on and hoods went up. Few of us had taken umbrellas as we had been battling into a gale force wind, which had been quite good fun.

Fortunately the wind soon blew the rain away and we started off on our peregrinations yet again. This time we kept alongside the river, going through the gorge and under the viaduct, the cost of which nearly bankrupted the railway when it was first built. The waterfalls were splendid and the sunlight was shimmering delightfully, coruscating on the water; while at the bottom of the gorge we were sheltered from those gale force winds. Coming up and out into the wind we were nearly knocked off our feet. However, returning down the canal this wind proved advantageous and we were back in Cherry Tree in good time. A jolly good walk.

October walk:

Beverley and Graham were our leaders for our October walk which was due to start from Rivington Bam car park. The walk was to take in the hillside gardens, built by Lord Leverhulme, as a public recreation area in the early twentieth century. However restoration work on the garden, paid with money from the Heritage Lottery hind, had recently been started so our leaders had to cope with different paths being closed each of the four times they had tried to pioneer the walk. October 17th was no different and, once again the bulldozers, diggers and path layers were out in full force. It all added to the interest and I am looking forward to seeing the gardens when they are fully restored. The weather was fine when we set off uphill but atter a little while drizzle set in and our umbrellas came out but as the temperature was quite high for this time of the year people were not uncomfortable. Just before lunch the rain stopped and we picnicked sitting on huge stones round a small camark. Then the sun came out and the beauty of Rivington came into it’s own with the tall majestic trees gracefully arching their colourful branches over the broad drives established over one hundred years ago. Orange, yellow and burnt sienna leaves crunched, yes crunched, under our feet, it had not been that wet, as we continued alongside the reservoir watching the sunlight dancing on the water. A beautiful walk leaders and a lovely day

Jill Croft

In June our walk was supposed to have been lead by Bas and Pauline but they had been incapacitated and then gone on holiday and then then the weather had been too hot, yes too hot to do a recce. At the last moment has was ill and so, yours truly had to step in. Fortunately as the weather had cooled down a bit by then it was just lovely on the day. I had done the walk a some years before but luckily Bernard and I were able to go over it the previous day which was just as well as we ended getting lost a couple of times but were also able to cut out bits that were very steep or had difficult stiles.

On the day sixteen of us left Ribchester going upstream before mming off past Stydd church and the old alms houses. We then headed off on some quite narrow steep gravelly paths where, even the grasses towered above us. Eventually after passing through Buckley Woods we came out on the Longridge road and were able to picnic in the carpark of the Angel Inn. From here the route back to the river was mainly downhill and there were lovely views. A couple more ups and downs besides the river and we were back in Ribchester where we all fortified ourselves with tea and cakes while sitting outside the café on the busy main road, watching the passing traffic and some tree surgeons cutting down a huge tree just across from us. Quite fun watching other people work.

Kath and Peter were our leaders for our August walk which turned out to be a lovely day despite the weather warning. A good number had already assembled by the time we left Brinscall Baths at 10.30. The sky was grey and there was a little bit of precipitation in the air but it was quite warm. We were carrying umbrellas but luckily never needed them as the day brightened as we wended our way by the side of the Goyt I towards White Coppice. Turning off well before this beautiful little hamlet we made our way up hill towards Higher Wheelton.

Stopping to admire some horses and their foals we chatted to a huge group of walkers going in the opposite direction. They said that they called themselves the Wednesday Walkers and came from all over Lancashire. There were
nearly fifty of them and were really spread out. I had to think that because of the distance from front to back some of the back markers would have been lost along the way.

Coming into Lower Wheelton we stopped at a café for one of our number to buy a little something for her lunch. We don’t often find cafes or even shops in the middle of our walks so she was very lucky as otherwise we would have had to share some of our picnic lunch with her. Anyway we all enjoyed our al fresco picnic on one of the bridges over the canal. After lunch we carried on along the canal for a while then up through Withnell Fold and across more fields before dropping down into Brinscall. A lovely walk leaders, I just hope you will be able to do it again sometime.

After all the biting east winds and snow, a good number of people turned out for our walk on March 21st. It was the warmest day of the year up to date, but temperatures were still only 7 or 8 degrees C and the wind made it feel even colder. However, we were all warmly wrapped and the sun was shining when we met up at Tockholes Visitors Centre. Steve and Glynis, who live at Ryal Fold, were our leaders , so they know the area very well and had no need to carry a map. They led us up from Ryal Fold though the rough moorland pasture with its sprinkling of lambs to Step Back where the path divides. We took the one alongside the brook leading to the moors passing Lyon’s Den, now just covered ruins, but once the home of a farmer renown for his strength and ability to carry produce to local markets. We than turned and headed for Darwen Tower, after which we descended through the half of Bold Venture Park, admiring the various points of interest as we did so. Luckily, Steve is a scout leader so he was able to let us into the scout hut half way through the park, where we could sit in comfort and eat our packed lunches safe from the vicious wind. Well planned Steve!

After our little rest, we were off again, this time towards Sunnyhurst and then Hawkshaw Reservoir and up again to Tockholes, leaving footprints in the snow in quite a few places. The road had been impassable for quite a while the previous Sunday and there was still a bit left with which some of the party amused themselves. A lovely walk lead. ers, thank you very much. ‘

Good Friday Walk

Good Friday was the best day over the Easter period and 36 turned UP for our walk from the Institute at Tockholes. It was good too that this year, we had lots of teenagers.

They kept with us until we were Just below the Tower and then, for them at least. it became a race. Once at the Tower, they enjoyed climbing to the top, up a rather congested, dark, stone spiral stairway. After a rest and before setting off again towards Ryal Fold, we all shared the traditional Easter Eggs (little ones.) They didn’t go far with 36 in the party.

Soon, we came to the edge of the moors and struggled down the steep. slippery and muddy slope to Step Back. It took some of us quite a while. but only one of the youngsters slipped and had to continue the walk with a dirty bottom.

The rest of us continues more carefully and before long , we were back on the road to the Institute where, once again, the Tookholes URC ladies had put on a delicious spread: various . / sandwiches, lovely cakes and even some corned-beef hash, for those who wanted something warm. Well done ladies and thanks again for making the end of our Good Friday walk so pleasurable.

April Walk

The forecast for our April walk was that it was going to be glorious, the Warmest day of the year so far. After the bitter weather that we had had so far this year, no one believed it. But, after a rather dull start at Hurst Green, the forecast proved correct. The sky was blue and the sun shone; the ground however, was still very muddy in places. Michael was our leader and we had quite a good turnout, managing the whole 7 miles of the Three Rivers walk, returning to Hurst Green via Stonyhurst College. There were herons on the river and the spring flowers, Coltsfoot, Celandine and Wood Anemones were a delight.

Well done Michael, the best walk of the year so far.

A walk from Sabden. You may think with trepidation, ‘That’s going to be hilly’. However, our leaders Keith and Sheila had chosen wisely. The walk certainly did start from Sabden but was nowhere nearly as strenuous as going up Pendle Hill would have been. This was very fortunate as our June walk was on one of the hottest days of the year and this year June had been the hottest on record. Some of our group did not turn out because of the heat, while others were on holiday, so there was only a small group of us that set off from the village below Pendle along the valley towards Newchurch. All went well for a while until we rose up on the side of the hill below Padiham Heights. Here the long spell of hot dry weather had dried up the boggy paths and one or two were extremely difficult to negotiate. This took considerable time and slowed our pace down even slower than usual, but as the day was hot and humid it was perhaps as well. We found a nice spot for lunch with views looking right across the valley to Pendle and then pushed on towards Newchurch before crossing more boggy land and then gaining height as we rose slightly up the side of the big hill herself. Here we had to wiggle about a bit as the path we had planned to take was very overgrown so we had to go a little higher but still managed, eventually, to arrive at Sabden Fold. From here there was a track with lovely shaded trees which went on quite a while and then across a few fields and downhill back to Sabden. A lovely walk, leaders, you must do it again some time.

In July we had the walk you have all been waiting to hear about: the one where the leaders got lost. Bas and Pauline were really our leaders but Bernard and I had taken over as Bas had been having problems with his knee. He has now had the operation and is on the mend.

Anyhow the walk was from Ickomshaw, a small village near Cowling, just across the border in Yorkshire. It has originally planned to take in Cowling Pinnacle, built to celebrate the battle of Waterloo, and also Lumb’s Tower, built by a Mr Lumb, who lived across the valley, to prevent any more disasters taking place because of his wife’s evil eye, or so the story goes.

However, we thought the climb up to these two towers was a bit too steep so Bernard and I decided to take a lower path beneath the towers. This was quite strenuous enough and we found it quite a pleasant walk. The day was warm and there was a pleasant breeze. We made it down to Glusburn, where we ate our picnic and then crossed the main Colne to Airedale road. Then it was up again on the opposite side of the valley to follow our path back towards Ickornshaw. We did quite well for most of the way until we found ourselves in a field where there was no exit stile. After bumbling about for a few minutes we realised we had missed crossing a bridge a while back. Fortunately, Steve, on of our party, had eagle eyes and had seen the second bridge not far back so we were able to cross that one and rose up a slope somewhat disoriented, where we climbed a stone stile. From here we were able to find our way back to our intended track and were soon back at the cars.

It shows just how easy it is to mistake the track. We met a party of Duke of Edinburgh trekkers the following day who were lost at White Coppice. I really felt for them.

There were very few of us on our August walk from church along the canal bank, up Jampots Lane, under the M65 motorway and over to Abbey Village. It was a very pleasant day but it was also the funeral of one of our church members so numbers were down. Nevertheless our leaders Cath and Peter had planned a good seven miles plus walk so it was up to some of us to participate. With being a small group we were soon at Red Lees farm enjoying looking at their collection of slightly exotic animals. At Abbey Village part of the group decided a bus back to Feniscowles was an easier option so it was an even smaller group that carried on to have lunch by Rake Brook reservoir. We found a pleasant and comfortable place to site so it was hard getting moving again afterwards. Then it was across the reservoir and up the hill to Higher Hill farm, down by the pinfold, along Chapel Lane and across several fields, most of them reasonably dry, until we were once again passing under the motorway and heading back to Feniscowles. It was a lovely walk with some lovely views so well done leaders. Please put your names down for another walk next year.

At the end of August Sue and Ian led our usual annual Bank Holiday Saturday walk. We started by going through Mercer Park at Clayton le Moors and after various wriggles and wiggles we ended up in the Memorial Park at Great Harwood. Here we passed a while for a rest and to admire the flowers humming with bees before heading up the hill towards Bowley Scout camp.

The sun was out fully by now and there were some lovely views all around. Arriving at Bowley our leaders decided it was time for lunch and they couldn’t have chosen a better place as there were plenty of picnic tables and even proper chairs with backs to lean against. We perhaps sat a little longer than we should but eventually had to start again and this time headed downhill to follow the river Calder towards Read. Following a lovely tree-sheltered old railway track and then part of the Leeds-Liverpool canal we eventually made it back to Clayton le Moors where Ian and Sue welcomed us to tea and an expansive array of cakes, scones, jam and cream. Definitely the best part of the walk. We were able to relax in the sunshine and really enjoyed ourselves. Well done the both of you, we don’t mind at all if you would like to do it again!

Jill Croft.

I watch the news each night and in recent times, especially these last few days, watch the terrible plight of so many other people in different parts of the world. Some are natural disasters like the massive flooding in Texas, the earthquake in Mexico City, and the hurricanes, not just one but two, wrecking the Caribbean Islands. All these have caused unimaginable destruction and, particularly in the case of the earthquake, serious loss of life. If you survive these catastrophes, how do you recover afterwards when virtually everything you own has been destroyed?

But I would think it cannot be as bad suffering devastating hurricane damage as the serious suffering we are told about being inflicted on people by other people. Shockingly, we have become almost used to Syrian refugees trying to flee from unspeakable violence, starvation, and disease. They have lost their homes, schools and even their families during the six years of conflict, to the point where they are so desperate they are willing to risk putting their families in dangerously unsafe boats to escape. How desperate must you be to do that?

But now we have to witness Buddhists telling Rohingya Muslims to leave Myanmar (Burma) or they will all be killed. Nearly half of the one million Rohingya have so far managed to escape from the Rakine state into neighbouring Bangladesh, amid a campaign of violent persecution that United Nations has called a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing’. This is a peak to the religious discrimination that has been exercised in Burma over the last 50 years, against non-Buddhists, mainly Christians and Muslims.

So how lucky are we to be living in the UK? Whilst we do moan about wet weather, we rarely suffer extremes and certainly nothing like hurricanes or earthquakes. Without belittling the horrors of the Manchester Arena and London Bridge terror attacks, we are not facing a constant threat of death through war or starvation like so many people in the world. We do not need to consider risking all to try and find sanctuary and hopefully a better life. And we take it for granted that we can follow any religion and attend any church we choose without fear of persecution.

As Christians I know we would all want to help those caught up in these tragic events, through no fault of their own, except to be born in the wrong place. All we can do is donate money and clothing, we do pray for them, we can tell politicians to take some action (although exactly what they can do is limited) and we can make all refugees feel welcome. None of these things will make as much difference as we’d like, but it all reminds me to be grateful each day for so many things I take for granted.

Last time I wrote about the Pastoral Report. Since then the Elders have attended a second meeting about Missional Partnerships, so some changes will come, but how much this will affect Sunday worship, if at all, remains to be seen. Thank you to those who commented on my thoughts about changes to our worship patterns. As I mentioned, we have no plans to introduce any changes that would put off our regular congregation – they were just my thoughts!

With best wishes,

Simon.

• John Lennon’s fields
• William Tell’s target
• Centre of a bone
• A Scandinavian
• They aren’t the only fruit
• The cool one
• These are never straight
• A snowman’s nose
• An appointment
• This sometimes goes shaped

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