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