| Hurst Green Hike |
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Date : 30th August 2009
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Leader : Sue Baxendale |
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Report by : Sue Baxendale |
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Photos © : N/A |
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Whilst the energetic members of the Group continued on their 3 day walk of the Hyndburn Clog , 14 less energetic members, met on Sunday 30 August for a 7 mile walk from Hurst Green.
Starting from the village we passed the war memorial and on to the Parish Church of St John the Evangelist then turning down the lane to Merrick’s Hall. The hall was once the chantry priests’ residence serving the chapel of St John the Baptist at Bailey Hall. Passing through the farmyard the route continued through the fields, down to cross Bailey Brook and on to Bailey Hall. The house seen today was built in the 16th century upon the moated site of an earlier hall.
The farm lane led the way until the walkers took the path across the fields and enjoyed an early lunch in the sunshine with fine views across the valley and down towards Ribchester. Down again to cross Starling Brook and onto Grindlestone House to come out onto Gallows Lane. The lane so called after the gibbet that stood further up the lane at Three Turns.
Down again to cross Duddel Brook and then turning down hill through some rather muddy fields to descend via Lower Dutton to join the way-marked trail of the Ribble Way.
The path at times is quite narrow with the vegetation growing well in our wet summer and the seats provided to sit and watch the river now offer a view of bushes and trees that have grown over the years since the benches were installed.
The path continues through Haugh Wood and at the point of a wide bend in the river the path leaves the bank to climb up to Hey Hurst as there is no river side access now for quite a few miles.
Going up to Hey Hurst, with fine views of Pendle Hill in front of us, and then taking the bridleway to Trough House we took a slight diversion to see the suspension that crosses the River Ribble at this point. Some of the party took the opportunity to cross the bridge, and return, whilst others waited on the bank and watched the wobbles from a more stable position.
It was then a rather steep climb at the end of the day from the river bank up the lane back into Hurst Green. By now the sun, and the views, had disappeared and the drizzle was starting to blow in but the walkers returned dry, if not a little muddy, from their walk.
