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| Pendle's Big End from near Worsaw Hill | |
Setting off from Downham just two of the group from part 1 of this walk joined Phil Bedson to complete his 40 km at 40 walk. Turning right from the car park, the three left shortly after 9.30 in order to ascend Pendle Hill going by way of a new route for all. The group headed towards Worsaw Hill via field paths until they reached Worsaw End where the track went past a barn to join the road. It was exceptionally warm as we followed the road round a left hand turn before going straight on at a right hand bend to start the climb up. The clear path was easy to follow although the inclination and the warmth slowed the pace somewhat and frequent rests and water were taken. Upon arrival at the cairn at the top of the incline we followed the path around past the scout cairn, and a random camper, along the edge of the hill as we made our way towards the Trig Point.
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left:
The green path uphill |
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right: The view from the cairn |
It was busy as usual at the summit and after a brief pause the walk continued in a southerly direction until we arrived at the path that doubles back north and down towards Pendle House. The field paths and tracks are well marked down to Barley and we passed yet more people who were beginning their ascent. We arrived in Barley at around 12.30 and lunch was had at The Pendle Inn with a pint of the appropriately named Pride of Pendle.
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left:
Big End from just below Pendle House |
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right: The path into Barley |
Upon leaving The Pendle Inn our way out of Barley went through the car park to join the track past a renovated mill building, and, with the chimney still standing, it was a flashback to days gone by. The row of small cottages we came upon next were also quite delightful with their colourful flower displays. The track continued along to White Hough and we took a small gate alongside a small river before a series of field paths took us up to join a road just by Offa Hill Cottage.
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left:
The old mill chimney |
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right: The colourful cottages |
The next part was a long stretch uphill along the road and upon reaching Stang Top Farm we were afforded a great view of Pendle Hill. We continued along the road with Pendle on our left and couldn’t help but notice the sky darkening above the hill. We watched as the rain steadily approached and, by the time we had reached Mountain Farm, waterproofs were donned with literally seconds to spare as the rain began.
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left:
Pendle from Stang Top |
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right: The rain cometh! |
Making our way towards Helliwell Woods a curlew was very noisy in the defence of it’s nest and the trees were enough to enable us to lose our aggressor. By the time we had cleared the trees onto Twiston Moor the rain had stopped and upon reaching a convenient point we removed our waterproofs as the sun once again warmed up the air. We took this opportunity to have a drink before going over a ladder stile. Crossing this part of the moor our legs got a little wet as the recent rain had drenched the long grass but we emerged at the opposite side otherwise unscathed with a superb view of Pendle’s Big End before us. Problem was it shouldn’t have been there and we were soon to discover we had wandered off line! A quick look around from our vantage point enabled us to work out the quickest way back online and upon reaching a public footpath we made our way along a track and down through fields to join the road just below Twiston.
Taking a path off to the left just before the phone box we crossed a field to the farmyard at Hill Foot and the small row of cottages opposite. The following field path was a pleasure to walk amidst the chirruping of crickets as it wound it’s way down towards Twiston Beck which was crossed by way of a footbridge. We ascended the other side and as we crested the brow the rumble of thunder was heard in the distance.
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left:
The unusual view of Pendle's Big End |
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right: Towards the storm |
The sky ahead was a glorious mix of blue’s and purple’s and black’s and was in stark contrast to the bright blue behind and above us. As we continued towards our finish in Downham the skies darkened above us as the rumbling got closer and a decision was taken to once again don the waterproofs, well at least our coats. Once again this proved to be just in time although the subsequent heavy rain lasted for all of two minutes at the most! Before we knew it the sun was once again smiling down on us and, as we passed a mother duck and her brood frolicking in the stream, we made our way into Downham and the finish of the walk.
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| The storm clouds gather | |
