| Playtime around Padiham |
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Date : 11th November 2009
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Leader : David Hill |
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Report by : Phil Bedson |
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Photos © : Phil Bedson |
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| Autumn on Grove Lane | |
A damp start to the day made nine members of Hyndburn Ramblers don their waterproofs as they began a 10 mile walk from Padiham. Leaving the car park the group soon joined a riverside path beside the Calder and remarked how fast the waters were flowing due to recent heavy rains. As the path veered away from the waters’ edge and we went on to join Grove Lane, the rain actually stopped and the clouds began to break. The berries in the hedgerows glistened with the raindrops, two squirrels played in the branches above our heads and the full autumn colour display became even more noticeable as the sunlight broke through. We were following a local long distance path called the Burnley Way, a 30 something mile walk around Burnley which the group had done around 12 years ago. For now though we were enjoying this section as it once again had a brief encounter with the River Calder. As the river took a sharp right turn we headed off across fields to pass just north of Wood End farm to arrive at the footbridge over the M65. It was here we had a brief refreshment stop.
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left:
Glistening berries |
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right: Along the riverbank |
Once over a stile we turned parallel to the motorway and headed down the field, past rows of timber that looked like a new fence was being installed sometime soon, to a stile into a smallholding. After a brief chat with the owner we ascended a small set of steps up to the road where we turned to once again cross the motorway. At this point, our route was clearly noticeable off to the right down a small slope to a stile, although the Armco barrier between us and it was somewhat off-putting. As our leader took the plunge and strode over the barrier one of our members went on an odyssey to find the correct route and, some yardage further up the road behind the overhanging trees, came upon a small gap in the barrier - complete with footpath signpost. This correct route was only just passable however as the undergrowth made the going very tough although, quite evidently, this was due to the fact it was virtually unused due to everyone using the unofficial short-cut. County Council Planners take note!!
We ascended the field up to a stile which in turn led into what had to be one of the muddiest fields ever though the incumbent horses probably wouldn’t agree. Upon seeing us they became ever so playful, we estimated the smaller ones were yearlings, and charged about like the proverbial headless chickens whilst we picked our way through with care. After passing through New Laund Farm we soon joined the small lane that would lead us up to the village of Fence.
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left:
Crazy Horses!!
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right: The narrow path |
Passing an assemblage of people near the church (it was Remembrance Sunday) we took a narrow footpath uphill and through a metal kissing gate near a junction of two lanes. Going up one of these lanes we took a left turn across from The Heights to pass in front of a converted farm building and on into a field. Bearing slightly right we headed up to a small enclosure and then up to a stile where, once crossed, we turned left and made for the Trig Point in the next field. From this vantage point we had a good view both of Pendle’s Big End and the Sabden Valley and we could also see Black Hill where we’d been just 4 weeks previous. Just over the next field from here was declared a good place for lunch.
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left:
Pendle's Big End |
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right: Lunch view down Sabden Valley |
The descent down to Higher Town Farm was steep and care had to be taken on the slippery grass. After avoiding a sudden onrush of traffic on the little lane we headed off over fields to follow the contours of the hill round to Back o’ th’ Hill. (Here the walk photographer was berated for missing an apparently splendid holly tree full of red berries – he’d been texting his wife!) Continuing on over a couple of stiles the group reached a green lane inclining itself sharply up to Dean Height and on to a flooded lane. As a few drops of rain fell a wall stile opposite took us over another field and upon arrival at the next stile (the rain had stopped) we realised that we were further on than we first thought as boundaries marked on the map were no longer on the ground! Downhill we went, inadvertently disturbing a hare which ran off across the field, to Holly Hill where the driveway of the house took us to the A6068.
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left:
Steep descent |
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right: Holly at Holly Hill |
The next couple of fields went by virtually unnoticed and the impressive frontage of High Whitaker Farm also went virtually unnoticed by the majority of the group. Rounding the buildings we struck out over fields to make our final approach to Padiham. Off to our left, through a strategic gap in the trees, could be seen the grandiose building of Gawthorpe Hall. Now maintained by the The National Trust it is an Elizabethan house with rich interiors and an important textile collection. Our way forward was past some allotments and, quite surprisingly, we emerged just up the road from the car park. Our day ended in a local hostelry called The Alma where our leader was thanked for a good walk in a relatively unknown area.
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| Gawthorpe Hall through the trees | |
