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| An East Lancashire Churches Circular |
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Date : 14th March 2010
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Leader : Phil Bedson |
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Report by : Phil Bedson |
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Photos © : Phil Bedson |
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| View from Turners Fold | |
The first of Hyndburn Ramblers programmed Church Walks began on a fine but cloudy morning from Great Harwood and attracted no fewer than 9 walkers. Three of the four churches on the walk have their origins a number of centuries ago and are wonderful buildings to behold and more details of each church can be found by clicking the  symbol after the church's name.
St. Bartholomew’s
in Great Harwood was the first church on the walk and as we had parked just around the corner we entered the grounds via a gate at the side. After a pause whilst the leader told everyone about some facts of the church the days walking began proper by following the road down past the park to take a track directly ahead. Maintaining the direction of travel a field path then took us towards and then past Rodger Hey to join the A680.
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left:
St Bartholomews |
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right: The view ahead as we begin the walk |
After carefully crossing this busy main road we turned right and then left to go down the lane and then through a gate into a wood. The track wound its way through and up to join the disused Blackburn to Padiham railway line which was followed south to its junction with Mill Lane. The track down to Brownsills is a pleasant one and a nice view over the shallow valley is afforded the walker before the small rise up into the fields. Walking across the large open fields we crossed a shallow stream to skirt some farm buildings before emerging onto the farm track. A left turn took us onto a field track, a field full of newborn spring lambs, which led us to the A678. It was just along the road to our second church – St. James’ Altham – where once again facts about the church were divulged and a brief break was had overlooking a community garden of sorts constructed next to the church path.
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left:
Stile climbing |
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right: St. James', Altham |
Taking care along the busy road to Altham Bridge we took a set of steps down to the bank of the River Calder just as the sun started to break through. This pleasant waterside stroll gave the group a fine view over to the church just visited though pretty soon both church and river were left as we turned to take a wooden walkway to a stile and continued up past Gooseleach Wood. The field path led up through the disused railway again and uphill to the edge of the village of Read. After crossing the main road we took the road opposite and went through the housing estate to St Johns Church, Read the youngest church on the walk at just 160 years and once again there were facts to behold.
From the church we carried on to join George Lane where a right turn took us uphill to turn right at the junction. We proceeded through the hamlet of Turner's Fold and took the next field path off to the left going diagonally uphill. A couple of fields later we arrived at a perfect place for lunch looking back from whence we'd come.
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left:
St. John the Evangelist, Read |
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right: Not the way we're going!! |
Resuming over a wall stile to cross a lane we dropped down through a riding school and a wood to arrive at a very picturesque valley with a stream babbling its way along in the spring sunshine. The next mile was a relentless slog upwards out of the valley as we made our way past Withams Farm, across the road, on past Hollins Farm (and its orange helicopter) to join the track to Clerk Hill. Rounding the buildings we were then given the view over to Whalley Nab and beyond to Longridge Fell and the Ribble Valley. It was downhill all the way to Whalley from this point and a good pace was made as we took the path at the edge of the Golf Course and into Spring Wood. The path led us under the road and down through the trees to join a lane into Whalley itself where our final church of the day is located. St Mary’s Whalley is one of the oldest churches in the area and the building is quite something. After once again regaling the history of the building the leader declared that it was also an appropriate time for a break and thus the group headed for the Dog Inn for much needed refreshment.
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left:
The stream in the valley |
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right: St. Marys and All Saints, Whalley |
Leaving Whalley by way of the bridge over the Calder the last hill of the day is encountered as the climb up Whalley Nab begins. Although only around 500metres in length up to Whalley Banks the height gain is around 80metres and the view over the town is quite something. We continued along the track for a while and took a path off to the left which led into a field. The path from here is straightforward to the small clapper bridge and then the steps up and round to skirt the edge of Bowley Scout Camp. Continuing on we arrived at Squires Farm and from here we soon rejoined the track we first encountered at the start of the day and thus it was the end of the walk. All agreed it had been a good day and thanks were given for the walk and the additional information about the four churches.
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| Multiple choice walking! | |
CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICTURES IN THE GALLERY
| OS EXPLORER 287 |
WEST PENNINE MOORS |
START POINT |
SD 733 327 |
| WALK LENGTH |
11 mls / 17.7 km |
TIME |
4 hrs 30MINS |
| MAX HEIGHT |
172.06 mtrs |
MIN HEIGHT |
42.83 mtrs |
| HEIGHT ASCENDED |
427.4 mtrs |
HEIGHT DESCENDED |
427.4 mtrs |
This map is for reference only and MUST NOT be used to do the walk.
Please use the correct OS map for all these walks.
Click on an image to enlarge, click again to reduce
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