| Underneath the Arches |
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Date : 11th April 2010
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Leader : Shauna Marie |
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Report by : Phil Bedson |
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Photos © : Phil Bedson |
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| Along the edge of the Ribble | |
The town of Whalley was the starting point for the seven mile walk of Hyndburn Ramblers debutant leader Shauna Marie. Setting off from near Whalley Abbey gatehouse the group of four walkers went under the huge brick built viaduct known locally as “Whalley Arches”. The viaduct was built between 1846 and 1850 and consists of more than seven million bricks to make the 48 arches. Spanning the River Calder the viaduct is the largest in Lancashire and is a listed structure. After taking the footpath alongside the viaduct to cross the much smaller pedestrian bridge the group passed through a relatively new housing estate before entering a field by way of a kissing gate. Crossing to a stile into a field the sun was threatening to break through the slightly overcast sky as we made our way towards the A59. We crossed quite effortlessly to the fields on the other side before continuing on towards Chew Mill where we followed Elker Lane past the building to go uphill.
The way forward led us down towards the point where the River Calder joins the larger River Ribble near to the quite wonderful building that is Hacking Hall. Built in 1607 this is a magnificent example of a Jacobean mansion and is pretty much structurally unchanged. The River Ribble would be our companion for the next three quarters of a mile through Brockhall Wood until arrival at Jumbles Rocks signalled the call for lunch.
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left:
Some of the viaducts arches |
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right: The Calder (r) joins the much wider Ribble |
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left:
Hacking Hall |
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right: Jumbles Rocks |
Leaving the riverbank we followed the tree line round to join the farmtrack up to Brockhall Farm where a gate just upon reaching the buildings was taken into a field. Crossing this field to a stile on the other side which led onto a white gravelled path, enhanced by the appearance of the bright sun, we went past the training grounds of Blackburn Rovers Youth Academy. Although no action was taking place as we passed a departing coach was a sign we’d just missed some. An enclosed path down to a footbridge and then a wooded path uphill to a stile took us into another enclosed path round the fields towards Cravens. Taking the main farm track to join the line of the Roman Road (Ribchester to Elslack) we turned to go through Aspinalls and, with a great view of Pendle before us, we carried on into a field. Deviating diagonally across to a large lone tree the path dropped sharply down to a footbridge and then just as sharply up the other side where the whitewashed rear facade of the Black Bull came into view. With the sun beating down the group could not resist the opportunity to have a cool refreshing drink.
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left:
The white gravel path near to the BRYA |
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right: Downhill to the bridge |
The building next door to the public house is the old church of St. Leonards, Old Langho, and it is a beautiful chapel. Built in 1557 it is said to have used stone from the dissolved Whalley Abbey with many of them covered with ecclesiastical designs. There is a substantial graveyard with one part being the final resting place of many patients of Brockhall Hospital who were, for one reason or another, confined to the former Mental Hospital. The large memorial in the centre lists many of their names.
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left:
St. Leonards |
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right: The Memorial to those who dies at Brockhall |
Leaving St. Leonards we took the road off to Skenning Bridge where a stile on the other side was our way into a field. The going was easy over the fields to Lower Elker farm and upon joining the farm track it was easier still to follow to the road. Turning over the A59 roadbridge the path doubles back off to the left on the old line of Elker Lane (pre A59 bypass) to a small bridge into a field. The sheep and the Shetland ponies in the field barely noticed as we passed towards Whittams Farm. Passing through we joined the lane down to the new housing estate and from there retraced our steps back past the viaduct to our starting point. It had been a wonderfully interesting walk and all agreed that for the leader’s first walk it had been led with aplomb.
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| The track from Lower Elker | |
