~Hurst Green Circular~
17th July 2014
Ribble Walking
Fine, warm weather continues and it's time to take a walk in the Lancashire countryside, starting from Hurst Green.
Hurst Green
Where is Hurst Green? Not far from Whalley, near Ribchester. I'd spotted a "trench" on the map and wanted to take a closer look.
Cross Gills
Leaving Hurst Green on the Whalley Road and we couldn't take the first footpath due to it being overgrown with nettles and stuff. The next path goes down the farm lane.
Pendle Hill
Walkers need to go through the farmyard and then follow clear signage to the path along the river.
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Another water feature; another swim. The Ribble was far too inviting to be resisted for Molly.
The River Ribble
The Haweswater Aqueduct
Manchester's raid on the Lakeland's natural beauty resulted in a few river crossings, here's one of them. Soon we leave the riverside and head into the woods on a permissive path, still part of the Ribble Way.
In the Woods
Trough House and Farm
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Fields ahead for the route to Clough Bank, with a small diversion onto a different footpath to look at the landscape.
Lines in the Landscape
The valley nearest the camera is natural, but there's another one just over the ridge - where a few sheep can be seen.
Railway Cutting
The "Fleetwood, Preston and West Riding Junction Railway Company" had plans to run a railway from Preston to Leeds and work started in a few places. Here the evidence is clear to see - David Hindle, author of "All Stations to Longridge" says: "it brings to mind the challenges, expectations and aspirations of the early Victorian railway speculators at the height of railway mania. Nestling in splendid isolation the cutting is clearly recognisable as a detached section of that once ambitious project."
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On the walk up to Clough Bank, we had a close encounter with a cow. I was walking cautiously up the field when the cow started to approach. I lifted Molly over the fence and tried to placate the cow. But she was lookng past me at the dog, so I turned and vaulted the fence, landing in a bit of a heap. Dog starting barking, cow starting running up the side of the fence. Not good!
To Bailey Hall
Bailey Hall
Daylight Robbery? Note the blocked-up windows, are these the result of the owners sidestepping the Window Tax of earlier times?
Merrick's Hall
Lookng back, the map showed a route around the side of these farm buildings, but on the ground there was no evidence of such, so we went straight through the farm.
St.John's Church
Bailey Arms, Hurst Green
I had tea here, dogs are welcome. Just the job! Two other pubs are available in the village.
The Route
Walkers: Me and Molly the Dog
Time taken: 2hrs 20 mins over a distance of about 5 miles.
Route: See above
Weather: Warm and sunny.
More Reading: "All Stations to Longridge"
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2014 ©
Take me back to the start ....