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~The Cliviger Gorge~

23rd July 2011

Not too far from home, close enough not to trouble the needle on the fuel guage, is the district of Burnley known as Cliviger. Small villages populate this area and the scars of glaciation remind us that it's not just the mountainous areas of Northern England that can raise the eyebrows of amateur geologists with camera in hand.

Cornholme

Cornholme

Scroll down for photos and a description of the walk....

Holme Chapel

Holme Chapel

The walk started from Holme Chapel and followed the road which goes towards Todmorden. The plan is to walk above the valley on the left, drop down and cross over before returning on the high ground of Thieveley Pike, on the right.

Oaklands

Oaklands

Many happy hours spent here with David and Joe, school friends and the sons of my doctor. They've all moved away to distant places.

Thieveley Pike

Thieveley Pike

I'll be up there later on. It's a pleasant stroll across fields at the moment. I'm travelling light; no rucksac, no drink or food.

Truncated Spurs

Truncated Spurs

Kestrel

Kestrel

Birdwatchers! I saw three kestrels in action on the ridge, get down here with your long lenses and camouflage.

East Lancashire

East Lancashire

As I gain height, the panorama of East Lancashire opens up.

Cliviger Gorge

Cliviger Gorge

Just beyond the bridge over the railway is the county border. The village down there is Portsmouth.

Shore

Shore

The ridge I'm walking on is known as Black Scout. The little hamlet in the centre of the photo is Shore, am I sure? Pretty much so.

Cliviger Gorge

Cliviger Gorge

Looking westwards. Rail enthusiasts flock here every so often to watch steam-hauled excursions put on a great show climbing the inclines from either side of the watershed, close to the bridge over the tracks.

Cornholme

Cornholme

I'm probably in Yorkshire now, Todmorden is further away.

Frostholme Mill

Frostholme Mill, Cornholme

I'm descending now into the gap between Cornhome and Portsmouth, part of The Burnley Way.

Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Roebuck Inn

The Roebuck Inn

All part of the plan. A pint of shandy to quench my thirst. The only doubt in my mind was that the pub might have joined the long list of closures, but it hasn't.

Portsmouth

Train in Portsmouth

Moves are afoot to reopen the "Todmorden Curve" - linking Burnley directly to Manchester by rail. Just 500m of track need to be relaid on a redundant trackbed. Trains would be full! What's the problem? Residents of Portsmouth and Cornholme would like a halt in their vicinity to facilitate such travel. I signed the petition.

Thieveley Pike

Thieveley Pike

After the steep climb, it's a long walk across the top of Thieveley Pike, a bit boggy in places. Far in the distance, too far for my camera I could see two small groups of aircraft, it was the Red Arrows. They had left the Windermere Air Show and were heading for the Southport Air Show.

Burnley

Burnley

Once the world capital of cotton weaving. 100 years ago most young men would have worked in either a mill or a coal pit. Today there are no coalpits, but still a few mills dotted about with some specialist weaving and a variety of replacement uses.

Thieveley Pike

Thieveley Pike Summit

It's a steep climb from Cliviger, but a gentle stroll from Water on the Rossendale side. Water, yes, it's the village of Water.

Holme

The Holme

Fire damaged old property, Holme in Cliviger, with moorland and Boulsworth Hill in the background.

Truncated Spurs

Spurs

Pendle Hill

Burnley and Pendle Hill

Railway Flowers

Railway Flowers

Rosebay Willow Herb seems attracted to railway embankments. Under the railway and back to the car.

Milepost

Locality

Walkers: Just me.

Time taken: 4hrs 15 mins over a distance of about 8.5 miles.

Route: Holme Chapel, Oaklands, Green Clough Wood, Black Scout, Whitaker Naze, Portsmouth, Heald Moor, Thieveley Pike, Dean Scout, Buckley Wood, Holme Chapel.

Weather and conditions: Sunny and Warm, breezy on the tops.

Greetings Count: I said "Hello" to a group of youngsters on Black Scout, maybe on an expedition of some sort; there were no other greetings on this walk.

Richard's Refreshment Review: A pint of shandy in The Roebuck, lucky to find a pub still open!

Sheep

All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2011 ©

Take me back to the start ....

Take me home....