Issue 28 May 2011

Chorley Ramblers

Out and About

What’s New at Ramblers

Can you help? • Chorley Ramblers had a stand in the Foyer of

Chorley Walks Programme Chorley Library on 12 April and a team of Ramblers

was available to talk to the public about the Ramblers needs more leaders and our programme of walks. Thanks to Joan Taylor

Pat Hough has produced another excellent Walks and Janet Blakeman for organising the event.

Programme for July to October 2011 but she’s • County Council has experienced struggling to meet the demand for leisurely walks of significant budget cuts in its Public Rights of Way

5 miles or less. and Ranger Service; leavers are not being replaced

and staffing has been reduced by more than 1/3 over 2 Our programme of leisurely walks is very popular, (see back page for photo of a 3 mile walk from years. • Worthington Lakes on Sunday 10 April). We even A sub-committee of Chorley Ramblers met to discuss Training for Walks Leaders. They resolved: a) a find adults asking if they can join our Scramblers Training day was not required; b) more leaders were Walks, which of course they can’t because they’re required; c) new leaders should be mentored by an just for children and teenagers and their families. experienced leader; d) Chorley Ramblers Guidance

So….. we need more leaders! If you want to see notes for Leaders to be re-issued. more leisurely walks on the Chorley Programme, • Our Scramblers have an interesting programme of please consider getting involved in walk leadership. events coming up with Face Painting, Compass Work Contact Pat on 01257241134 to discuss leading a and Halloween. walk, or maybe shadowing a leader to find out • We are already working on a programme of events to what’s involved. celebrate the Olympics in 2012. • Our budget is in healthy shape for 2010-2011. At 5 You’ll find it really gives you a buzz. April we had £657.85 in the bank. ******************** • Membership News Chorley Ramblers deals with all sorts of Footpath

From Janet Blakeman obstructions and Rights of Way issues. Join us on

Sunday 7 August to find out about our work and Please extend a warm Chorley welcome to the threats to some of Whittle-le-Woods attractive and following new members: popular footpaths.

Mr.A.Simpson, V.M.O'Shaugnessy, Mr.Colin Gibson, Mr.Eric Crichton, Mrs.Ann Fairclengh, Dr. Deadlines S.Edwards, Peter Soye, Mrs.Beryl Rae, Mrs. Marycell Walk leaders are invited to contact Pat Hough as soon as Crossley, Karen Henderson who has rejoined, Mrs.Helen Bullen who has joined us from Wigan they can to bag their places on the next Walks Programme group and Mr. Alan Lark who has joined us from which will run from 1 November 2011 to 28 February South Ribble. 2012 . The deadline for submitting walk details is 15 July . Articles and photographs for the September 2011 Edition of We now have 297 members. Out and About to Marian Owen by 1 August .

Please get your friends to join as we want to get above the 300 mark. Don't forget new members can use Tesco club card points to join. Date of Committee Meeting

******************* The next Chorley RA Committee Meeting will take place on 6 June. Advise Barbara Williams or another member of Our website address is: the Committee of topics you would like to have discussed. www.chorleyramblers.co.uk

******************* Froggatt Edge, Saturday 2 nd April 2011

Rudely awakened at 4.10 in the morning, my first thought was an earthquake. Then further eruptions and flashes convinced me it was merely a violent thunderstorm, but still daunting at the prospects of a walk along Froggatt Edge in the Peak District. Setting off at 8.30 to Chorley station, the morning was going darker, not lighter, with heavy threatening cloud and the occasional shower thrown in. The weather forecast was confusing, is the Peak District in the Midlands, Eastern , the North West…? All areas had quite different forecasts, the Midlands having the best.

Seventeen of us caught the 8.56 train, changing at Manchester for the Hope Valley stopping train, to Grindleford. After a short meander we caught a double decker bus down the Derwent Valley to Baslow, the gateway to the Chatsworth estate. Here, at Nether End, are toilets, café, etc. by the village green. Ron and Margaret had got off at the stop earlier by the old bridge and the church, to find a geo-cach.

We started our walk up to Baslow Bar, meeting Ron and Margaret again at the first corner, for a gradual climb up Bar Road, passing Lady Wall Well, now on a track up to Baslow Edge. Near the top is Wellington’s Monument, a stone built cross erected in 1866, and a fine viewpoint for lunch. Behind us was Eagle Stone, a massive curiously shaped rock, then along Baslow Edge, and its viewfinder, identifying Kinder Scout in the distance, behind all the others. By now it was really clear, and becoming sunny, with a gentle breeze on the edge. When I recce’d this a fortnight earlier I could hardly stand up on the edge for the gale force winds.

Above the village of Curbar the edge becomes Curbar Edge, full of broken rocks of curious shapes and sizes, with a few grindstone wheels here and there, probably rejects, from a by-gone age. A careful path leads through all these, though the main track is a few yards to the east, but with lesser views. Beyond the highest point of Curbar Edge comes Froggatt Edge, yes, above the village of Froggatt, today busy with rock climbers in the ideal weather. Views now were brilliant---Hope Valley, Edale, Kinder Scout peeping above, the Upper Derwent Valley, Howden Moors, and Derwent Moors.

Eventually leaving the edge for the moors of Longshaw estate, and crossing high above the Totley railway tunnel we come to Longshaw Lodge, the 1827 home of the Duke of Rutland, now owned by the National Trust. A commemorative millstone by the approach footpath depicts the 50 th anniversary of the Peak District National Park, 1951-2001, Britain’s first national park. To the rear is the ornate Longshaw House. At the front are the visitor centre, tea rooms with outside tables, toilets in the courtyard, etc., all in charming surrounds. We had a break here, Barbara treating me to a refreshing scone and coffee.

With an hour’s walk yet to the station we took the easy descent to Burbage Bridge, then followed the Burbage Brook, and down through the Padley Gorge, a delightful ancient woodland, still part of the Longshaw Estate. A rocky path leads through the woods, needing care above the deep ravine, but very light and airy, especially in April before full leaf growth, and with brilliant sunlight shining on the bare trees. Lower down we took the bottom path by Burbage Brook, passing the wide bridge which carries the aqueduct from the Derwent Dams to Leicester. We came out of the woods to join the track from the ancient Padley Chapel, well worth a visit if we had more than the 10 minutes for the train.

We caught the 5.29 train back to Manchester, and were in Chorley at 7.23 p.m, right on time. All this on a wayfarer ticket for £10, or over 60’s £5, a real bargain at any price.

Story by Bernard Parkinson (Photo by Ron Smith) Another of our very popular Sunday walks.

Barbara’s walk from Worthington Lakes on a lovely sunny afternoon on 10 April 2011

Photo by Peter Morgenroth **************************************************************

Chorley Ramblers High Newton Walk on Sunday 23 January 2011

Six members joined this walk on Sunday 23 January. We This area is overlooked by many and it’s a great pity as the parked on what had once been part of the old A590 but now contoured Topography is very interesting and a bonus for the made into a cul-de-sac by the High Newton Bypass. Photographer.

We set off along the road towards High Newton Village and Graham Thomas then climbed up to High Newton Reservoir. We forked left at a grassy track then followed a lane to pass a Farm on the right Thanks very much to Graham for leading a lovely walk and for then onto Simpson Ground. Our route gave us great views adapting his planned route to accommodate our visit to Field End over the Kent Estuary and viewing the Estuary from such a Farm; we really appreciated it. different angle led some of us to try to puzzle out which bit of the estuary we were looking at, could it be Arnside? Yes, it was!

We turned left into Astley’s Plantation and followed a rough track down through the woodland. At a junction we took the right hand option and eventually came out of the trees and we could see towards Newby Bridge to the west and wondered at the full length of Lake Windermere to the North.

We descended through woodland to a lane, over a stile to drop through a field and on to the old disused A590 again, then on to the A590. We took our courage and dashed across this busy road and reached a quiet lane. At a right hand bend we climbed over a stile to the left into rough field. We walked south to eventually climb over stile onto Palace Lane. Continued south to a junction and went right and through Hazelrigg Farm then along track to another farm. This track was the access to Field End Farm. Pat Hough had lived here as a very young child when Field End Farm had been farmed by her grandparents. We had a look around but there was no one there. A farmer had passed us on our way to the farm. We had tried to stop him for a chat but without success. We took some photos at this idyllic spot before continuing east back to the cars. Pat, back to her roots at Field End Farm We then drove to High Newton Village and had a well deserved drink in The Crown.

Try a Local walk: Lakes, Moorland and Memories

Start: Baths Car Park Grid reference: SD 627 214 Distance: 5.5 miles Grade: Leisurely over undulating moor and fields but with a couple of short steepish ascents. Can be muddy in places. Why do this walk: Circular walk from Brinscall via White Coppice with superb views.

1) Leave car park at rear of Baths from Lodge Bank on School Lane. Turn right and go forward over the Goit bridge and up Butterworth Brow. At the top of the brow, beyond the stone cottages, turn right along a signposted footpath. Follow a wet path through a kissing gate to skirt the edge of the moor. Soon after passing between gorse bushes turn left on a green track between two dry stone walls towards a small stand of trees and the ruin of Cockers Folly. The local Methodists hold a service here on Good Friday. Go forward following a faint path across the moor with a dry stone wall on the left. On reaching a post and wire fence turn right along a well defined path towards the ruined farm of Ratten Clough. Follow the path between the end of the dry stone wall and a fence then cross a stile immediately on the left and follow a path between the wall and the fence to Ratten Clough. Turn left past the front of the barn then bear right along a farm track to Edge Gate Lane. 2) Bear left through a kissing gate next to a galvanized gate and follow a good track across the moor with good views all around. Follow this track for approximately 1700 metres and at the Ramblers’ Association sign turn right signposted “White Coppice”. Follow a well defined path across the moor and down the hill, crossing the Goit bridge on the right, to White Coppice cricket ground. This is where the BBC filmed the children’s television series “Sloggers” , and is a good place to stop for refreshment. 3) Follow the lane from the cricket ground past White Coppice Nursery to the tarmac road. Go forward along the road past the whitewashed cottages. 4) Turn right over a signposted footbridge by a ford. Follow the lane to the dwellings of Lowe Fold (Tootals Farm). Go forward between Lowe Fold Cottage and the farmhouse, continuing along a track signed by a waymarker arrow. Follow the track, enclosed on both sides by hedges etc, crossing four waymarked stiles. After the fourth stile follow the post and wire fence on the left, crossing three fields, to the dwellings of Old Withnells. 5) Follow the lane from Old Withnells, turning left at the “T” junction. Follow the winding lane and cross the bridge over the dismantled railway track. Fork right at the “Y” junction to the dwellings of Lower House Fold. Turn right and then left at the timber clad shed to pass through the riding stables yard. Go forward between the exercise compound and the electric pole. Cross two fields, with a fence on the left, to a waymarked stile by a holly tree, leading into the garden of Blue Dye House. Bear right to cross the end of the garden with the lake on the left, to a waymarked stile in the corner leading into a field. Turn left in the field and cross a stile in a fence. 6) Turn right and follow the fence across the field. Cross a stile by a gate and a cattle grid. Turn left after a ruined house following a tree lined drive to Brinscall Hall, on the left. Follow the stone boundary wall, turning right opposite the Coach House and clock tower. 7) Turn right before the stone cottages and follow the track down to pass under the old railway bridge. At the junction with the tarmac road turn left along Lodge bank and back to Brinscall Baths. Jack Pilkington Copyright ©2006

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