Hurst Green - Greengore 4 miles and then there were three Walkers Anthony Mike and Danny

When we arrived at Hurst Green, the weather was dismal. It was raining that fine sort of rain that soaks you in no time The sky was dark grey and it looked like it was in for the day. We sat there, in the car thinking of alternative ways we could spend the day. The lights at the Bayley Arms opposite had come on. We sat there for about 30 minutes with the windows steamed up, until,"you know I think it's stopped raining", Window down. Head out. " I think it has, let's go for it".

                                 Boots and water proofs on, and away we go.

                            Down the drive towards the Old Mill House.

At the bottom of the hill we tuned right down the side of a house with an old tennis court cum football pitch behind it. 

After passing a couple of secluded houses the path narrowed and the sound of rushing water got louder.

Dean Brook became a torrent as it was squeezed between the rocks on its way down to the River Odder.

Mike is trying to keep his boots clean. It turned out to be a futile exercise. I was doing the same myself. Anthony just trudges through it.

                                                                 Today's bridge shot.

                      The other side of the bridge was a scene of destruction.

          

       

                                                      Ahead of us is Greengore farm.

                 So far so good. The rain is holding off, as we have our morning brew.

A closer look at Greengore with it's three large solid looking buttresses. It was built in the 16th century, as a shooting lodge for the Shireburn family.

          Onwards past the farm and upwards towards the forest, though not very steep.

                                       A particularly boggy section of our walk.

                              Try as you may, sometimes there's just no way around it.

                                                              More boggy ground.

Out of the woods, we follow a farm track down past Lower Hud Lee farm to the Clitheroe Rd.

The hedge beside the pavement of this busy road when last we walked it, was overgrown, forcing us to walk on the road. Thankfully the hedge has been cut back.

This pile of bricks is all that remains of the grade 2 listed Punch Bawl pub that was illegally demolished, and for which five people are now on trial.

                              As we get back to Hurst Green it's time for dinner.

This lady has come up with a poetic way of salvaging old roof slates. Well done her.

The porch of St John the Evangelist church provides us with shelter while we had our dinner, and we were certainly glad of it. The heavens opened, not once but twice while we munched our lunch. The second time, the rain was accompanied by a powerful wind, forcing Anthony further under the shelter.

No, Mike and I don't look like the two thieves on either side of the cross.

  

After dinner we walked down Shire Lane alongside the church and turned right onto Dene Rd (a steep hill) down into the valley.

After crossing the bridge over the brook we turned left then followed a path behind a row of mill workers cottages back to the start of our walk.

What at first looked like it was going to be a very wet walk, turned out to be a very pleasant one. It's all down to timing and luck.