The Meanderthals

BRIDGEING THE YEARS.

Bridge Players :- Danny, Anthony, Jim, Mike, John

Quite a ride out today to where we assembled. Wycoller Country Park to be precise. Not precise enough . We actually met at the cafe Near Bent Clough Farm. A few miles beyond Colne. It looked like being a difficult day. The cafe would not take cards only Cash or bankers orders . ..........WHAT ? When Jim arrived from Penwortham he had to empty his wallet out to scrape the right amount in coppers. We naturally bridled at this but the girl had a sense of humour and when we asked for toilets she pointed out a large hole on the grassy bank and a grid next to the cafe door.

First coffee of the day at a nearby cafe.

Then a wrong turn, as we left the cafe,took us a very long way round on our way to the country park

After taking some considerable time working out how the parking meter worked ( No cash. No Cards) Bank only. A phone call and an extensive question and answer session ..... and all for a daily £1.10. RIDICULOUS !

We set off down the road (path to) Wycoller.

A brief stop as we walk from Car park to the village.

Our first glimpse of the tiny village of Wycoller. Cars not allowed.

Almost there.

Here comes John into the village

Once in the village apart from the magnificent stone built houses.

There are cars but residents only and NOT on the road

The first thing of historic interest we saw was the ancient Pack Horse Bridge. Extremely Narrow and well worn with virtually no sides to it at all.

The well worn and uneven stones left John ( and A N Other) quite unnerved crossing it.

All safely across !

Only a small distance upstream and we came to the second of the trio of ancient bridges, The "Clapper" bridge.

Danny as usual can't resist trying it out. The "Clappers" were the large flat stones balanced on the bank and stone columns in the stream. There are more examples of these in the west country.

The bridge is thought to be from the 16C

On our side of the stream/river (not this side) were the ruins of Wycoller Hall

This appears in Charlotte Brontes novel "Jane Eyre" in the form of "Ferndean House". The Brontes used to walk here from their home in Haworth a few miles away.

I still cannot get rid of the idea that this was a fireplace, BUT WITH SEATS IN THE FIRE ?

There was very little of the building left to see and cannibalisation over the years had seen much of it disappear. Sadly it didn't hold our attention for very long. Long enough to have lunch there.

This couple chatted happily about their frequent visits to Wycoller. They recomended that we return on the other side of the stream where their memorial bench was already in place.😀

The third bridge was called "Clam Bridge" and is one of very few in the country which straddles a river with just one stone or "Clam". Thought to be over 900 years old and could possibly have once been A "MENHIR"..... a standing stone erected higher up on the moor. The bridge is seen just to the left in this photograph.

"Daredevil Dan" waits to try out the bridge.

You willhave noticed the join in the bridge. Over the centuries it has twice been broken and repaired, is nevertheless . still a SINGLE STONE crossing the Beck.

As recomended we crossed over the river, using this small bridge, to follow the path back down the other side.

Anthony was convinced there was another building a little further up the path. John averred that he couldn't remember any such building but then there are lots of things John can't remember.