Our numbers were depleted this week for a variety of reasons so five of us crammed into Martin's VW and before long we were being 'disgorged' onto the car park in the centre of Chipping.
With boots afoot and packs aback, we set off in promising sunshine towards the Bowland fells.
Our route took us out of Chipping past the now defunct 'Chipping Chair Works' with its attractive mill lodge and on, past Peacock Hey Farm and eventually to Saddle End Farm.
Here, our route took us through the farmyard, which was packed with sheep and a very busy farmer. After confirming that we were actually on the footpath he appeared to be shearing some of the sheep. How wrong could we be! Was he using a pair of clippers to give them a manicure? No. Wrong again! He was in fact giving them 'the snip'! Poor sheep! To add to their misery he was also injecting them with a 'cocktail' of antibiotics. The Sunday roast will never taste the same again.
Continuing our walk, we passed along lower slopes of Ward's End arriving eventually at Burnslack Farm, which wasn't actually a farm but a very desirable and isolated large house.
Lunch was taken, sheltered from the wind, just off the track leading to the house. As Burnslack was the zenith of our walk, the route from here was mostly downhill.
Our route took us past Birchen Lee. Here, an interesting barn conversion was underway. This was a rather unusual conversion.
A new house was actually being built within the 'shell' of the old barn. One of the workmen was more than happy to talk to us about the work but his foreman had other ideas!
From here, it was a straightforward, downhill route bringing us out at the mill pond, which we had passed at the start of the walk. A few minutes later we were back at the car park and supping the usual shandy!
Distance: 5.55 miles
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| The village green alongside the car park in Chipping |
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| Chipping had recently been judged for the 'Britain in bloom' competition |
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| These agricultural implements formed part of the display |
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| The mill lodge above the chair works |
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| Ward's End (left) and Burnslack Fell (right) |
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| Parlick Pike and Blindhurst Fell (on the right) |
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| A distant shot of Ward's End and Burnslack |
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| Coffee time |
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| Arriving at Burnslack |
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| The church in the centre of Chipping |
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| Lunch stop |
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| Approaching Chipping - with Longridge Fell in the background |
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| One of two Shetland ponies grazing alongside us |
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| Back at the Mill lodge |
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| The height profile |
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| The Route |
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