WALKERS :- Paddy, Danny, Vic, John R,
Martin, Mick, John W, Frank.
A gentle ramble through meadows and pasture land was our intent. It didn't quite work out that way.
With permission, we parked the cars at "Little Town Dairy" and set off back out through the entrance, across the road and down the road leading to "Ferraris" restaurant.
We passed the restaurant and began to follow a curving track which led into the distance past a very large herd of cows.
Unlike recent walks the cows we met as we crossed fields were in the main dairy cattle and as such were used to human contact and showed little interest in our passage through their grazing.
The track we were on passed several buildings all of which bore the title "Black Moss" Black Moss Hall, House, Farm etc. (Ferraris was originally Black Moss House) We began to suspect that the region might be dourly soggy. It actually wasn't.
The track eventually led us out onto Hesketh Lane quite close to the Dog and Partridge Pub. Here a large field entrance offered us a spot for Coffee.
Only a short walk from here before Danny spotted this substantial stile taking us once more into the fields.
We were hardly into the fields before more exotic animals held our attention - Llamas or Alpacas ? Alpacas we decided (size and wooliness)
You will notice in this photo that the grass was long. This was to be the case for large parts of our walk. Walking was difficult and strenuous as the long, rain battered grass caught at the feet and made us have to lift our feet laboriously to make progress.
It soon became obvious that the footpath shown on the map was not well used as there was no obvious trail on the ground and gates and stiles were blocked or in poor repair. One gate was bound tightly with yards of bailer twine. A sharp pocket knife solved this particular problem (We retied it afterwards)
The long grass and lack of clear paths continued to make walking difficult.
The next bridge we came to gave us a bit of a puzzle. What was attached to it ? (The scientist had sensibly chosen one of the better bridges.)
The blue attachment seemed to be monitoring the condition (Flow ?) of the water in the River Loud which we were recrossing.
We now crossed another highway and then set off across the fields towards the side of Longridge fell. It was not planned to climb the fell but to follow it's edge back to our cars.. First however, we had to negotiate a narrow overgrown and muddy track which the map declared was a lane --- See for yourselves !!!
Looking down the "Lane" this is what we saw. Paddy is waving at us from the far end - 'onest !
Once through this overgrown quagmire we were back onto a farm road which we followed briefly before turning left to climb further up the fell.
The footpath we sought would follow a line of farms built at the foot of the fells steep side. As we climbed a wonderful view across the Loud Valley towards the Bowland Fells came into sight. You can see the group (just) toiling up the concrete farm track.
As we arrived at the first of the line of farms we stopped for a breather and a to finish flasks.
The route now would simply to follow the contours along the fell side until we arrived at our starting point. It still remained difficult with one stile being so bad we felt it was unsafe and searched for a section of fencing which some of us squeezed through.
This stile looks O.K. but in fact was broken with a fallen tree actually lying over the top of it and a large stone flag blocking the path beyond.
From here it was something of a teeth gritting tramp before we dropped down to the farm next to the "Little Town Dairy".
As the reader will be aware our walks are never over 'till we actually climb into the cars and drive off. In the farm yard were cows having a "Pedicure". The large animals (half a ton) were being led into this strange device which tipped them over so that their feet could be examined and treated where necessary. If you look carefully you will see the cows head sticking out of the contraption and it's feet exposed to the "Pediatrist ?"
This cow had been treated.
Then the farmer said "Come and look at this."
This believe it or not was a cow being milked. You can see it's hind legs. The cows can enter the machine whenever they wish and are milked and fed automatically. If they come back too soon, however, the machine recognises this and "Kicks" them out -- no cheating for an extra feed !!
And so back to the Dairy and it's lovely cafe before going home. Vic had further appointments that evening so he left us straight away and John W's wife Val came to pick up his passengers.
This walk of only 6.1 miles felt more like ten but feel NO SYMPATHY dear reader. It is all voluntary and we choose to do it. Silly old F***s !
More Photos :-
It soon became obvious that the footpath shown on the map was not well used as there was no obvious trail on the ground and gates and stiles were blocked or in poor repair. One gate was bound tightly with yards of bailer twine. A sharp pocket knife solved this particular problem (We retied it afterwards)
One of the few stiles/bridges which was well appointed and secure. Even then we had to duck through tree branches to get across.
Although strenuous our walk was also interesting with both farm livestock and wild animals to be seen. A fox ran across the field in front of us. Swallows stooped low over the tracks to scoop up the midges and other insects hovering over the puddles. Young pheasants scuttled away into the undergrowth. Several pairs of Oyster Catchers whistled their alarm calls as we passed by and the occasional Buzzard wheeled in the sky far above us.
A noisy bunch of bleating lambs obviously thought we had come to feed them.
Lunchtime arrived and the benefits of carrying a folding stool can clearly be seen
Some however didn't have such luxury.
The next bridge we came to gave us a bit of a puzzle. What was attached to it ? (The scientist had sensibly chosen one of the better bridges.)
The blue attachment seemed to be monitoring the condition (Flow ?) of the water in the River Loud which we were recrossing.
We now crossed another highway and then set off across the fields towards the side of Longridge fell. It was not planned to climb the fell but to follow it's edge back to our cars.. First however, we had to negotiate a narrow overgrown and muddy track which the map declared was a lane --- See for yourselves !!!
Looking down the "Lane" this is what we saw. Paddy is waving at us from the far end - 'onest !
Once through this overgrown quagmire we were back onto a farm road which we followed briefly before turning left to climb further up the fell.
The footpath we sought would follow a line of farms built at the foot of the fells steep side. As we climbed a wonderful view across the Loud Valley towards the Bowland Fells came into sight. You can see the group (just) toiling up the concrete farm track.
As we arrived at the first of the line of farms we stopped for a breather and a to finish flasks.
The route now would simply to follow the contours along the fell side until we arrived at our starting point. It still remained difficult with one stile being so bad we felt it was unsafe and searched for a section of fencing which some of us squeezed through.
This stile looks O.K. but in fact was broken with a fallen tree actually lying over the top of it and a large stone flag blocking the path beyond.
From here it was something of a teeth gritting tramp before we dropped down to the farm next to the "Little Town Dairy".
As the reader will be aware our walks are never over 'till we actually climb into the cars and drive off. In the farm yard were cows having a "Pedicure". The large animals (half a ton) were being led into this strange device which tipped them over so that their feet could be examined and treated where necessary. If you look carefully you will see the cows head sticking out of the contraption and it's feet exposed to the "Pediatrist ?"
This cow had been treated.
Then the farmer said "Come and look at this."
This believe it or not was a cow being milked. You can see it's hind legs. The cows can enter the machine whenever they wish and are milked and fed automatically. If they come back too soon, however, the machine recognises this and "Kicks" them out -- no cheating for an extra feed !!
And so back to the Dairy and it's lovely cafe before going home. Vic had further appointments that evening so he left us straight away and John W's wife Val came to pick up his passengers.
This walk of only 6.1 miles felt more like ten but feel NO SYMPATHY dear reader. It is all voluntary and we choose to do it. Silly old F***s !
More Photos :-
Vic Battles with the long grass
This is the start of the muddy quagmire path
Big Cows with Frank !
Little cows without Frank !
