WALKERS :- Jim C, Paddy, Harry, Danny,
John W, John R, Anthony, Dave.
As this was what John R. always refers to as a "Whittle Walk", meaning a walk of total unpredictability, it was perhaps unwise for some of us to chose to wear shorts. We frequently found ourselves walking INTONETTLES !
Once through Ribchester and over the Ribble we pulled into a delightfully well made little car park which seemed to have no particular reason for it's existence. We had it all to ourselves. A stile took us out of the car park and into a lushly green field.
John R leads off as usual.
A well defined little path took us through the thick grass to the top of knoll which offered superb views back over the River Ribble towards Ribchester.
Ribchester's ancient church - centre right.
We continued to follow the path as it weaved and dipped its way along the steep edge of the Ribble's flood plain.
At a group of somewhat derelict farm buildings the path turned to climb steeply up and away from the river but with the grandeur of the views and the warmth of the sun we were easily wiled into taking an early coffee break..
A pensive Harry enjoy the views with the Ribble just in the picture behind.
Ready for off again.
A winding track now took us to the top of the steep bank above the farm.
Once on top of this bank (Lower Madgell Bank ?) we passed "Catterall". A little confusing as we were nowhere near Garstang. Pleasantly many of the stiles where accompanied by gates or were simply gates by themselves.
Naturally, being Meanderthals, some had to
TURN and PARK
For the next half mile or so we seemed to be traversing level fields although we were in fact steadily, if imperceptibly, climbing ! Rather oddly we actually passed a "dead" pylon. A never before seen sight.
The picture above gives little hint at the chaotic mess surrounding the next farm we passed . The amount of rusting , rotting rubbish littered around it forced us to give it a wide berth. In doing so we almost certainly missed a stile and and so had to climb a gate and pass through a sort of vehicular graveyard. We were too astounded and appalled to think of taking photographs. Emerging from this apocalyptic landscape we found ourselves in a shady lane and a short search found us the stile we needed to continue our walk.
A brief dalliance with the infamous Himalayan Balsam (in which we had once got lost) and we emerged into a civilised , sunlit field.
Once across the next couple of fields a stile plunged us into a nettle and bramble filled footpath closely confined by a ditch on one side and a fence on the other. Ouch ! Owch ! Yelp ! "How's it goin' shorties."
After two or three hundred yards of difficult, painful progress we eventually decided that PRIVATE or not we were going to clamber over the fence and follow this excellent, nettle-free driveway.
The footpath is actually over the fence on the right and when we got to the end of the drive we were greeting by this rather flamboyant gate post.
Welcome indeed !
We had now arrived at the busy A59. The map seemed to indicate a footpath exactly opposite us as we emerged. In fact we had to walk a little distance away before crossing the road to follow a footpath on the other side of the road and running parallel to it.
It was another narrow, nettle filled path.
Once clear of this our way improved considerably as the paths turned to tracks and the nettles and balsam gave way to open, cropped fields.
Earlier in a walk, before we had applied insect repellent, we had been plagued by "Clegs". Such torment is not the sole reserve of humankind and these horses are suitably dressed to repel insect attacks. The horse on the left, above even has an insect proof face mask.
A horse wearing a "No-fly" coat.
The next farm we passed was, in it's prosperous and immaculate appearance, diametrically opposed to our recently passed " Rubbish Dump".
It's occupants were cheerful, charming and helpful. They had lived here for over a hundred years. (not personally of course). and they had some charming friends........
........... if a little shy .
A little further on we were to discover that the "Highway Code" is still relevant on even the smallest country tracks as we had to wait for a large vehicle to pass before we crossed this particular farm track.
After crossing the track (safely !) there before us were a whole selection of suitable seats for our lunchtime stop.
The writer has to confess that the heat of the day was beginning, by now, to make this walk rather tiring .
Lunch over we were once again on our way. A farmer offered to move his tractor and trailer but we assured him that there was sufficient room for us to get past.
"Running the Gauntlet" between animal filled trailer and electrified fence.
A final steepish drag up to a public highway and we reached the point from which it was now all downhill back to the river Ribble. Across the road. over a stile and we were soon dropping down towards the attractive little hamlet of Copster Green.
Crossing the "green" of Copster Green
Past Copster Green and down a cottage lined lane and once again out into the fields .
Just visible as we began the steep drop down towards the river were the towers of Stonyhurst College. They could however be clearly made out through Jim C's superb, top of the range, binoculars.
We now passed through a final farmyard. This one again neat tidy and seemingly well managed.. - with more "friends"
And well tended pasture lands.
With the Ribble valley spread out before us our path continued to drop steadily downwards. With increasingly weary and cramped (your writer) limbs we took the decision to abandon the official footpath and take a short cut back to car park through a large hayfield,
This took us into another field and a final exit onto the road
a short distance up which was the car park.
Here we were happy to remember that Martin, although not walking with us today, was with us in spirit........and shandy. Thanks Martin for thoughtfully coming to our starting point with your ever welcome chilled shandy.
THE END
p,s. Vic was not with us today which may well have been fortuitous as the foreign office had issued a warning that travelling with Vic could see you end up in jail. Wow
p.p.s. Sorry ! It said "VICK" which is a banned in some countries and considered an illegal "substance.
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