Calder Vale & Bleasdale

Calder Vale to Bleasdale (and return) 5.25 miles

Just 4 walkers again this week- Paddy, Vic, Jim D and Anthony.

The road into Calder Vale, to the east of Garstang, culminates in a large car park in the centre of the village.
Unfortunately there wasn't room for two more cars so we had to park on the road leading down into the village.

For some reason the village telephone kiosk had some 'internal growth'! 

The village was founded by Quakers Jonathan and Richard Jackson and in 1835 a cotton-weaving mill, the Lappet Mill was built, powered by the River Calder.
The mill and mill pond still exist and Lappet Mill is still working as a cotton mill.
One of its main products is the red, black and white checked cloth used for Arab headscarves and it was said that Yasser Arafat's headdresses were made at the Mill. (Wikipedia)

The original mill cottages

The mill pond

A raft of ducks on the mill pond come to welcome us...

......and presumably hope to be fed. Sorry to disappoint you, guys! 

A series of small weirs on the River Calder

The footpath rises steeply from the village towards the church and primary school so a chance for a break....

The C of E church of St. John

Looking across the Fylde. Blackpool Tower can just be seen on the extreme left of the horizon.

The three radio masts above Oakenclough can just be seen below the threatening clouds.

Pressing on ahead of the rain!

The 'tree of the week' with Jim for scale.

Looking south to the north side of Beacon Fell. (Not often seen clearly from the north.)

Parlick Pike just appearing over the horiszon.

A sign that can't be observed!

The rear entrance to Bleasdale Tower

The front view of Bleasdale Tower.

(Soon after this picture was taken, cold, persistent rain moved in from the west. So a short cut was taken and we returned to Calder Vale by a different route....

......but not without stopping for a quick picture of this very attractive cottage.