HURST GREEN

GREENGORE Whats that secret you're keeping ? ..... Tell you later

4 Miles

SECRET AGENTS :-  Danny, Vic, Anthony, Jim C,

                                                              John W, Paddy, Martin.

Hurst Green was ridiculously busy. Parking was nigh on impossible. We had to wait for cars to leave and quickly nip into their spaces.

Eventually off we went down a rather smart drive taking us down to Dean Brook.

Just as in most Lancashire villages hidden gems can be found once the centre has been left.

It was only a short distance before we left the village environs completely and found ourselves in the narrow wooded valley of Dean Brook

Although only a small river it's rocky bed lent it a certain grandeur.

The footpath stuck closely to the bank and its rocky and slippery nature meant we had to move with caution.

After a while the path climbed up the side of the valley to where the narrow path joined the much broader direct path.

The broad path took us to a bridge after which it narrowed as it rose up the opposite bank.

Comments were passed that this seemed to be rather a large bridge considering it's situation. Hardly disagree... perhaps it's use in the past had been greater................................................ 

And Then !

"DAN DARE ... Pilot of the future" (apologies to those who did not read the "Eagle" comic in the 50's or 60's.)

Can't imagine there will be much future if he continues those antics.

Just jealousy actually. 😡

After Dan Dare's Tarzan act (Think I'm Mixing up my super-heroes now) we climbed briefly up through the wood until we emerged into the sunshine  and onto a broad farm track. Here our leader had planned to take our coffee break and meet up with Martin.

Here at the junction of two farm tracks was a substantial (4 seater) bench. Martin, however, was not able to meet us as the confusion of side roads and farm tracks was bewildering so he had decided  to wait in Hurst green and meet us for lunch.

As we sat with our coffees our next "reference point" Greengore could be seen in the distance over the fields.

Photo of John W just to verify that he was actually on the walk.

Phone calls to Martin to check that all is well and then off we went to Greengore.

GREENGORE "What's that secret !"  Not really a secret just a bit of history, 

Greengore is a 16th Century building said to have been used as a hunting lodge by Henry VI when he was hunting deer on the Stonyhurst Estate.

More recent history ..... On one of our walks as we past it and admired it the farmers wife invited us in. She was very pleasant but grumbled that it was not a good place to live in as it was much smaller inside than it looked because the walls were so thick and that they couldn't make improvements as it was Grade 2 listed and nothing could be changed. She also told us that they had applied for planning permission to build a bungalow nearby for their , hopefully, more comfortable retirement but this had been refused as not being appropriate near a listed building.

This gentleman, who lives on the site now,  told us that she did eventually get planning permission for her retirement bungalow but then died..... rather sad really.

The farm track we had been following ended here and we continued along a  much narrower footpath,

Jim C suggested that this brave specimen be awarded the "Tree of the Week" award. It had obviously fallen many years before but had literally lifted it's branches towards the sky and regrown itself. Splendid. Award given.

No longer autumn - but leaves still deeply litter the woodland floor

This footpath continued to climb gently upwards ("Only one hill" our leader had promised. He failed to tell us it was two miles long !)

We were now back in woodland which at length began to tumble us downhill towards Hurst green.

Out of the woods and through a farmyard were these sheep looked rather distressed . There was no shade and they were all panting,

 I think Paddy was panting a little too,

Only a few minutes later we rejoined the Longridge to Hurst Green road quite near the ruins of the "PUNCH BOWL" A listed pub  which had been demolished without proper official consent  TROUBLE AHEAD !

That looks a very well ordered, socially distanced queue.

Half a mile's tramp along a rather busy and possibly dangerous road before arriving at St John's church where Martin was waiting to greet us.

At the entrance to the church was a slate with a celtic  "Benediction"   on it.

Just inside the gate, however, was a quite different notice.

The cynics amongst us suggested it was more likely they couldn't be bothered to cut the  long grass.

The only bench in the graveyard was quite overgrown with brambles so the church steps had to be our lunchtime seating.

Lunch over we said our goodbyes to Martin and took the road behind the church taking us back to the centre of Hurst Green.

And so our short walk ended but not before encountering one of our erstwhile walkers, Harry ,  who was out for a drive with his son.

THE END

JW