Clitheroe

Today's walk started from the carpark opposite the swimming baths at Edisford Bridge. From the carpark, we crossed the road and walked down passed the Municipal Swimming Baths, to join the Ribble Way footpath. We soon arrived at this wonderful timber truss foot bridge. This bridge was built in 2008 and was showing no sign of rot, It is the latest of four bridges to cross the river at this point. A cotton mill was established here in 1795 and the hamlet of Low Moor was built around it. The mill was owned by a partnership of the Horsfall and Garnet families. The Garnets took over sole ownership of the mill in 1858, around the time that they acquired Waddow Hall some 800m upstream from the bridge.         Info courtesy of Google.

Immediately past the bridge, alongside the footpath is this enormous gate post, presumably one of two that would have carried the entrance gates to the mill yard.

As we reached a row of houses that were probably originally the mill workers cottages, the path which on the ordnance survey map is shown going past the houses alongside the river, has now been diverted. The diversion takes us past the house of a keen gardener, .......

                    .....before turning left, to pass this 1866 Wesleyan Chapel.

The diversion carries on straight ahead past some expensive looking houses before the path deteriorates as we pass some enclosures, one housing a few chickens and noisy cockerels, another was a plot with flowers for sale in it, another had stables with horses locked in. After this was a field with horses and a very noisy donkey that was trying to make acquaintance with John by calling loudly to him.

The path deteriorated still further as we headed away from the enclosures, into a large open field.

As we headed across the field, the aforementioned Waddow Hall came into view. Now owned by the Girl Guides Association. However before we were able to get a good view of the hall, our path led us away from the river.

       This is a Zoom shot of Clitheroe Castle, where we will be visiting later in our walk.

After passing a new pristine cemetery on our left, the path came out on Waddington Road. Turning left we walked downhill towards the river and Brungerley Bridge, but before reaching the bridge, we crossed the road and entered the sculpture park where we have been on previous occasions. The only reason for going there is because we know there are plenty of benches where we can sit and have our dinner.

                    I think Mike may be telling the lads about his wife, Kath's, injured wrist.

This sculpture we saw on the way back to the road looks very professional, and obviously represents an animal, but what is it?

Retracing our steps back up the hill, we continued on into the town centre. On the way uphill to the castle, we passed below this sculpture of a soldier overlooking the town, a constant reminder of the servicemen and women who gave their lives in defence of our country.

Exiting the castle through his archway gives us a vista of the Ribble Valley, where we were walking earlier.

         

On our way down through the castle grounds we made a diversion to look at more sculptures. This one called the Pinnacle was brought up from London apparently, and once adorned the Houses of Parliament.

                                             This lifelike work of art is most impressive.

Leaving the castle grounds, we walked back towards the town centre, with the sole purpose of finding a cafe for our afternoon brew. Mission accomplished, all that was left to do was to find our way back to Eddisford Bridge to our cars before our tickets ran out. Thanks fora good walk Anthony.

                                                                    DK