A PIECE OF STRING ???? Miles
Survivors :- Danny, Mike, Jim C, Vic, John W. Anthony.
A walk of 5 miles said our leader.
......er...no 6 miles said our substitute leader.
......er...no 7 miles said one of the group (knowing how things expand)
......er...no 8 miles said the whole group at the the end of the walk.
This was a magnificent walk in a lovely area but it was far from easy with lots of steep ups and downs and some rough paths on our route. Our various devices actually showed it to be somewhere between 7 and 8 miles long.
We parked in Chapel lane just next to the "Boar's Head" pub and after chatting to a local farmer we set off across the fields.
After the first field we came to a bridge over the Preston to Blackburn railway.
A couple more fields and we entered a small wood with a clearly defined path wandering through the trees.
At this point I feel obliged to answer the question "Do bears "defecate" in the woods ?......... Yes ! say n' more" .
As we left the wood we waited at a small bridge for our ursine member to catch up.
As we waited the horizon was filled with the unmistakeable outlines of the Bowland fells. One cannot but recall the line "Those Blue Remembered Hills" from A E Housman's achingly nostalgic poem " A Shropshire Lad ".
Although the blue sunny skies gave the impression of a warm sunny day it was in fact quite cold with a chill wind blowing. A derelict farm offered shelter at "Brew" time.
So far our walk had been across level fields and easy paths. Now we were to drop steeply down to meet the river Darwen.
We turned left to follow the river downstream to the site of an old (and present) mill.
After passing through the modern site of the mill we were faced with a steady uphill plod for perhaps a mile or so as we headed towards Samlesbury.
On a bank at the side of the road was a profusion of delightful wild flowers. John W thought they were wild cyclamens but on looking them up found they appeared to be a species of violas (?)
At the top of the long uphill road drag we turned down a farm lane to once again drop down to a small river.
Something in the fields was proving very attractive to the local seagulls.
A short but steep drop took us to a bridge over a rocky ravine.
One of very few seriously muddy stretches on today's walk.
Once across the bridge the rocky path led upwards for what seemed an interminable time,. We needed a break part way up.
Just to one side of the path. Exposed by the bare winter bushes what was thought to the old nest of a Long-Tailed Tit.
BUT after a short stop to look at the beautiful structure we continued our steady uphill plod.
At the top of the long hill was a house called Alum Scar. It was your writer's belief that Alum Scar belonged to the Yorkshire Dales ?? (Alum is a chemical mixture of aluminium and potash used in tanning and dyeing )
In the distance, almost on the horizon is the mystery crop we had seen earlier on our circular walk with another patch somewhat nearer.
Across the fields and over another stile (Jim seems remarkably cheerful) before dropping down another steep rugged pathway,
And then our path is blocked.
By a very large fallen tree.
Not too far now before we were on level ground once more.
Before once again crossing the river Darwen
Not too far from the cars now but our leader really wanted us to actually go to Hoghton Bottoms so we passed the road up to the cars and followed the river upstream past some rather swish homes.
Well he's still smiling !!!
After a few minutes walk we arrived at the spectacular railway viaduct beneath which the river tumbled through a rocky ravine.
And so, at last, back to the cars, stopping briefly to look at the old Methodist chapel which gave the lane it's name.
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