Brock- Claughton

                    Todays walk began from Barton Grange Garden Centre car park.

After crossing the A6 and the footbridge over the railway, an unexpected freight train came powering through on it's journey north. There was a rail strike on that day so the huge train hurtling noisily along, through the quiet countryside came as a complete surprise to us.

         As we neared the motorway bridge, the traffic noise again blighted the quiet of the       countryside.

               The noise gradually decreased as we walked alongside the River Brock.

As we crossed a footbridge over the river, a friend of mine who I knew from my working days gave me a wave. I went over to have a talk to him. He was busy burning some shrubbery and damping it down with a hose pipe, to prevent it from setting nearby trees alight. Within his garden are the remains of an old mill, which I shall expound further on,at the end of the blog.

Catching up with the rest of my friends, we soon arrive at this beauty spot where we always stop for our morning brew when doing this walk.

At the end of this private road is an old weathered signpost to Matshead, which is the name of the ruined mill we passed earlier.

                 John helps Vic on with his rucksack, so we can continue on our walk.

     Only a small bridge but long enough to serve it's purpose for the obligatory bridge shot.

Isn't that lovely.

After crossing this stile, we arrive at Walmsley Bridge. Crossing over the bridge, we progress slowly uphill, on our way to Claughton village.

At the end of the village is the Catholic church of St Thomas the Apostle and it's well kept cemetery. We as planned got here by midday, just in time for dinner. The monument provides ample seating for us.

Mike is pondering the intricacies of his collapsible seat. It took a little time to master the opening and closing of it.

Vic is lying low.

Off we go again. The sun is getting hotter and our fluids are getting depleted.

Turning right along a farm track, after passing the farm we go through a gate and enter woodland and enjoy some welcome shade. We descend through the wood to the river.

       We have another rest here and finish our flasks, or at least I did, and lived to regret it.

Back at Walmsley Bridge. From here, we must retrace our steps back to the cars. We have another stop by the waterfall on our way back. About a dozen young lads and lassies are enjoying swimming and frolicking in the hot weather. We didn't stay long, thirst drove us on, on the final stretch back to the cars.

Matshead Mill was originally a corn mill but was bought in 1805 by Roger Kenyon a paper manufacturer of Oakenclough Mill. He bought the mill, kilns and land and all water rights for £900, and modified it to become Matshead Paper Mill. Matshead was always a small paper mill. In the 1851 and 1861census it was recorded as employing 11 people. By the 1840s it would have moved from hand made to machine made paper, using its small 48" wide machine. The paper produced was only wrapping paper, and mainly brown, and in it's early days used local women, working from home to produce paper bags for shop use. In 1900 Matshead Mill was one of ,if not the smallest operational paper mill in England. By 1908 the mill became unprofitable, Larger manufacturers were able to undercut them, and inevitably it ceased operations.

                                                                      DK