Padiham 8 miles Walkers Anthony Vic Andrew Frank Mike and Danny

After parking up on Wyre Street in Padiham, we returned to the main road (A 671) and turned left. After crossing the bridge over the River Calder, a short walk brought us to the well signposted entrance drive to Gawthorpe Hall.

     The long tree lined drive also serves as an access road to Burnley F Cs training ground.

The hall is not yet open to visitors, so the main entrance being in the sun was the ideal place for us to have our morning brew. Getting up from my perch next to Frank to take this photo, unfortunately spoiled the symmetry of the photo, but there again, it's probably a small price to pay.

The hall was built in the early 17th century by the Shuttleworth family who had lived in the area since 1330. During the Civil War Sir Richard Shuttleworth was a strong Parliamentarian. In 1642, he and his troops defeated the far superior army of the Earl of Derby at Read Bridge.

The high level walk from the hall is part of the Bronte Way. In the nineteenth century Charlotte Bronte visited the house on a number of occasions. The Shuttleworth family left the hall in 1970 and it is now in the hands of the National Trust.

          

        

We exit the hall grounds back onto Padiham Road. Crossing the busy road we head down through a housing estate on our way to the Leeds - Liverpool canal

The day, although sunny and still, was never the less still quite chilly for sitting around. So spotting some seats in the sun in a children's playground with no children around we took advantage of a little warmth from the winter sun to have our dinner there.

        

                                              Anthony opted for a seat with a table.

                                       On reaching the canal we set off westward.                               

                        

Danny wasn't paying attention and led the group "A bridge too far". We should have left the canal at the bridge in the background, but he didn't realise until we reached the next bridge along the canal.

Back on track, we enter an area known as " Sweet Clough Greenway ", a local Nature Reserve, (a possible area to explore for a future walk) at the end of which we walk a short distance along a disused railway line.

After negotiating our way through a modern housing estate we arrive back in the older part of town where stopping by this bridge, a chap seeing us looking at the maps on our phones said "eee thas not lost in Padiham are the". "No, No" I replied, but he went on to tell us a way to where we were heading anyway. We continued following our own route back.

Crossing back over a different bridge spanning the River Calder we arrive back in the main part of town, Being in the lead, as we approached a Zebra Crossing we decided to wait for the others to catch up before pressing the button. The others caught us up, except Vic. "Wheres Vic" we all said, but no one was sure where the last place we had seen him. After waiting a while longer, someone suggested that he might have gone the way that chap had mentioned. I set off back looking for him and followed the way the bloke had suggested, eventually arriving back at the Zebra Crossing, by which time everyone had gone. I crossed over, making my way back to the car. Yes you've guessed it, Vic was already there. Grrrrr
He had gone the way the man said and got back to the car from the opposite direction.
                                                                 The End  DK