Hoghton and Samlesbury

As we set off across fields, on the first part of our walk, the temperature was only a little above freezing point and the milky early morning sun provided little comfort when pitted against the northerly wind on the open pasture.

                  The driver of this train gave us a hoot as he passed beneath the bridge.

                         A derelict farm provided some shelter from the wind

          

              Anthony is eager to get off again but John and Jim are having a chin wag.

Reaching the perimeter of Bottoms Wood, things began to improve. As we dropped down into the valley, through which the river Darwen meandered it began to feel quite pleasant.

Turning left, we followed the river downstream. Before very long we could hear the unmistakeable sound of a waterfall. The weir in earlier days provided the power for the near by Samlesbury Mill.

Before reaching the road, we settled down for dinner in the sun, which had warmed up considerably from earlier on.

                   Crossing the boundary bridge between Haughton and Samlesbury.

Climbing up out of the valley we came to this former church, now converted into a residence. Not very tastefully done in my opinion.

This rural by-way heading east ia called Further Lane, prompting the call "How much further".

 Turning right down Alum Scar Lane, before long, this prestigious building came into view over to our left, which we were unable to identify with any degree of certainty.

The lane gave way to a path which led down into the valley to a a muddy section of the path where it crossed a bridge over a brook to the opposite side of the valley.

                     We each chose our own method of getting past this obstacle.

      It was reported in the Lancashire Telegraph on 22 July 2009 that a body had been found in the brook in Alum Scar Lane. Detectives believe the remains had been there for several months. It may be that someone had climbed over the fence to avoid the muddy path and fallen off the bridge.👿

    Or on second thoughts, it may have been the accident that prompted them to fence it off. 

         A long climb up the opposite side of the valley proved to much to tackle in one go.

Having reached the top of the hill, we turned right passing Alum  Scar House on our right under the watchful eyes of several security cameras, and Close Farm on our left. Immediately after the farm we turned left and followed the path as it began a gradual slope downhill again.

Part way down we came up against another obstacle. A huge tree had fallen across our path. 

There was no way past the monster of a tree, but it would take more than that to deter us Meanderthals.😠

The path led us down to the River Darwen again. We crossed this bridge to the Haughton side of the river.

The lane on the opposite side of the bridge led up to Chapel Lane, from where our walk had started, but you can't come to Houghton Bottoms without going to the famous viaduct and weir can you?

              Jim, is there, only to give perspective to this magnificent viaduct, built by the        victorians.

        The viaduct carries the Preston to Blackburn railway line over the Darwen Gorge.

A little further along the river brings us to this wonderful weir, before retracing our steps back past Lower Mill and Higher Mill back to the hamlet.

A three story house named The Counting House has a path leading alongside it which we followed back to Chapel Lane, not far from our cars.

                                                              The End. DK



 

HOGHTON

 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.

                                                                                                                  local farmer !

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.

As we walked we passed more deserted farmhouses, Here we are chatting to a security guard who tours the area daily checking on several of these still viable but empty buildings.

To our right as we crossed the next field was an unusual crop of tall reed-like plants not something we have seen on previous walks. What was it ??

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.

Here we found a warm sunny bank to sit and have our lunch.

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.

"Don't do it Danny. The walks OK !"

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.

And then just a short plod back to the cars and home.

                       T

                         H

                            A

                               T

                                 S 

                                        A

                                          L

                                             L

                                                  ZZZZZZzzzzz z z z    

JW