LONGRIDGE FELL FROM THE NW.

The weeks are slipping by, not sure whether we are into Spring or not yet. I have a deadline at the end of April to walk the St. Cuthbert’s Way with my old schoolmate, we get out every year. Have been getting fitter on the bike but need to put some mileage into the recovering foot.  My daily trips to the shops, all of half a mile, have felt painful, but I’m trying not to walk with a limp [read wimp]. So decided to get back up onto Longridge Fell [350m] for the first time this year. Fortified with Brufen, other painkillers are available, parked up in the usual lay by.

What’s new up here?  The first thing that struck me was the amount of damage caused by the storms of last month, lots of trees down.

  Good to be walking in the countryside again even though I was mainly on forest tracks. We are so lucky to have this on our doorstep.

  The weather varied from sun to hail and was exhilarating along the ridge with views down both flanks of the fell. Clouds flashing by with rainbows following.

Storm brewing, Pendle in the distance.

Sudden hail storm.

350m

Great views down into the valley, with the diminuitive hamlet of Walker Fold prominent below.

I must have walked this route a hundred times but always find something different, today it was a Red Kite looping effortlessly over the cleared forestry. No photo!

Next I met a young man from Estonia planting Sitka Spruce saplings into the ground recently harvested. He can plant 3000 a day on good open ground, but here he is only managing 1000. Looks hard work to me. I also wonder why he bothers as young trees germinate all over the area, maybe they are not in straight lines. Shall have to find the answer to this.

Hard Work Planting.

Nature’s Way of Planting.

Out of the trees and down through a favourite little dell full of light and back to the car before the next shower.

  Only four and a half miles, but an  enjoyable tramp and such good exercise for my foot and my mind.