Sunday 7th February. 5.5 miles. Longridge Fell.
I hadn’t intended to visit the summit trig point, I was in trainers for a gentle stroll around forestry tracks so once I’d left those tracks I ended up with wet feet. I expected more people on top judging from the cars parked up alongside Longridge Fell but found myself alone looking at the cold view across to the Bowland Hills. We have been lucky and avoided the snows in the last few days, although Pendle had a covering. 
I had walked along the road from the Crowshaw parking to Kemple End and then up the zigzags of the forest trail. This is the first time I’ve been up here this year and I’d forgotten about the parking problems of lockdown. Mostly I passed dog walkers but also larger groups of ‘youths’ whom I doubt were from the same household or even this locality, they seem oblivious to the lockdown recommendations. Maybe rules would be more appropriate, but I doubt it would make any difference to these people.
Covid parking.
Covid walking.
A new section of forest was being felled alongside a path I often take.
On a more positive note I had an extended chat with a couple and two children from Grimsargh, he was picking up litter and setting a good example to his young family and any walkers who passed. The stretch up from the parking is the worst for cans and wrappers, he draws the line at poo bags. Why don’t I come equipped to do the same on my local walks – food for thought? One shouldn’t always leave it to that other person.
The litter picker extraordinaire.
It was sub-zero temperature as I wound my way back to the car. I had driven 3.5 miles to reach my 5.5 miles walk, that is a bit dubious in my book but at least I had climbed a fell, if only a modest one at 350 m.
Sorry but I couldn’t resist another lone glove photo…
*****
Snow comes here now and again, but seldom lasts in our valley.
I’m surprised by that although we used to climb on the red sandstone of the Eden Valley when washed out of the Lakes. Something to do with a rain shadow.
Certainly been a bit about today, but melting fast – the hills have it of course.
Maybe you should start collecting all the lone gloves you see, you might eventually end up with a pair 🙂 It was bitterly cold here yesterday and too grey to want to venture out; woke up this morning to a very thin covering of white powdery stuff but the sun’s out now and getting rid of some of it 🙂
I would think that most people will be hanging on to their gloves in this freezing weather.
It certainly looks like we’re missing out on the white stuff over in south Lancashire. Just a few flurries (sometimes from an almost cloudy sky!) here in Wigan. But nothing settles for long. Views of Winter Hill living up to its name, mind 😊
Up here we do get some snow, but it doesn’t last. Pendle is plastered, it is just that bit higher and out to the East.
Hope you are managing some local exercise.
Yes, keeping up my exercise on local walks. Would love to get up in those hills but I’ll just have to be patient.