January 1st 2024.
A mundane post to start the year, an update on around Longridge walks.
There is a lot of “new” around Longridge. Mainly housing – not schools, doctors or roads. Can you get your child into a Longridge school? Can you get a doctor’s appointment? You can certainly get damage to your car’s suspension from the numerous potholes. But lets not start the year moaning, there is plenty of time for that in the coming months of what turns out to be an election year. Time to get out for a walk after all the excesses of the holiday period.
It has been the wettest December for a few years with the ground saturated around here. And there is more to come, but there was a glimmer of brightness for the first day of the year.
Over the years I have plotted several walks around my town, one can hardly call it a village anymore. In a bid to stay rural and avoid housing I have had to increase the circumference of the walking in stages. There is nothing wrong with urban walking in Longridge itself and in these pages you will find lots of references to the town, including a tour of the ‘blue plaqued’ buildings. But today I wanted to keep to the paths on the outskirts, and ended up including some new ones. 
The day stared bright enough but I was glad I was staying low, the hills were in cloud and remained so all day. The Chipping road is busier by the the month but people aren’t up and about yet. I don’t even meet anyone on ‘mile lane’, a rare occurrence. The lane is looking smart with newly trimmed hedges and its recent resurfacing. At the top by the farm I took to the fields to climb onto the lower slopes of Longridge Fell. The low lighting is particularly interesting and I noticed, for the first time I think, the line of a sunken way which I had joined. It climbed directly up the fell by the wall and yes it is here on the 1847 map. Was it agricultural or quarry related? 
I skirted the reservoir, home to Grebes in the summer, and the bouldering crag of Craig Y Longridge, too damp today. Only a short distance into the Greenbank development, remember when it was open land, there is a path which skirts the Beacon View Caravan Park in Tootle Heights quarry.
There have been changes here. New metal gates have been erected to use a path in the fields that avoids the properties at the top of Tan Yard. (remember Tom Croft?) 
The path down to the Hurst Green road was improved several years ago alongside the Dilworth housing development. I crossed over and followed the driveway to Higher College Farm, now partly the storage centre for Anderton’s butchers. One of their units burst into life as I was passing giving me a jolt into the new year. Down the field to the hidden ravine with its wooden bridge and then across the boggiest of fields to circumvent Alston Grange farm. Past the eco lodges, Alston reservoirs and along Pinfold Lane. 
Guardians of the countryside.
A brief stop at the bird hides overlooking the disused reservoir, showed lots of grazing Lapwings. At the end of the lane in the field on the left is the base of a medieval cross that must have stood by the main thoroughfare at one time. Easily missed.
I came this way, rather than the longer original route by Burys Farm, Thorn Lane and Alston Church/School because I had been made aware of new paths through the ‘recreational’ land to the south of yet another housing development. This rough land directly opposite Pinfold Lane, watch the traffic, has been set aside and has pathways meandering between the numerous ponds. Trees have been planted and if you are up to it vary your exercise on their fartlaggig equipment. This way gives me a shorter route to Mardale playing fields, but still outside the housing. 
Green Nook Lane was busy with dog walkers as usual. I took the more direct route along Whittingham Lane and Halfpenny Lane as I was flagging and rain was imminent. My map below shows a better route keeping to the countryside. I now look upon this as my definitive 12k/7.5ml ‘Around Longridge Walk’. until I have to change it again if even more development takes place. 
***
Seven and a half miles is a good start. I barely managed three yesterday. I like your guardians of the countryside picture – it really says it all, piles of rubbish and a fallen footpath sign. I’ve also noticed fartlaggig equipment tends not to last long, especially in proximity to housing. But that’s a good round, lots of open countryside on your doorstep.
I enjoy keepong it local these days. Driving has become a dangerous chore. Yes, lucky to have countryside on my doorstep or at least doen the lane.
I’ll second that, including the driving thing. Tried driving after dark a few times this winter. Everyone had their main beams on again. 🔆🔆🔆🔆 Thanks heavens I don’t have to commute in it any more
Did you ave in mind a new/revised circular beforehand abn if so did you pre-plan the route, or did you just link it together as you went along. At a glance at your map it looks like a “lassic line” in the sense used by rock climbers. I write here with some difficulty in seeing my keyboard having had an operation noly yesterday for a detached retina., but it is remarkable that I can already partially see through the afflicted eye.
Don’t go straining your eye. Will reply to your comment later
I am so sorry about all the building going on in your village/town. When my parents moved to the villlage Mum still lives in there were five shops including a post-office, a general store and a butchers. There was even a small garage! The village has grown amazingly in the past few years but all but one of the shops have gone. The small medical centre is overstretched and the school has had to re-locate. The buses have disappeared too. Sad times.
I’ve lost count of the charity shops, hairdressers, fast food outlets and bars in the town. And we don’t even have a bank.
My ‘around walk’ keeps to the countryside but is being encroached upon all the time.
I suspect the village has doubled in size in the last 5 years.
Kind regards.and all the best for 2024 to you and your family.
Thank you and all the best to you too.
Clitheroe is growing alot too. It feels like I’m walking further to get into those green spaces, still reachable though, for now.
The disused reservoir looks like it’s a good place for birds.
We are well catered for with nature reserves. Brockholes, Grimsargh Wetlands and the ones over your way. I always keep some binoculars in my pack.
Seven and a half miles is a good walk. I like the first photo looking over the fields but not the mud you were standing in. It must be 15 or so years since I last went through Longridge, it’s obviously expanded a lot since then.
There is plenty of mud about with all the rain we have had, but thankfully we have avoided the flooding.
Looks like you were “beating the bounds” with that circular walk round the town. It will probably all be built up if you tried it again in another 10 years
Exactly. It won’t take 10 years at the rate they are going.
Still a surprisingly rural walk on the outskirts.
Pingback: SOME LANES AROUND LONGRIDGE. | bowlandclimber