Category Archives: Chipping Vale

God help us.

Thought I saw this deer today, running across the fields below Beacon Fell…

…maybe not. I did see deer but not the red-nosed variety. Nobody else about, in view of the dreadful conditions underfoot. Walked out of Longridge through the fields but soon realised how wet they were when I came across foot deep water. We have however been much luckier, in this region, than many, in avoiding serious flooding of properties. Must be dreadful to have your house inundated with water. The Met Office says that it has been the wettest year since records started, but not necessarily a harbinger of doom for next year.

Carried on up the fellside with wet feet, knowing that there would be refreshments available in the wonderful café at Beacon Fell visitor centre. The car park was packed, people obviously were wanting to stretch their legs after the Xmas binge. Sat with a warming cup of coffee.

I was fascinated to read about the tagged flights of Betty, the Hen Harrier from Bowland. She had flown hundreds of miles up to Scotland and back in search of a partner but then sadly disappeared in North Yorks.
It has now been confirmed that she has been shot and perished in Yorkshire. Having previously watched these beautiful birds in Bowland I find it deeply depressing that this is the fate that may await them. Why??

This comes in the same week that MPs are wondering about trying to revoke the hunting with dogs legislation. Hopefully, this will never happen. There should be no encouragement shown to the shooting /hunting element of our society.

Meanwhile, in the States, there has been another tragic mass shooting, this time involving many young children. My thoughts go out to their families. Come on now Mr Obama, surely there must be a way to tighten up on your gun regulations. Are the National Rifle Association real?

So it all seems a little, if not a lot depressing. Following on from the joys of Xmas I’m not happy about the state of our world. Maybe the ‘Turneresque’ view of the clouds could improve things as I walked back down the drier lanes to home.

But no —

–hanging in the wind was a little reminder of the selfishness of some dog owners of our world. God help us!!!

BEACON FELL – Views and Sculptures

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Following days of heavy rain, and serious floods in other parts of the country, today was forecast to be sunny, cold and dry. This proved this to be correct. After a mornings work I was keen to make the best of the afternoon. A quick trip up to ‘Craig Y Longridge’ showed me there was still too much seepage for bouldering so I decided on a short walk on and around Beacon Fell. The tracks up there would at least be better than the sodden fields elsewhere. I can see Beacon Fell from the back of my house and subconsciously check it out for clear weather most days.

Beacon Fell

Today was perfect. In the summer months I have often used a circular walk through fields from home up to Beacon Fell and back. These tracks are a small part of my Longridge Skyline Walk which takes in Beacon Fell, Parlick, Fairsnape-Totridge, Kitcham Hill, Waddington Fell and Longridge Fell, a round of over 60k. More of that another time.

Beacon Fell has been a Country Park since 1970. The good visibility of the fell made it a good location for warning beacons. These have been recorded for nearly a thousand years. Until the beginning of the last century it was rough farmland and then was acquired in 1909 by Fulwood Council as a water supply. Water was collected in Barnsfold Reservoir and from there piped to Fulwood via Horns Dam and Haighton. Conifers were planted to help drainage. After 1959, no longer required for water, it was left unattended until acquired by Lancs County Council and opened as an early Country Park. It seems to have gained in popularity ever since.

At 266 metres (873 ft) above sea level, small compared with the neighbouring fells, its position offers commanding views over the flat plain of The Fylde and Morecambe Bay to the west, the Bowland Hills to the North as well as the Pendle, Longridge Fell and the Ribble valley to the south-east. On clear days, as today, the Welsh hills, the Lakeland Fells and the Isle Of Man are visible.

Bowland Visitor Centre

The park is well served with a welcoming visitor centre and cafe, open all year. From these car parks tracks wander all over the fell and forest. Pick up a leaflet if you are unfamiliar with the area. Today I was keen to climb to the top for the views but decided to seek out along the way a series of sculptures by local artist Thompson Dagnall. The first is just above the centre, Orme Sight, a grotesque face with a drill hole sighting through his eye onto the N. Wales coast.

Orme Sight

As you walk up through the trees you come across the Walking Snake, a remarkable 50ft long, winding, wooden snake which kids love to balance along until they come eye to eye with head!

Walking Snake

Close by is an unusual use of trees uprooted and ‘replanted’ upside down to create the Spruced up Heron. I think this has changed from its original and now gives the impression of the bird part buried in an inverted position. Needs a new name.

Spruced up Heron

Unfortunately the Hanging Bat in trees near the top of the fell has been dismantled because of rotting timbers and won’t reappear. Further down the fell you may find the scary Black Tiger and Kissing Seat.

Black Tiger Kissing Seat

Anyhow, to get back to the top of the fell and the trig point there were a gaggle of people staring out at the very clear views to the west.

Where is it?

As it says ‘on the tin’ there were commanding views in all directions — I don’t think I’ve seen them so clear! Snow on the Lakeland tops, lots more wind turbines in the Irish Sea, Isle Of Man looking very close and some heights to its left in the distance — must have been Northern Ireland. Unable with my camera to capture this scene, but no problem with the closer and impressive Bowland Fells of Fairsnape and Parlick, Waddington Fell, Pendle and Longridge Fell.

Pendle and Longridge Fell

I continued my walk around the northern slopes of the fell, on past the pond with lots of ducks and through avenues of spruce back to the Visitor Centre. Interesting displays about Bowland and surroundings took my attention. In particular photos of lime kilns in the Chipping area, the volunteers manning the display were knowledgeable and interesting to talk to. By the time I emerged the sun was going down low over the Welsh hills, giving a fittingly beautiful view to end the day. Looking just like a watercolour wash.

The Clwyd Hills.

So a wonderful afternoon, some of the clearest views I’ve seen from here, a sculpture trail and added interest from the Bowland Visitor Centre. Did I mention you could see Blackpool Tower?

Looks good for tomorrow too ……..

PPS Have a look at my May 2014 post http://bowlandclimber.com/2014/05/20/beacon-bivi/  for more sculptures on Beacon Fell.

FUNGI ON THE FELL.

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One of my regular walks in winter is on the forest tracks of Longridge Fell. This is what I had in mind for today – a mixture of sun and showers.There is parking at SD 664 396. As you enter the forest you will have to be careful to avoid the piles of dog shit on the first 200m of the forest track!

They must be bursting when let loose. No comment.

Mind the poo!

Today on the radio is news of a fungus attacking ash trees – Chalara die back disease. This fungus is thought to have been brought into Britain on infected stock from Europe. My experience of ash is that it seeds everywhere so why couldn’t we have used indigenous seedlings for our forests?? Too late as it is spreading through Britain.
So it is distressing to find at the start of today’s walk signs warning of Ramorum fungus affecting the larch trees in the forest.

Ramorum fungi

When I first came to live in Longridge in the 70’s the fell was only recently planted up with forestry. As you walk around now you can still see traces of the walls that divided the fell previously. Probably most of the fell had been used for sheep grazing.

Old boundary wall.

There are lots of lovely tracks through the trees.

Longridge Fell track

Continuing on the walk you can arrive at the trig point of Longridge Fell at 350m. From here there are views of Chipping Vale and beyond. Morecambe Bay, the Bowland Fells and the Three Peaks in Yorkshire. A track leads east into the woods and several alternative routes bring you back to your starting point. It’s worth going to Sam’s View on the main track for his view. No idea who Sam was.

Sam’s view.

Continuing now one goes through an area of felled trees. In the past Tilhill forestry have been very conscious of maintaining the environment of the fell with small pockets of tree felling taking place. Now because of Phytophthera ramorum disease they have to fell large areas of trees to try and prevent the spreading of the disease. This has led to some unsightly looking areas on the fell.

Devastation

One hopes that this may be helpful, but as the spores can be transmitted by the wind I have my doubts. The same applies to the ash problem. We didn’t solve the Dutch Elm disease problem! We just lost them. I suspect that the larch and ash diseases are beyond our control now. Maybe better quarantine systems would have helped, but if these fungi are airborne then there is very little we can do about it.

I’m not sure whether all the procedures to eliminate these fungi will have much affect. Will be interesting to return to the fell in 30yrs time, though I don’t think I’ll be around. In the long run nature will take its own course with me and the forest trees.

You can’t change the overall view from the Trig point, thank heavens!

Just get out there and walk the local tracks.

It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day.

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It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day ……….

What a beautiful Saturday morning – this is the view of the Bowland Fells from close to my home. Determined to get a walk in today as the forecast was good. As I said in my last post thinking of of a foreign trekking trip – so I need to get fit. By the time I’d had coffee and done the crossword things had changed – low cloud and drizzle had taken over! Who does these forecasts? I know it must be difficult. Another coffee was needed before making the effort to get going, is that a sign of age?

There was some improvement in the skies so set off after midday. Intended on a round of Saddle Fell, Fairsnape and Parlick, normally park in Chipping and walk up through the fields but in view of the waterlogged ground conditions drove higher up to park at the base of Saddle Fell. This circuit of 6 miles was previously a training run for me with a weighted rucksack, now I’m content with a leisurely afternoon stroll. From the road there is a good farm track up to Saddle End Farm, where the sheep dog had just had a new litter of puppies in the outside shed.

From here you go up through gates onto the open fellside on obvious tracks. I wonder if these were originally for bringing peat down from the tops, there is nothing else up there. Any ideas?

The tranquility of the day was destroyed by the sound of shooting from the Wolfen Estate below. Beaters were traversing an area of rough ground presumably to raise partridges or pheasants to be shot. Do the participants really need to massacre birds for their suppers! I’ll say no more.

As one gains height on a well surfaced path you start to approach the wet peat bogs typical of the Bowland Fells. To avoid the horrendous ‘path’ along the ridge an earlier traversing path is taken on a fairly good surface. If one keeps to this one can avoid the worst of the peat hags. To reach the true summit of Fairsnape Fell at 520+m [359740 447241] you have to leave the good surface and head into the peat bogs. I thought that today that was unjustifiable in the wet conditions, these bogs are dangerous.

Retreating I found another way to the summit on newly established flags ,as you find on the worst excesses of the Pennine Way, some authority has been busy in the last twelve months.

Wonder how long these will stay on the surface in this harsh environment. Now it was plain sailing to the trig point on Fairsnape, and this is where I met the first people of the day. Lots of walkers enjoying the afternoon sunshine, many of them staying in the area for the weekend — good for the local tourist industry.

One could see out to the Fylde coast and pick out Blackpool Tower but the most interest was directed to the glider planes circling the thermals close to the ridge.

At one time there were five gliders whooshing past as I walked down the ridge. Normally there are also lots of paraglders in the air on Parlick, but not today maybe because the wind was too strong. Continued over the ever popular Parlick Fell which gave good views of Pendle and Longridge Fell.

A steep descent down to Fell Foot and a gentle walk through Wolfen Estate brought me back to my car. Have accomplished 6 miles this afternoon and feel much better for it – was worth the effort. How uplifting! Why don’t I do this most days when the opportunity arises, sorry to say I’m getting lazy.

…….. and I’m Feeling Good!!!

Listen to Nina Simone, skip the Ad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI3au4KM4xM

Glimpse of sun on shopping trip!

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Feeling cooped up after another miserable weekend and a foul dose of laryngitis/sinusitis. Even today started badly but by lunchtime there was a glimpse of brightness so a dose of fresh air was deemed essential.

Fairsnape across the wet fields.

I needed some vegetables and flour. My nearest shop is only just round the corner but to make the trip more beneficial I incorporated a six-mile walk to get there. Still aware of the dire state of the field paths I needed to stay on the tarmac. Normally any walk I set off on I try to avoid roads wherever possible – but needs must. I’m lucky that the local lanes are relatively quiet and give good views of the nearby fells within a hundred yards of my house.

Tell that to the boy-racers.

Forest of Bowland Sign.

The road I am walking lies between the Bowland hills of Fairsnape to the north and Longridge Fell to the south.

Longridge Fell.

Longridge Fell.

Fairsnape across the wet fields.

Fortunately, there are many small lanes and tracks leading up to a series of farms at the base of Longridge Fell. You can see from the OS maps that they all lie along the 150m contour line, well above the present road, and I suspect this must be the spring water line.

Track to Longridge Fell.

The views improve as you rise onto the fell and today the sun shone adding improved the lighting to the fells. As you can see from the tree there was a stiff wind blowing, but in Longridge this always means that any showers soon blow through. It was that sort of a day, sunshine, black clouds scurrying across the valley and the odd drop of rain – quiet uplifting really. Once up onto the fell it is an easy downhill stroll into the small town of Longridge. This place has been known in the past for its cotton mills, its stone quarries and local reservoirs supplying the Preston plain.

The reservoirs are still there and provide a habitat for waterfowl which are easily accessed and viewable. Ducks, coots, water hen and grebes are a common sight. The stone quarries of Longridge were famous for the quality of their gritstone and used in many Victorian enterprises in the north-west. Many have been filled in or adapted for other uses such as the caravan site passed on today’s walk.

Tootle Heights Quarry.

No chance of climbing in here anymore! Did some routes here when I first moved to Longridge in the Seventies. But all is not lost as at Greenbank Quarry, the home of Craig Y Longridge, the BMC has funded the purchase of this site to preserve the nationally famous climbing. Even today, in not the best of conditions, there was some brave soul battling with the overhanging traverse.

Craig Y Longridge.

When the weather improves I’ll give an impression of a bouldering session at Craig Y. It seems that since I started to post that for one reason or the other I’ve not really done much climbing in Bowland!! Hopefully, this will be redeemed before long. In the meantime I feel a foreign trekking trip coming on, just to boost up my Vitamin D levels for the winter.

A gentle walk down the main street, Berry Lane, window shopping, brought me to my destination –

— other brands are available in Longridge.

Parlick in the Rain.

SUMMER’S END?

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It’s official the wettest summer for a hundred years! Even today a very wet morning in the area.

But just returned from a beautiful Thursday evening’s climbing in Cardwell Quarry. Lovely sunny evening, sunset and a beautiful new moon.

Re-climbed half a dozen quality routes with an old mate. Much cooler. Six others enjoying the evening.

Cardwell Quarry.

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[For an important update please refer to July post —-

http://bowlandclimber.com/2013/07/25/cardwell-quarry-update/]

Spent a couple of days cleaning up this crag. It gets plenty of visits, but nobody pulls out the odd fern. With all the wet weather the right-hand corner is dripping though the rest of the crag is dry.

Click photos to enlarge.

For a summer’s evening, this location has one of the best views in Lancashire over Chipping Vale.

Chipping Vale

Sunset from Cardwell.

Notice all the standing water in the fields from recent deluges, it’s Chipping Show this next weekend so hopefully, things will dry up.

For details of the routes go to the BMC guide – Lancashire [1999] or UKC database at http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=1396