“A pleasant ramble through the pastures above Waddington and up onto the fell for breath-taking views over the Ribble Valley before returning via pretty wooded ghylls”.
Another in my present summer series based on pubs in the Ribble Walks with Taste – Visit Ribble Valley
This time we have a choice of three pubs in the picturesque village of Waddington and I combine two of the walks starting from here. I do have my favourite pub which will become clear towards the end. JD and I pick up KP from Chipping and manage to find a challenging potholed narrow lane through Bowland to Waddington. How come it’s raining after the last few days heat wave? The village is alive with early dog walkers.
We first take a well used lane from the back of The Lower Buck past glacial deposited Pinder Hill, the site of a Bronze Age burial mound, and then a farm where sheep shearing is in full progress.
Unusual wall – leaving Waddington.
Newly shorn.
Longridge Fell in the distance.
Then we dive into rural paths where few tread, although the waymarking is reassuringly good. A concessionary path takes us around Lower New House and into an overgrown tunnel of shrubs. Page Fold looks impressive with Porche and Ferrari parked in the court yard. We take to the fields and skirt Colhurst Hall which I was hoping to see.
Do you remember? They used to run together.
Emerging from the tunnel.
Down Rabbit Lane to the ancient Braddup House, dated 1669, where a bridleway heads north in rather wet plantations. Would be a nightmare in winter. Even when we come out of the trees the going is rough in reedy marshy fields. Height is gained onto the lower slopes of Waddington Fell. It would have been good to have carried on up to the summit but the footpaths run out before the open access begins and beside we didn’t have time. One of those iconic P&NFS signs appears, we take the path towards the fell road.
Braddup House 1669.
The boggy bit.
Waddington Fell.
We are looking for a spot to have a break but the cold wind deters us. Around the isolated Daisy Hill which I see is a listed C17th farm house, should have had a closer look. The next few fields are a little overgrown with no obvious path, well we don’t find one, but do reach the road. This is the road going over the fell to Newton. We spot in the distance houses where the Moorcock Inn used to be in the past, do you remember it? We reminisce on meals there and friends departed.
What path?
Looking at the map the next section along Mill Lane and through properties looked complicated but in fact is well signed and the natives are a friendly lot. Not sure how the planning permission process works for all these upmarket houses. We drop down to Waddington Brook but don’t follow it directly down what looks an interesting ghyll but climb back out to above the woods. The cattle have churned up the ground and therefore the going is not easy, we are glad of our overdue break taken on a large log. It is from up here that there are views across the Ribble Valley over Clitheroe to the ever present Pendle. We are coming up to a General Election next week and there have been some boundary changes, Gerrymandering comes to mind as Clitheroe, at the heart of the Ribble Valley, has been transferred to Pendle, I don’t expect the residents were consulted.
Rough ground. Pendle and a murky Clitheroe
As we loose height towards the covered reservoir at Feazer Farm we have a grandstand view of four walkers trying to find a way out of the enclosure. Our instructions tell us to skirt round to the right and we emerge into the farmyard with no problem. The four flustered lady walkers, on holiday from York, are glad of our directions. The question often arises on these outings – why don’t the farmers make it easier for us, and hence them, by adequate waymarks?
Spot the ladies.
A hidden path goes over a high stone stile and then easily down the field towards tall sycamores and Waddington. We come into the village alongside the ‘Hospital’ Alms houses. Their history is worth a read. Ladies only may apply.
The right direction.
Alms houses’ gardens.
Waddington is always full of flowers.
As I said there are three pubs to choose from in the village, we choose the friendly Lower Buck for an after walk drink in the sunshine.
A good day out with friends though not the easiest of walks to follow from this series.
For a little more information on the area and pictures have a look at my post from July five years ago.
***
…and then I recognise the country lane I meet, Whins Lane, the original medieval road between Whalley and Padiham before the turnpike road was built lower down in what is now Read. Along here are the posh houses of Read boasting large gardens and views south across the valley.
…and march on along past the sawmill thinking to myself that it would nave been better to have taken to the fields and woods above the lane. After a quarter of a mile I realise I should have done and backtrack to find the rather hidden stile. 
I emerge at Priddy Bank and weave through the private properties. 
It’s all down hill from here but beware, don’t take the stile directly ahead but keep to the right side of the fence to avoid very boggy ground. A wooden stile brings you out of the field into rough ground for the descent to Sabden, which is seen in perspective to the road dropping down from the Nick of Pendle. Silver birch trees dominate this last slope. 
The river is flat calm for a stretch and then along come small rapids. I would think that at the moment the water is medium height, the whole aspect changes in flood conditions. Pendle looks on from afar.
Another from a leaflet in the series of Walks with Taste in Ribble Valley, this time setting off from the centre of Clitheroe. I’m becoming lazy with route planning and relying on someone else’s choice, Ribble Valley BC this time. It promised “starting from Holmes Mill, wandering through the grounds of Clitheroe’s Norman Castle to the River Ribble for an easy riverside ramble” 
.
Too good to go back to bed. I’m motivated to get out there and do a walk. This one springs to mind. 
The path now continues back along the true left bank of the river. I’ve seen Kingfishers here, but not today. One is soon away from the razzmatazz of the picnic area only to find oneself on the busy little road to Clitheroe’s Waste Recycling centre. Past this there are only a few houses before the road ends and one is back into fields close to the river. I notice a reminder of the Covid restrictions and on the water Canada Geese are protecting their young whilst fishermen discus the best spot. 
Moving on. I cross the access road to Lower Fairsnape Farm and take a short diversion to visit a bird hide marked on the map. It is a shed with a few observation slots looking out onto the fields. Information is provided about the area. The farm is working alonside the RSPB to improve the environment for wading and ground nesting birds.
I haven’t done ‘that local walk’ this year. The fields, to be honest, have been too wet. It was a walk I repeated many times during the lockdown, remember that? It has always been one of my favourites taking me straight into the countryside. From my front door up the road and into the fields. Across them to Gill Bridge, up the lane and into the Derby Estate. Through Ferrari’s Country House grounds and back on the road past Little Town Dairy and the Derby Arms.
