| Author |
 Topic  |
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
 Posted -
16/03/2009
:
07:21
|
The place to tell us about your favourite walks and tall tales about rambling.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
|
|
| Replies |
| Author |
|
|
wendyf
|
Posted - 14/04/2009 : 20:22
Not yet Moh, we seem to keep turning left when we get to Cob Lane instead of going right towards Kelbrook, but I will go soon!
Wendy
 |
panbiker
|
Posted - 14/04/2009 : 22:32
I walked over to Clarion House near Newchurch in Pendle on Easter Sunday. This is a nice walk and the route follows a virtual straight line SW from Barlick.
The route goes up Lister Well Road out of Barlick until it meets Gisburn Old Track, left here and then right through the style about 100 yards down the lane. This takes you down through a couple of fields to meet the main A682 Blacko - Gisburn Road. About 200 yards back towards Blacko you access the style to take you down the steep field to the stream in the valley bottom. This former pasture has been planted with thousands of tree whips since the last time I did this route, they seem to be mixed varieties, they are fairly small at the moment but I could see Sycamore, Ash and Hawthorn among the mix. Once at the bottom of the field you cross the stream which eventually joins Pendle Water and other tributaries at the water meetings further down the valley.
The path now follows the stream and eventually reaches the small cluster of houses at Admergill. 200 yards along the lane and the footpath leaves the lane again and continues to follow the path of the stream until you reach the bridge at Wheathead Lane. Routes go in two directions here, left to Blacko Bar or right which takes you up onto a series of field paths that run fairly parallel to the Blacko to Roughlee road. This is the route I took, the path climbs fairly steeply and then tracks along the valley side until it meets Stang Top Road. The lane drops down into Roughlee but you can climb another style and take the field route to eventually arrive at Whitehough.. Up onto the Barley road here for a short while and then pick up the field path again on the opposite side of the road. Last leg of the walk now as the path is now running parallel to Jinny Lane. Three more fields and we reach our destination of Clarion House and a welcome pint pot of tea.
No pictures of the route on this walk but if you click the link below you can see the route on Gmaps Pedometer which is rather a nice utility from the Google folk I think. This utility allows you to enter your route directly onto a road, satellite or hybrid map. It will then calculate the distance, show you the number of calories you have burnt and even give you a 2D representation of the elevation you have traversed. Quite a neat website. You can zoom the map in and out and pan by using the on map controls or single click and drag. When you save the route it generates the URL which you can copy or bookmark.
So here is the walk: Barlick to Clarion House, Newchurch in Pendle.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2728018
I took some pictures of Clarion House which you can see in the Easter Holidays topic.
Ian |
moh
|
Posted - 15/04/2009 : 10:10
Which way do you walk to Cob Lane Wendy? - That name brings back memories of walking to the old quarry up the lane and collecting rosehips for Kelbrook school (to make rosehip syrup). We used to have a chart on the wall in the hall which got filled in the more we collected until we reached our target - wonder where they went to make the syrup? Is it still made?
Surprising what brings back memories on this site!!
Say only a little but say it well |
wendyf
|
Posted - 16/04/2009 : 21:17
Did you make the syrup at the school Moh or were the hips sent somewhere else? I remember having rosehip syrup as a child, it was a way of getting vitamin c in the winter I suppose. I made some myself years ago. There are loads of blackberries up Cob Lane. No one seems to pick them these days either.
I walk down the track past Harden New Hall and out onto Cob Lane by Thick Bank Farm, just above the quarry.
Wendy
|
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 17/04/2009 : 07:41
Long time since I walked on Harden.... Must get more adventurous!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 17/04/2009 : 07:42
Just remembered, the last time I was up there I had to put Bess the Jack Russell under my coat and carry her, it was snowing so hard.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
HerbSG
|
Posted - 18/04/2009 : 23:51
Nice to see that the Ramblers have picked Pendle Hill as one of Britains most spectacular view points, and will be featured in their magazine being published on May.
HERB
|
panbiker
|
Posted - 21/12/2009 : 16:32
I took a walk up over Weets yesterday, a good opportunity to test out my new walking gear that I got for my birthday recently.
I have had to replace my boots as my old faithfull KSB's have finally given up the ghost and will no longer turn water. I have replaced them with a pair of HiTech boots from their VLight range. They are sturdy with above the ankle support and about two thirds of the weight of my KSB's. I had worn them last week for the first time when I did a circular on Weets and they were rubbing slightly above the left ankle by the time I got home. I'm fairly sure that this will ease with more use.
I have also bought a new Layer2 micro fleece and a later generation Layer3 Kagool. I have a number of different upper outer layers that I have accumulated over the years. I have a Helly Hansen over the head Kagool which is fantastic for turning the water but it is an all or nothing garment and difficult to get on and off between rain and shine. My other outer is a Tog24 with integral fleece that I bought for our trip to Iceland a few years ago. We went in February and the jacket was perfect down to the -20 degrees that we experienced out in the mountains and in the bitter cold of Thingvaller and Gulf Foss. It's OK for keeping you nice and snug when it get really cold but it's too warm for walking any distance in our more temparate climate. I settled on a new Tog24 without a fleece. I bought it at Boundary Mill with £70 off the list price. It has stormproof zips throughout and under arm zips so you can open it up for venting if you wish, no need to strip off when the sun comes out. It will pack in the rucksack a lot better when I'm not wearing it.
I like the Tog24 stuff, its well thought out, most of my kit is now Tog stuff and this tranch of replacements should last a good few years.
Anyway on with the walk. A classic circular which a lot of Barlickers will know. Colne Road, Moorgate and then Folly Lane. The pavements and then the road up Folly was treacherous to say the least. Absoloutely no purchase with the new boots on solid ice. I hade to walk in the verges to make it up to the style into the first field. A few young lads were sledging in the field, perfect conditions. I started the climb and paused to look back down at the town, there was no one following me up and I had noticed that any footprints that remained in the snow were all from people coming down. It looked like I would have the hill to myself. It started snowing again almost as soon as I started the climb. This would be a good test for the new gear. The wind was picking up and the snow had turned to that really small hail stuff that stings on bare flesh in the wind. By the time I reached the summit the snow was blowing horizontally across the top of the hill. I settled down on my rucksack on the leeward side of the trigpoint and had a nice welcome brew of hot tea from my flask. Barlick had completely dissapeared as had the ridgeline of the hill, visibility had dropped to about 10M.
The new gear had performed well. I was perfectly snug in my new Kagool, my feet were warm and perfectly dry in spite of hitting one or two boggy patches hidden by the snow on my way to the trig point. There was no irritation on my left ankle as experienced a week earler.
The cold concrete of the trig point keeping the worst of the wind and snow from me was starting to penetrate through to my back, it was time to go. Easy to see in these conditions how inadequately prepared folk get into bother on the fells. The wind chill factor was extreme to say the least. Amazing to think that I had exclusivity of the hill, 11,000 people 2 miles away and just me on the hill.
I decided to take the quickest route down from the top. Straight over the side and down the 45 to 60 degree slope of the hill. I fastened the waist strap on my rucksack, tightened the shoulder straps and attacked the descent. The snow was 6 to 10 inches and it was great fun "bunny hopping" down into the valley below. It took about 30 minutes to climb the hill and less than 5 to get back down. I glanced back up from the stream in the gorge at the bottom before the open moorland and saw a runner making the descent. I took a breather and waited to see who it was. It turned out to be Melvyn Thistlethwaite. We exchanged pleasantries as he passed me, we agreed on how nithering it had been on the top and something like "a top coat warmer down here" as he jumped the stream and headed out across the moor for the field style by Brown Hill. He was moving a lot faster than I was although I did feel rather smug in the fact that I was burning more calories and not risking my joints as much as he was. Having said that, Melvyn has been running as long as I have known him, (40 years or more), he is a little bit older than me and as fit as a butchers dog. I measured his running stride against my walking yomp. His was best part of 4 feet to my 30" or thereabouts. No wonder he was a full field (and a big one at that) in front by the time I was climbing the first style off the rough moorland.
The snow was about 6" deep in the fields. All the sheep that had been out the week before were tucked up in barns around and about. Two sets of footprints in the snow now, I followed Melvyn's back down across The Edge and Dark Hill down toward Hollins. A week before I had been challenged by a tup in this bottom field, he stood straddling the path eyeing me over as I approached. His concubines all moved away as did he when he could see I was no threat. I still kept my eye on him though just in case he decided to have a go.
The buttercup meadow by Pasture Farm looked very boggy so I detoured to the path along the side of the field and behind the farm. There was a small flock of sheep in the field to the left hand side of the path. Back on the verges now to keep my footing, the compacted snow on the lanes is extremely slippery. I returned home via Calf Hall Lane.
The new outer layers had performed well as had the boots. I noticed a small amount of discomfort with the boots after the descent off the hill. Same place as before, just above the left ankle. It was not as bad as the week before so it looks like a bit more breaking in will see to this, they have only done about 10 miles so far. I do need a new rucksack though. My existing one makes me sweat as it is in direct contact with my back through the various layers of clothing, even with modern layered wicking clothing this is a problem. I have seen some nice air spaced rucksacks at Winfields which are not all that expensive. A new day pack to compliment the rest of my gear may well be in order.
Ian |
wendyf
|
Posted - 22/12/2009 : 07:37
I have a pair of HiTec V Lite boots, and they are incredibly light and very comfortable. Though the "ion mask" technology keeps the leather dry, I find that in very wet, boggy conditions (which is most of the time since I got them in August), water finds its way into the boots somehow. Gaiters seem to stop the problem, so it probably comes in through the stitching. They are nowhere near as comfy as my old lightweight Brasher boots which have sadly split on a seam after much good service.
|
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
|
|
Posted - 22/12/2009 : 07:53
What a good read panny - many tahnks. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator"  |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
|
|
Posted - 22/12/2009 : 09:14
Agreed Comrade. I am locked into my North Face fleece and HanWag boots by poverty.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View
stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
panbiker
|
Posted - 22/12/2009 : 10:14
Not experienced any water ingress yet Wendy. When I was out last week, I came through the buttercup meadow by Pasture Farm that I mentioned above. It was very boogy and at one point I sank up to my ankles in the mud. I washed the boots off by swishing around in the beck at Pickle Hippings. The water was well up over the tongue area of the boots to get the mense of the muck off. The Nubuck cleaned very well with no leakage into the inner of the boots. This was first time out and was what I would expect. How old are your boots Wendy? Your post does remind me that I need to get a can of silicone spray to keep on top of the maintenance though.
Ian |
wendyf
|
Posted - 22/12/2009 : 10:31
I got them in August, Ian. My Mum gives very generous birthday presents, otherwise I'd be walking in wellies. Mine must be different to yours as they are all leather. The "ion mask", whatever that might be, is an outer treatment that repels water and is meant to last forever. I often seem to be up to my ankles in boggy fields round here, and find my Goretex gaiters are wonderful.
|
panbiker
|
Posted - 22/12/2009 : 10:45
That will be the "wet is dry" bit of the marketing. Same technology in my Nubuck and mesh construction. Can't fault mine so far, time will tell.
Whilst on the subject of boots and clothing can I please commend to anyone who does a bit of trudging the wonderful, nay, marvelous technology known as "1000 mile socks". I got some of these earlier in the year and wonder why I have missed out on these for the last 30 years! If you have not experienced these, get some. Guaranteed anti-blister, super comfy, go for ever kit. Very fine woven integral inner lining to wool sock, fantastic idea, buy some now! Advert over and no, I don't have shares.
Ian |
panbiker
|
Posted - 16/02/2010 : 23:58
I have just spent the last 3 hours uploading pictures and constructing an entry to this section. 1 picture insert to go and Bandit Bills so called browser dumps the lot with a "not responding" error. Thanks a lot Bill. Will post the story to go with the pics again once I have sorted copy and paste in Firefox.
Ian |
Favourite walks and rambles.
