16th October 2022

 

Dear All,

Kate and I travelled up to Lancashire last Saturday and stayed the night near Longridge at a very smart hotel called “Ferrari” after the racing car family. As we arrived at 3.30 pm, we started doing the recce for the first walk on Monday. The couple we were supposed to meet unfortunately dropped out that morning with Covid. On Sunday we had nearly a full day on the recce and we both agreed that it was one of the most difficult we had done as the paths were poorly marked and little trodden so we went wrong on numerous occasions.

 

 

 

Ferrari

 

We stayed for the rest of the week at the “Gibbon Bridge Hotel” which was also very smart, our room had 2 floors and a jet stream bath. There were 27 in the party and we led the shorter (10.6 miles!) walk on Monday. It started at the hotel and circulated along the valley and back along a ridge. Apart from the lack of signs the other main feature was the number of styles: 47 in the first two days walking in various states of repair and gates fastened by string, rope, wire, chains and barbed wire. It was big dairy cattle country with every farm having large herds both indoors and out.

 

 

The Party

 

 

Rainbow over Blackmoss

 

 

White Fold Hill

 

On Tuesday we started from Beacon Fell Country Park and walked along the river Brock which was reputed to have inspired Tolkien when writing “The Lord of the Rings”. Philip our ex-army man was leading not having carried out a recce and we were led astray more than once leading a non-regular walker Anna to sit on a bench and say “I am not going any further!”

 

 

Descending Beacon Fell

 

 

Walmsley Bridge

 

Up until now the weather had been kind but Wednesday was not so good which was a pity as we were climbing and the views would have been good. We started at Abbeystead, followed the Tarnbrook Wyre then climbed up to Dunkenshaw Fell. The climb was fine but the top was clothed in low cloud and drizzle and we were rather damp by the time we finished,

 

 

Near the top

 

 

Damp Lunch

Thursday, we tackled Ingleborough which was the longest climb starting at Ingleton we intended to descend to Clapham having left half the cars there. It was a beautiful sunny day and an excellent scenic walk but unfortunately a lady in our group (called Jennifer Day) blew up in tears and could not make the top. Our leader on this day, Ian was loth to split the party so we all descended the way we had come half an hour from the top. Meanwhile, Philip, impatient as ever had gone ahead and reached the top with out phone, water or map so did not know what had happened.

 

 

Ascent from Ingleton

 

 

Ingleborough on the skyline

 

 

Descent

 

All told it was an enjoyable week with the highlights being the accommodation, the styles, and a couple announcing their wedding next year – he is 76 and she is 74. U3A is not known as a matching organisation but we wish them well.

On the way back on Friday we stopped off at Bridgewater, Salford the latest RHS garden. They have taken on an old site of a mansion and estate which was crumbling away and renovated to a starting degree. There is a huge 11 acre walled garden and they are in the process of establishing a large Chinese garden. Most of the AGM vegetable trials are planned to be grown there but we only saw one small and not very impressive celeriac trial.

 

 

Kitchen Garden

 

 

Autumn colours in the Paradise Garden

 

 

Chinese Garden

 

 

Love

 

 

 

Mike & Kate