Our 1st walk of 2009 to CLAPHAM

Our first walks of the 2009 season will be to the rolling dales of North Yorkshire starting from Clapham a familiar venue last visited in May 2006

Clapham is situated at the base of Ingleborough mountain (one of Yorkshire's famous "Three Peaks" - Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen-y-ghent) and is a well known starting point for its ascent.

Running through the village is Clapham Beck. This is fed from Fell Beck which starts on the slopes of Ingleborough and sinks into Gaping Gill, England's highest waterfall, where Fell Beck drops 110 metres vertically down a pothole, and exits via Ingleborough Cave into Clapham Beck. The beck then feeds into the River Lune via the River Wenning. The beck is crossed by four bridges in the village (two footbridges: Brokken Bridge and Mafeking Bridge, and two road bridges).

Above the village is a man-made lake built and expanded in the 19th century. This provided pressure for the water turbines and the drinking water supply, while the outflow fed an artificial waterfall at the top of the village.

Clapham lies on the Craven fault zone. This is a complex geological fault which marks the division of the sandstone rocks of the Bowland area and the limestone of the Ingleborough area. However, the valley of Clapham Beck has cut through the limestone and into the underlying Ordovician basement. The basement rocks produces soils that are acid, and not alkaline like those on the limestone. This is beneficial to the many species of rhododendron that have been planted along Clapdale and which would suffer in alkaline soils.

More details of Clapham here

There will be 2/3 walks;

B Walk;

Leader; George Man

Distance approx 7.5 miles

Our route takes us up a track to Clapdale Farm then drops down a steep slope to the valley bottom path leading to Ingleborough Cave. We continue on this past the cave, then climb up a grassy slope to join Long Lane Track. From here we continue uphill to a cairn ( about 1300 Feet ) near Long Scar before walking down to Crummack Farm and a farm road leading to Austwick. Over a stile and a couple of fields we enter Austwick passing through the village to join a path across fields back to Clapham.

There are around a dozen stiles on this walk some easier to negotiate than others.

C Walk;

Leader; Alex Strathearn

Distance: 5.5miles

The walk to start the new season begins with a leisurely stroll through the attractive village of Clapham, crossing over 'Clapham Beck' by means of an ancient stone bridge, onwards passing the Church to approach the main entrance to Ingleborough Estate Nature Trail.

There is a small nominal charge of 60p required to enter the estate. A ticket machine at the entrance issues tickets accordingly, but unfortunately does not give change if a £1 coin is inserted.

The walk then begins to meander up the trail passing through woods and a most attractive lake towards Clapdale. On emerging from the woods we cross an old wooden bridge before ascending upwards onto Thwaite fells.

The walk then joins a bridleway with drystone walls on either side, with extensive views over this part of the North Yorkshire Moors. At some stage we will stop for lunch, and hopefully weather permitting admire the local scenery.

The walk continues onwards to reach the village of Austwick. After passing through the village we begin the final return section to Clapham passing over open fields. Since all the fields are separated by drystone walls, we have to negotiate some seven stiles. The final approach has a small section of mud to skirt around. We are now back in the coach park.

Some pictures taken on the C walk reckie


Waterfall at Clapham

Snowdrops

Photographs taken on the B Walk

View Album

Get your own

C Party Walk at Chipping

We set off at dawn = 8.00am!

2) It was cold on our arrival

Especially when locked out of the cafe (if you don't believe me look at the car!)

But once inside!!!

Still all good things must come to an end and we were there to walk and look at the views

It was even too cold for the ducks!

And so back to the warmth of the coach and a change of clothes as we sett off for the bar

before our fantastic meal @ The Dog & Partridge

followed by a return to the coach and a well deserved rest!!

New Year Walk and Festive Meal at Chipping

	Our next walk will be our New Year walk and festive meal at the 'Dog and Partridge near Chipping on Saturday January 10th. There will be two walks; led by George Mann Just Less than 5 Miles. Total ascent: 610ft Our walk today is mainly over farm roads and tracks as the underfoot conditions in the fields have been impossible with mud over the boot-tops. We leave the car park passing through the town joining the road to Legram Mill and turn off this to a farm road leading to Chipping Lawn Farm. We continue on to Park Gate then over fields to join a bridle path leading along to High Barn. This takes us on to the road leading to Burnslack which we follow down to another farm track to Windy Hill Farm, Birchen Lee Farm then back to Chipping Lawn Farm and retrace our route to the town car park with a healthy appetite for a sumptuous festive meal at the Dog and Partridge. C Walk led by Marion Young to follow the same route as in previous years If you have not already booked, contact Shirley ASAP. Welcome to Chipping
	Chipping is situated in the Ribble Valley on the edge of The Trough Of Bowland. A well kept secret to many, This picturesque Lancashire village has won a number of best kept village competitions over the years. The village is known to be at least 1,000 years old and is named in the Domesday book as 'Chippenden' the name coming from the medieval 'Chepyn' meaning market place. Chipping really thrived during the Industrial Revolution when there were seven mills located along Chipping Brook. Today only one survives the famous chairmaking factory of H.J.Berry where furniture has been designed and made since the 1890’s.
	The Trough Of Bowland is both a delight and a pleasure with its rolling pastures, working farmland and dense forestry. The area is classed as “an area of outstanding natural beauty” and it certainly lives up to expectation. The Forest of Bowland occupies most of the north east of Lancashire. It consists of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland. It's an attractive alternative to the overcrowded Lake District, and today this grouse moorland is also used for walking and cycling. The name 'forest' is used in its traditional sense of 'a royal hunting ground', and much of the land still belongs to the Crown. In the past wild boar, deer, wolves, wild cats and game roamed the forest. The origins of the name Bowland most likely came from the long-standing connection of the region with archery - the 'land of the bow'. Just to the North of the village the access areas of Clougha, Fair Snape, Wolf Fell and Saddle Fell have been opened up to the public by access agreements negotiated between Lancashire County Council and the owners. This means that over 3,260 acres of open country is now open to walkers. For more details about Chipping, click here

B Party Photographs

Llangollen Fell Club 08-11-2008 B Walk

What a Surprise!

Non of us expected good walking weather when we set off with rain on the windscreen and dull clouds, but a surprise was awaiting us. Granted it was still drizzling when we started our walks, both along the canal path, but before long it dried up and the sun kept on appearing, giving us good views and pleasant walking conditions except for one patch where the C party had to wade through mud.

A really pleasant day was had by all with some excellent refreshment stops back in Llangollen and an earlier start home at 4pm as everyone was ready by then.

Photographs of the walks will be posted soon.

Our next walk will be our New Year walk and festive meal at the 'Dog andPartridge in near Chipping on Saturday January 10th. If you have not already booked, contact Shirley ASAP as spaces are nearly gone.