Festive Walk and Meal at Chipping

This will take place on Saturday 7th January 2012

If you have not already booked your place, then please contact Shirley as soon as possible

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

November Walks from Uppermill [Oldham]

Due to an administration error[not of our doing] the coach did not arrive on the 12th November and thus the 'official walk' did not materialise, although some unofficial walks did take place around the lovely Formby sand dunes.
The walk to Uppermill has therefore been rescheduled to be our first walk of the 2012 season on Saturday 10th March 2012
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  Our first walk of the season will be in the delightful rolling hills of Saddleworth, an area of much community culture and friendly welcomes

Uppermill

near Oldham and will take place on 
 

Saturday 10th March 2012

0800hrs prompt from short stay car park in the village

The small town/large village of Uppermill is on the northeast side of Greater Manchester is a popular stop for visitors to nearby Saddleworth and has a growing number of craft shops, restaurants and cafes to cater to the tourist market. We last visited Uppermill in June 2008 [see the link to the right.

Saddleworth is a group of villages and Hamlets North East of Manchester, United Kingdom. The nearest town is Oldham in Lancashire  of which Saddleworth is currently a part of, although the popular tourist spot was once a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire  until about 1974.

Tucked away in a valley of the Pennines on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, it is in a most picturesque location on the high moorland. Once inhabited by the Romans, like many Lancashire towns it was the Industrial Revolution which had the most impact on the area, with the building of huge textile mills. The area also supported some quarrying and the Ladcaster and Den Quarries to the west of Uppermill are now designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest for their geological features.

One unique local sport played in Uppermill is “cobbling”. It involves a barrel of cobblestones, a closed road and a bag of cement. You will have to visit to find out more! 

More cultural activities are centered on the local Saddleworth Museum which highlights Roman activity in the area. The museum has a local art gallery exhibiting paintings of local landscapes, transport and industry in the area. The Brownhill Countryside Centre is a small museum aimed at educating children about local wildlife and has a lovely wildflower garden.

The canal which runs through the town offers many recreational pursuits. Traffic-free walks along the towpath, fishing and boating are just some of the rural pleasures to be enjoyed. The canal has a couple of locks to manage the inclines and there is an impressive viaduct which it passes beneath. 

Uppermill hosts a number of festivities each year, the highlight of which is the Saddleworth Folk Festival. The Brass Band Contest and the Beer Walk take place at the end of May and there is always a theme for the event.

More cultural in its origins is the Rushcart Festival at the end of August, when teams of Morrismen arrive from all over the country to compete in pulling a rushcart with a jockey sitting on top. The route takes them through the local villages of Saddleworth, Greenfield, Delph and Dobcross where the Morrismen stop and give a performance of their ancient English folk dancing. The following day there are gurning (face-pulling) contests, wrestling and worst singer competitions and a merry time is enjoyed by all! 

There will be two walks;

B Walk: led by Les Gibson
C Walk: led by Terry Simmons

Saddleworth is rolling countryside and valleys, so there will be plenty of 'ups and downs' giving variety and pleasure. Details of the walks will be posted here about 1 week beforehand.

The coach will park by the Swimming Baths just up the hill from the village centre, approx 10 minutes walk. The toilets are in the park at the centre of the village.

Information about the Huddersfield Canal. (The impossible Dream)



Weather Forecast for Oldham

Photographs from the Grasmere walks

A WALK

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Get your own

B WALK

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Get your own

C WALK

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Get your own

What the B Walkers should have seen

For those on the B walk who didn't get a clear picture of the views, although the swirling clouds where something to behold.
Click above to view the pictures

October Walks from Grasmere

Our next walking will be from a charming village right in the heart of the Lake District National Park in Cumbria, and was once the home of the famous poet William Wordsworth. Famous for Gingerbread and William Wordsworth, it has been a regular venue for the club because of its wonderful views, variety of walks shops and refreshment venues. It is

Grasmere

and will take place on

Saturday 8th October 2011

0800hrs prompt from short stay car park in the village

Helm Crag in Autumn

The village is on the river Rothay which flows into the lake Grasmere about 0.5 km to the south. The village is overlooked from the NW by the rocky hill of Helm Crag, popularly known as The Lion and the Lamb or the Old Lady at the Piano. These names are derived from the shape of rock formations on its summit, depending on which side you view it from.^[2]

A number of popular walks begin near the centre of the village, including the ascent of Helm Crag and a longer route up to Fairfield. The village is also on the route of Alfred Wainwright's Coast to Coast Walk.^[3]

Grasmere Village

The A591 connects Grasmere to the Vale of Keswick over Dunmail Raise to the north, and Ambleside to the south. In other directions, Grasmere is surrounded by high ground. To the west, a long ridge comes down from High Raise and contains the lesser heights of Blea RiggSilver How. To the east, Grasmere is bordered by the western ridge of the Fairfield horseshoe. and

For more details about Grasmere click here

5 day Weather Forecast for Grasmere here.

There will be three walks as follows;

A Walk led by Jenny Mathias

B Walk led by Beverley Kelly 

C Walk led by Alex Strathearn

Details added ,click on link to go to your walk or scroll down.

A Walk at Grasmere

Leader: Jenny Mathias

Distance: 9+ miles

Total Ascent/descent:2750ft

Probable Route [click to enlarge]

We will leave the car park and make our way through the village of Grasmere.  This ia your chance to assess the merits of the various watering holes for our return!  Taking the Easedale Road - hoping it doesn’t lull you into a false sense of comfort - for a mile or so before we start the zig zag climb up onto Helm Crag.  This is sometimes referred to as ‘The Lion and the Lamb” because of the rock structures.  On a clear day you can see as far as Morecambe Bay. 

 We will continue along the ridge over Gibson’s Knott, Pike of Carrs to Calf Crag - Part of the ‘Coast to Coast walk’ - before dropping down off the ridge. 

 We will then climb up onto Greenup Edge, the ridge dropping down into Borrowdale.

 

We will then begin our descent into Far Easdale back into Grasmere.

 

This quiet valley, little changed from Wordsworth’s day, a pleasant end to a fairly energetic walk.