Good day for a walk yesterday so I togged up after lunch and set off via my usual escape up Westgate. I didn't have a plan as such for a route I just decided to see where took my fancy. I elected to pass Moorgate and go straight up Colne Road. I saw a bloke stood outside Bancroft looking a bit vexed and when I approached he asked me if I knew when the engine was next in steam! The gates were locked and I explained that the shed was shut for the duration due to Covid and he should check the trusts website or Facebook page for the current status. He thanked me for the information and I continued on up on to Manchester Road. I decided to go down Lane Bottom and on up the lane and out onto the heather moor. Once over the cattle grid in the bottom it's a nice steady climb up to the top of the lane.
I passed Quarry Cottage and the rest of the cluster of houses and it always reminds me that we looked at that site over 30 years ago with a view to buying it it when it was a cluster of derelict buildings and barns and we could have bought the whole job lot for £25,000. Four properties there now and the 25K would probably just about buy the large detached garage at the head of the lane, Oh well!
I climbed the steep banking and through the gate, I noticed the boat that used to be parked there had gone. Up and over the stile and out onto the heather moor. Steady climb up by the wall side then diagonally across the moor to the stile in the top corner. I had decided to go over to Higher View near the top of Folly and then probably over to Weet's summit via Duckpond and return via the ridge. I noticed that someone has installed a nice new access gate right in the corner directly next to the stile. It's a footpath style gate and has all its furniture and latching but the curious thing is it was locked with a padlock, can't figure that one out unless the gate is waiting for a spring closure mechanism or something. Its quite a high wall here over into the pasture, three steps up over and down. Not as easy as it used to be with drop foot, anyway I got over and made my way up the slight incline on the path heading for Higher View. What was waiting for me on the path ahead, Belted Galloways with calves at foot. I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and retreated back down to the negotiate the stile again. Plenty of alternative scope to continue my walk. You can see my reversal clearly on the trace of my route.
I retraced my steps to halfway back down the heather moor then crossed one of the feeder tributaries for Gillians beck and followed the path over to Lister Well Lane. I exited at the gate, I could go left or right here. Right would take me up and I could continue up to Prospect and Duckpond and rejoin the Weets Loop or I could carry straight on to Gisburn Track or I could go left at the top of the moor and return via Copy Nook and Salterforth. Lots to choose from, all those options would extend my walk to 6 or 7 miles. It was already 3.30pm so I decided to turn left down Lister Well and make another decision on my return route. I got to the bottom and contemplated going back over the field to Lane bottom then over to Folly via Lower Standridge but again that would make me late for my tea and I getting ready for it. I doglegged 50m down Manchester Road onto Hodge Lane, went to the end and on towards King Hill. I took the stile on the right though and came down the fields to Park Bridge on Kelbrook Road. Left here and back up into Barlick, when I got past the school and approaching the memorial Gardens I ran into Sally who was just setting off to stretch her legs after doing a stint in Bosom Friends charity shop. She was going down to Salterforth for a return via the canal. I came home and had a brew.
Nice day standard lightweight kit and plenty warm enough. A nice bit of cardio on the first part of this walk 4.3 miles and a 482ft climb through the heather to 1211ft nearly to the top of the moor if the Belted Galloways hadn't been in the way.
