BRONTE WAY 2

Bronte Way, Day 2 - Thursden to near Haworth - Sunday 20th May 2018

A couple of hours driving from Longridge to the other side of Ponden reservoir near Haworth, and then back to Thursden where we left off yesterday evening had us walking by 9:55am.

Within a few hundred yards we had lost the path climbing up a steep, nettly, scrubby hillside and then straddling a barbed wire fence (small tear on my shorts) to gain the tarmac road, and then the old drovers road over Boulsworth Moor.

We came across a strange stone arch just off the track with little other evidence of the rest of the building for which it must have provided an imposing entrance. Googling later from home I found the following from a blog by Jimmy Lenman - you might like to browse his blog and website from the link below.  Jimmy is a serious academic - it's interesting how one thing leads to another:

PROFESSOR JAMES WILLIAM LENMAN B.A., M. Phil., Ph.D.

AREAS OF SPECIALISATION

Ethics, Metaethics, Philosophy of Action

AREAS OF COMPETENCE

Epistemology, Political Philosophy, History of Philosophy – Early Modern, Plato

The arch is apparently The Doorway to Pendle - see my photo in the slideshow (link below) and this extract from Jimmy's blog:

https://www.jimmylenman.com/stravaiging/87-boulsworth-hill-and-extwistle-moor19th-march-2016
"On the way here the track passes the strange arch known as the Doorway to Pendle which consists of the doorway, and only the doorway, of an old farmhouse built in 1672 and now, saving only the doorway, quite vanished..."

We were now being passed by occasional mountain bikers. The sun was hotter than yesterday and I was perspiring profusely with sweat running into my eyes, but the scenery was stunning with expansive moorland views with curlews and lapwings calling.

We saw a group of imposing boulders high up on our left, Deerstones I think. BC had to be restrained from romping up there.

I have never visited Wycoller and BC was keen for me to do so and we diverted accordingly. It was certainly worthwhile. Wycoller Hall, now ruined is the main feature. This village was allowed to crumble into obscurity, but has been restored in recent times; it is not accessible by car, but it still attracts many people and certainly worth a visit. There is lots of history and information which would make this post far too long, but Google as you wish. 

Walking up the the sun dappled, tree lined lane out of Wycoller we spied crags high up on the left and Foster's Leap, another of BC's bouldering venues. 

I culled a bit of info, from this blog: 
https://crosbyman66.wordpress.com/2014/04/19/the-atom-at-wycoller/

"It is believed that in 1714 Foster Cunliffe made the daring leap from the cliff to the top of the rocky outcrop. "

It looks suicidal to me. See the photos in the slideshow (link below.)

At Water Sheddles reservoir (OS spells it as two words on 1:50 and one on 1:25) we rested and had our second snack which was just as well.

After the reservoir the Bronte Way descended into a delightful steep sided ravine running parallel with the road, but completely belying the existence of anything man made anywhere near. Although it was a magical spot from here to Old Snap farm the going was hard on a rocky narrow up and own path, partly on the steep banking and then descending to and ascending from the stream.

We again lost the path above Ponden reservoir, and although only briefly lost, it involved an incredibly steep grass ascent to get back on again and I was pretty whacked at that point with the heat of the day being a major factor, but it was not far now to where we had parked the car.

At the start of Day 1 I said it would interesting to see how I coped with two successive days of nine miles. Both days involved a lot of ascent and some hard going, and in high temperatures particularly on Day 2. I felt fine at the end of Day 1, but was very tired at the end of Day 2 and it is obvious to me that I need more training before embarking on multi-day walks again. Having said this the Bronte Way, so far, has been an excellent and varied walk, and the weather was kind but a bit too warm on Day 2. The company was superb.

Apologies for poor map quality - best I could do.

CLICK HERE for slideshow

CLICK ON FIRST THUMBNAIL, THEN ON DOUBLE ARROW AT BOTTOM TO SEE FULL SCREEN WITH BLACK BACKGROUND