Tuesday 23rd November 2021
Talbot Hill (Pennine Bridleway) SD 835 479 190m
Weets Hill (Pendle Way) SD 857 448 397m
Thornton Hall Farm, Thornton-in-Craven SD 897 480 195m
West of Chipping SD 606 431 197m
A more enjoyable day.
From the free car park in Gisburn a short but perilous one hundred yards up the pathless A682 took me to a tarmac farm lane.
From the farm a couple of fields on a public footpath and a short climb and I was at my first trig and then back to the car.
The Moorcock Inn south down the A682 is no longer, it has been taken over by Hamish’s Café and Bar. I parked on the car park and wanted to ask permission but nobody was about at 9:50 am until I attracted attention and entered for the best cup of coffee I have had for a while. I had a good welcome from Fiona the new owner and daughter of late father Hamish : read all about them HERE it is all very interesting and the café is certainly worth a visit and even a diversion if not too near - long may they reign.
A link path to the cul-de-sac road leading to Weets Hill starts from Hamish's leading uphill over fields to the road. and the edge of moorland. A short trek on the Pendle Way takes one to the summit of Weets Hill.
The majority of summits have some sort of 360 degree view but Weets seemed to have something extra. I had a strong sense of being at the centre of a huge circle with uninterrupted horizon all the way round. I was so taken with this sensation I took a full circle video - see below. There was a small commemorative plaque at the base of the trig pillar (see photo) but Internet failed to enlighten.. Twenty yards to the north a substantial bench stood above a grassy slope where half a dozen or so stone inscribed commemorative plaques rested where presumably ashes were deposited. I’ve not seen anything quite like that before on other summits.
Another drive and I was parking cheekily on the car park at Thornton-in-Craven golf club. A path passed by St. Mary's Church incorporating a massive cemetery. A descent into a cosy wooded valley with an old clapper bridge over the stream followed. I was then crossing and climbing the golf course on a path shown on the map but not apparent on the ground. The path emerged onto a steep pasture and climb up to the trig.
My chair came into action again and I sat in comfort with a ham sandwich and some potatoe salad left over from the day before. ‘Twas all comfort, the chair is becoming a valued item.
It was now decision time. I had only planned to visit these three but I was well ahead of schedule so sat- nav was instructed to take me to Chipping where an isolated trig stands to the west. It was only five minutes walk from the lane but it had to be done. I now only have six remaining.
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| Looking back into Gisburn on the way to the first trig |
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Gisburn trig. Sheep wondering about the approaching shambling figure. Having made their assessment they turned and fled. |
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| Early morning sun on distant hills, taken from the trig - worth enlarging with a click |
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Hamish's Café - worth a visit (Ex-Moorcock on the A682 south of Gisburn) |
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| On the way to Weets Hill |
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| Out onto Weets Hill's moorland at the end of the tarmac road, all on the Pendle Way |
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| Weets Hill trig, first sighting |
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| This embedded in the base of the trig |
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| See video above for the full pano. |
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| The bench below the summit with commemorative plaques In the grassy slope, not easy to see in the photo but there were about half a dozen |
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| Zoom to the cement works at Clitheroe |
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| On the way to St. Mary's Church and trig beyond at Thornton-in-Craven |
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| The pleasant dell with its clapper bridge |
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| Crossing the golf course. My trig is with the mast atop the distant hill |
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| Although this trig was only five minutes from the road near Chipping it provided this arty image - worth click to enlarge |
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I think the Hungry Trig Giant has passed by, or perhaps more mundanely another incompetent attempt to steal the bronze mounting in the top of the pillar    ------------------------------------------------- Anybody out there who may have used Anquet mapping after having used Memory Map? I would be interested to hear comments. |
That was a grand day out.
ReplyDeleteI remember Weets Hill as a good view point, but don't recollect the memorials.
Hamish's Café is of now on my list for a visit.
You made the best out of that shot of the trig point in a field near Chipping. I was probably cycling past at the time.
Get on with the next five, and I'll join you for a grand finale on Crookrise.
Nice day out and the weather looks ok too. Well done with the video and sorry I don't use Anquet. I use the OS.
ReplyDeleteBC- I'll look at my old climbing guide and see if there are any "moderates" at Crookrise.
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Alan R - I have not really fallen out with Memory Map, more with Windows 10 which is partitioned on my Mac using Parallels and is hardly used for anything else but MM but it does cause problems, especially if it closes down and has to be restarted. The Mac version of Memory Map has poor reviews so I do not see that as an option but I would dearly love to say goodbye to Windows 10.
Your last couple of walking posts have had the appendices 'plus 2' and 'plus 3'.
ReplyDeleteAre we next going to be treated to 'plus 4' with you in full regalia of plus fours, tartan socks, tweed jacket and deerstalker?
BC - More likely clad in MTP:
ReplyDelete"Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP)[1] is a camouflage pattern printed on equipment issued to British forces." (Attrib: Wiki.)
...and armed with military grade barbed wire cutters. Further research is needed for the lightweight collapsible step ladder.
Do you remember when I turned up in my new Dacia Estate car? (where and when?) Unknown to me, it was labelled MCV on the tailgate - you christened it Military Combat Vehicle. It was some time before I discovered it was a Maximum Capacity Vehicle.
ReplyDeleteBC - Here is the link:
ReplyDeletehttp://conradwalks.blogspot.com/search?q=Combat+Vehicle
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ReplyDeleteI was surprised to see these memorial tablets in such a spot - not by people scattering ashes there, but that they feel they have the right to lay claim, as it were, to the area and turn it into a virtual cemetery.
ReplyDeletePark seats, or trees in a public place, etc., maybe, but not in a wild and open place - where next - Ben Nevis - Scafell ?
Exceptionally, occasional memorials, for example the FRCC one on Great Gable and similar general 'public' tributes may be 'fine', but private ones - no.
Maybe even where someone 'fell' (literally or metaphorically) but not a private appropriation of the area and inevitable intrusion into the quiet personal and intimate thoughts of unknown others who visit and value the space and solitude of such places.
We all know that Wainwrights ashes were scattered near Innominate tarn, but no mark has been left to intrude on the personal experiences of others.
Otherwise, adopt the Wren's epitaph's approach !
gimmer - some similar thoughts passed through my mind when I came upon these memorials but this has obviously registered with you more forcibly and I agree with what you said. I remember something related on my walk from the Broads to the Lakes coming out of Bridlington - from my journal:
ReplyDelete29th June 2010
"Coming out of Bridlington toward the cliffs there is a line of seats along the path all with sea views. This line of seats extends for perhaps half a mile with seats at twenty foot intervals. All the seats are dedicated to loved ones who have passed away many with maudlin statements. I don't know how this is arranged but I found it a bit depressing."
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