The Ribble Cycle Diaries

First Day of Autumn on the River Ribble

2008-09-21T21:00:00.004+01:00

It's the first day of autumn and already the chestnut leaves are turning gold and red, and looking truly gorgeous along the banks of the River Ribble...

... and not only has it finally stopped raining - now summer is officially over...

...we have some lovely sunshine! Better late than never, the summer weather has been awful for the second year running, but luckily for Ribblesiders the River Ribble takes all that rainwater safely out to sea.

The sun has timed itself well as it's harvest time on the new Country Park in Penwortham...

...and it's so beautiful down by the River in the autumn sunshine, and now the rain has stopped at last we can get out and enjoy it without having to drag on wellies and raincoats and huddle under umbrellas...

...although the Ribble always looks beautiful whatever the weather, its waters changing colour with the sky and the turning of the tide and the speed of the water's flow and the amount of silts it is carrying. Happy Autumn Ribbling!

you can contact us at ribblecyclediaries@tiscali.co.uk

New Wildlife Walks and Talks on the Ribble!

2008-09-02T13:35:00.002+01:00

This Wednesday 3rd September there is a Herbal Health Walk starting in Avenham Park, by the new Pavilion next to the River Ribble at 2pm.

"two lovely herbalists will be leading a walk to enjoy the fresh air and scenery and to look at some of the herbs that grow wild in the Avenham Park area and surrounding countryside".

Also, the Preston Birdwatching and Natural History Society have announced their new season of talks - many of which involve our Ribble wildlife!!

Check out their website for further details, and see Save The Ribble for the Ribble Wildlife talk listing in more detail!

You can contact us at ribblecyclediaries@tiscali.co.uk

Ribbleside Wildlife Walk with Preston Birdwatching & Natural History Society

2008-07-15T09:44:00.007+01:00

Calling all Ribblesiders - come and join the Preston Birdwatching & Natural History Society for a wildlife walk on Ribbleside...

The wildlife walk takes place on Monday 21st July and is an evening amble, so the perfect way to end your working day!

They will be leaving the Tram Bridge at 7pm, and then probably wandering through the trees to Vernon's Lodge area, part of the area that will constitute the new South Ribble Country Park.

The Preston Birdwatching & Natural History Society have a number of wildlife experts so they will be able to point out fascinating Ribbleside wildlife along the way.

- And it's free! They expect to be back by the River Ribble by 9.15pm at the latest, but anybody who needed an earlier finish could easily make their own way.

They leave promptly at 7pm, but probably wouldn't take a lot of finding - as they say they don't walk very fast!

Happy Ribbling!

You can contact us at ribblecyclediaries@tiscali.co.uk

Ribble Celebration - Country Park Walk on 18th May

2008-05-11T17:53:00.005+01:00

On Sunday 18th May Ribbleside residents will be walking the new South Ribble Country Park to celebrate its new designation.

Starting from the Tram Bridge across the River Ribble at 2pm, we will be walking around the area exploring a number of its fantastic natural habitats, including the River Ribble riverbanks, meadows, ancient woodlands, and Preston Junction Nature Reserve...

Some of the terrain is a little rough, and it does involve a couple of stiles and the occasional mud patch, so this particular walk is unsuitable for wheels - although you could still meet us on the Tram Bridge to join in the celebrations and then set off on your own wheely walk along the Riverside or the Old Tram Road!
Why miss out on a glorious May Day by the Ribble!

Click here for full details of the route etc!

You can contact me at ribblecyclediaries@tiscali.co.uk

River Ribble Pleasantries On Preston Guild Wheel Cycle Route

2008-05-02T22:43:00.010+01:00

Ben Robinson, Lancashire Evening Post Reporter, got on his bike to try out the proposed route for the Preston Guild Wheel Cycle Route, due to be launched for the next Preston Guild in 2012.
Ben clearly enjoyed the ride - and said that 'the most pleasant part of the ride is to the south, where it follows the banks of the River Ribble before emerging at Avenham & Miller Parks'.

The Guild Wheel Cycle Route is the idea of Peter Ward, former international cyclist, and it is being developed with the help of former Lancashire County Council cycling officer Mike Atkins (who is also involved with SUSTRANS and is working tirelessly to develop the Guild Wheel and other cycling projects in the Preston and South Ribble area).

Although most of the route already exists, and most of it will be "off-road", new improvements and links will see it forming a 21 mile circle around Preston, with "spoke" routes leading into the City centre too.

It will be great for cycling for pleasure, but also fantastic as a commuter route into and out of Preston.

It will link to numerous other cycle and walking routes, including the Ribble Way, and will link together five National Cycle Network (NCN) routes heading to the centre of Preston from Blackburn, Wigan, Southport, Blackpool, and Lancaster.

These and other cycle routes will form the ‘spokes’ of the Guild Wheel. Along the route, cyclists and walkers can visit the Docks, the Bull Nose, Lea, the Ribble Link, Cottam, Tanterton, Broughton, Haighton Top, Cow Hill, Red Scar, Boilton Wood, Brockholes, Fishwick, Frenchwood, Avenham & Miller Parks, and Broadgate, with a long section running along the north bank of the River Ribble.

As Mike Atkins says 'There are not many cities where you can go along the river without crossing traffic'.

There may also be an ‘inner wheel’, to the north of Preston, staying to the south of the M6 and M55.

We think it's a cracking idea!

On yer bike!

Garstang Cycling Club are riding the Guild Wheel on 3rd June!

Other news about forthcoming cycling strategies for Preston.

You can contact me at ribblecyclediaries@tiscali.co.uk

New Ribbleside Country Park Announced for South Ribble!

2008-04-17T22:31:00.009+01:00

South Ribble Borough Council have announced that the large stretch of Green Belt running alongside the River Ribble in Penwortham is to receive Country Park status.

Penwortham Green Belt next to the River Ribble in South Ribble.

This new South Ribble Country Park will run from Penwortham to Walton le Dale along the River Ribble, and will also incorporate a broad area running southwards to Lostock Hall, incorporating and expanding the Preston Junction Nature Reserve. This new Country Park also incorporates a significant stretch of the Internationally important intertidal zone of the River Ribble.

Designating this large swathe of the Ribble's Green Belt a Country Park will ensure this area is protected from development in the long term.

South Ribble Borough Council have also announced this week that the River Ribble's riverbanks and all Green Belt will be protected from development throughout South Ribble as part of the forthcoming Regional Spatial Strategy, due to be published later this year, thus ensuring these vitally important habitats are protected in the long term, whether inside or outside the new South Ribble Country Park area.

Of course, a Ribbleside Country Park, immediately opposite Avenham & Miller Parks in Preston and just 5 minutes walk from Preston city centre is not only fantastic for local communities both in Preston and South Ribble, but also for visitors, as this unique area can now become an official part of Britain's newest Regional Park, Ribble Coast & Wetlands, which extends all along the intertidal Ribble from the Irish Sea at Lytham and Southport into the centre of Preston and Penwortham and on to the new Brockholes Wetland.

And the new South Ribble Country Park is of course on the Ribble Way Long Distance Footpath, so will be a fabulous new facility for walkers and ramblers and cyclists exploring the River Ribble, from the Source to the Sea.

Long Live the Ribble - and Ribbleside Green spaces - Wild!

You can find out more about the new South Ribble Country Park designation here.

Find out more about the Ribble Coast & Wetlands Regional Park here.

You can read more about Sustainable Development and Wetlands here.

You can find out more about why the Ribble should hopefully be safe from a tidal barrage now here...

...but also why the River Ribble and its green spaces could still be under threat here.

You can contact me at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Midwinter's Day on the Ribble 2007

2008-01-01T11:55:00.000Z

Midwinter's day 2007, a hoary frost decorates the riverbanks and meadows and woodlands alongside the River Ribble...

...but the Ribble continues to ensure her wildlife survives, those intertidal mudflats replenished by every tide, every day, whatever the season and whatever the weather...

...our over-wintering Redshank joining the Mallards, Teal, Goosander, Moorhens, Lapwings, Cormorants, geese, and many other bird species feeding on the Ribble mudflats...

...and even the Mallard numbers are swelled by their cousins who migrate to the Ribble every winter from Iceland and beyond.

The view from the Old Tram Bridge linking Avenham & Miller Parks to the Penwortham Green Belt also attracts constant visitors whatever the season...

...as does the Old Tram Road itself.

The Heron's stream on the Penwortham Green Belt has solid sheets of ice clothing its banks as the receding tidal waters have frozen in sparkling sheets...

...and the hedgerows and meadows and scrubland are glorious in the wintry sunlight as the frost sparkles and glitters...

...giving old seed heads the aspect of exotic winter flowers...

...and highlighting the Holly with rimes of frost...

Yet signs of Spring are already unmistakeable, and absurdly early as the Willow catkin buds have already begun to emerge, their silken silvery sheen a strange echo of the frosted buds around them.

The hoary frost crunches underfoot on the meadows and riverbanks...

...glittering and sparkling in the Midwinter sunlight...

...and the autumn leaves rotting in the undergrowth give a new pleasure to the eye as they are highlighted by the thousands of perfect crystals which trace their veins and shapes anew...

And as the sun sets over the Ribble on the shortest day, the Herons soak up the weak wintry sunshine...

...and the River Ribble flows by, as she has always done...

Long Live the Ribble Wild!

Apologies if you are still waiting for further installments of our adventures walking The Ribble Way, but we've been very busy spending time by the Ribble and Saving The Ribble to Blog the Ribble! I will, however, get the next installment of our Ribble Way Adventures on here soon...

You can contact me at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

The Ribble Way Part 6: From Gisburn to Chatburn - Access Please!

2007-10-29T17:32:00.000Z

The next stage of our Ribble Way adventures take access issues to a whole new level. This is the section which was scandalously closed several years ago as the landowners decided they wanted us common folk to get orf their land. As a result, ordinary people are being excluded from a truly beautiful section of the River Ribble - a section which was open to all until that point.

We begin our day on The Ribble Way at Gisburn, where we left off the previous week, and the day is overcast and very hazy - long-distance views are romantically misty rather than sharp and clear - but it's warm and dry so a good day is promised for Ribbling once again!

After walking roughly north-westwards along Mill Lane from Gisburn for a few minutes, the Ribble Way moves back off the road below Coppy Hill. We were immediately met with one of the most unexpected forms of wildlife - Llamas!! The girls had a closer look but we all made sure we stayed more than spitting distance away...

...then we carried on through Coppice Farm...

and Higher Laithe and Wheatley...

...where the cows were curious but friendly!

As we emerged onto New Laithe the landscape opened out before us, the woodlands and hills through which the River Ribble wends its way are truly stunning, even in such misty conditions...

Here at New Laithe we spot a stile down to the River so decide to take a short detour...

...which was truly worthwhile, the Ribble passing through beautiful autumnal woodlands all along this stretch...
...and passing over mossy rocks and stones on its way...

...and we even catch the vibrant electric-blue flash of a Kingfisher flying swiftly downstream.

We decide to walk along the riverbank through the woods for as far as we can get, and there are some gorgeous trees along here...

...as well as diverse plants species thriving in this wet woodland...

...including a number of interesting funghi...

... although by far the most noticeable plant species are the various forms of lichen covering the trees...

...and the thick, rich mosses covering every possible space...

...in all sorts of strange forms!

There are also a number of other plant species thriving in the Ribble woodlands here, including Wood Sorrel...

...its bright, slightly hairy leaves as beautiful to see as the delicate pink flowers which appear in the Spring.

We climb back up away from the River and follow the Ribble Way once more as it continues along towards Steep Wood and Sawley, the sun shining more strongly now even though the haze is still lingering...

...and it's a comfortably warm day too so we enjoy it while we can!

Walking the Ribble Way from Wheatley down towards Steep Wood.
Once we reach Steep Wood, however, our enjoyment is somewhat blighted by the diversion away from the Ribble Way's true course for the rest of today's adventures.

Now we are forced away from the River Ribble, Cold Park Wood, Hartsails and Brownthwaite - right through to beyond Sawley Lodge, where we are once more "allowed" back onto the Ribble Way proper.

Of course, to make sure that we plebians stay orf their land, the conservation-conscious (not!) landowner has felled dozens of trees to block any attempts to continue through to Hartsails along the Ribble's banks...

So before we have to leave, we spend a while by the River Ribble, soaking up this peaceful, beautiful place...

...and Darren even walks to the centre of the river (well, it IS a ford here at Steep Wood!) so I give him the camera and he takes a couple of gorgeous shots upriver...

...and down, towards "the forbidden forest".
We eventually set off once more, forced to take the diversion up through Steep Wood...

...and it is VERY steep!!! It is quite a climb but there are steps easing the climb most of the way, and the woods themselves are interesting with the layers of bare rock which make this steep hill seen between the trees.

At the top of Steep Wood at Long Home Row, creaky dogs (and human backs) are tested once again as we have to lift the dog over yet another stile (although these sort are at least a million times easier to climb with dog-in-arms than the high up and over wall-ladder types).

There are a number of attractive autumnal trees up here on the hill...

...and a number of rather interesting plants and funghi - and no, we didn't pick any!

There are still good populations of insects busying themselves with the late flowering species...

...and beautiful scarlet rosehips and other berries decorating the hedgerows...

...and we pass Lesser Stirchwort...

...and Yarrow brightening the grasses...

...and up at Gisburn Cotes there is a lovely wild pond surrounded by many plants including Teasel, but even more unexpectedly...

Gisburn Henge!!!

The views from up above the Ribble floodplain are beautiful, even with the mist which doesn't really disappear all day...

Pendle Hill continues to mark our journey, as mysterious and imposing as ever.

After we reach Huggan Ing, just after Gisburn Cotes Hall, we take a diversion along the public footpath past Dockber Laithe down to the River Ribble at Hartsails to see if we can find a good place to stop for lunch - and reclaim a small portion of the Ribble if we can!

The girls can barely contain themselves at the thought of getting back down to the River Ribble-

- or was it just that it was time for lunch?!

But we didn't expect to be taking our lives in our hands as the public footpath, clearly marked on our map from Huggan Ing and Dockber Laithe to the River Ribble at Hartsails, has been converted into a scramble track and we had to run for safety as the bikes flew over the top of the slope and onto the area where the footpath should be and it was clearly too dangerous to stay on the path.

We walked instead in a westerly direction along the riverbank a few hundred yards...

...and as soon as we found a good spot well away from the line of the scramble track, which continues along the side of the river for a way, we settled ourselves on the bank just west of the fantastic craggy cliffs which rise from the Ribble at Bolton Hall Farm...

...where Muddy immediately re-introduces herself to the Ribble, while we munch our way through our sandwiches and flapjacks and enjoy the sounds of the Ribble's waters running by and the birds teittering in the beautiful Ribbleside woodland trees -

- although there are a number of regular interruptions to the tranquillity as the scramblers continue to enjoy themselves churning up the public footpath and riverside slopes.

After our picnic, we decide that we don't really want to run the gauntlet of motorbikes on the footpath back up to rejoin the diverted Ribble Way at Huggan Ing, but will walk west along the River Ribble as far as we can get...

...and a beautiful walk it is too, and we are re-annoyed about being excluded from this section of the River Ribble by the whims of landowners - and after only a few minutes we are greeted with the real in-yer-face evidence of this exclusion as we reach Hartsails Wood and the section to Sawley Lodge itself...

...and this time there is an impenetrable gate and deer fence so no chance of continuing any further on our way along the River Ribble, so we follow the line of the fence along to the east and south and climb a very steep hill indeed at the south-east corner of Hartsails Wood...

...which leaves us rather out of breath but able to admire the fabulous views of the Ribbleside woodlands, and the River Ribble's glorious valley, here looking towards Bolton-by-Bowland...

- although by the time we get to the top of the climb away from the River Ribble and Hartsails Wood, Carol decides the best view can be found by having a lie down for a few minutes...

We rejoin the Ribble Way here at New Laithe - a different New Laithe to the one we walked through earlier in the day - this second one roughly half way between Huggan Ing and Sawley Lodge, walking towards Sawley now and we eventually arrive at Sawley Lodge...

...and the end of the diversion away from the River Ribble between Sawley Lodge and Steep Wood.

We have only one thing to say to this enforced diversion - ACCESS PLEASE!!!

Back at the Ribble once more, the locals are unperturbed by the ban, free to make their way up and down the River Ribble past Sawley Lodge and through Cold Park Wood to Steep Wood as much as they please!

We stop for a while to admire the ducks and the views along the peaceful Ribble twards Sawley Bridge...

...and decide to take a voluntary diversion and have a look around at Sawley Abbey...

...before setting off on the Ribble Way towards Chatburn, here crossing Sawley Bridge...

...where the sunlight still manages to glint on the River Ribble's shining waters...

...and then walking downriver along the banks of the Ribble, vibrant with Shasta Daisies...

...and buttercups...

...and oxeye daisies...

...all of which seem to literally glow in the misty air...

...and Pendle Hill, as ever, forms a beautiful and enigmatic companion on our journey.

After walking along the road through Bank Bottom, Bank Top, and Foxley Bank, just west of Sawley, we turn south onto green fields falling gently back down to the river...

...passing Shaun the Sheep...

...and Shauna the Sheep, on our way!

Here below Foxley Bank at Fields House the Ribble Way rejoins the River Ribble once more, and the rest of our journey takes us across a beautiful misty landscape as dusk is falling...

...and we pass a number of other Ribblesiders out Ribbling.

The Ribble Way follows a flood defence bank some of the way from Fields House towards the Riverside Mill above Chatburn, and when we climb down to the River itself just above Chatburn, we can see the erosion the river is causing to the banks along here...

The light is fading fast now, and the sun is a hazy gold through the thickening autumn mist as it reflects itself in the gentle, clear waters of the River Ribble as it flows on its way...

...but it doesn't stop Hattie and Rachel taking the time to watch the fish rising...

...from the huge stone ramparts which were intended to protect the banks from being washed away by the Ribble's waters, but which have been left as a solitary causeway almost across a part of the river itself - but providing a great vantage point from which to watch the fish!

At last we reach Chatburn Bridge - just in time to see a Dipper emerge from the water and dart beneath us and the early bats flitting across the Ribble beneath the trees, but they are all far too quick to catch on camera!

Next time our adventures on The Ribble Way will take us from Chatburn to Mitton Bridge - snaking immediately alongside the River Ribble for most of the journey: just the way we Ribblesiders like it!

In the meantime, the Rambler's Association have a petition campaigning for this week's section - from Sawley Lodge to Steep Wood - to be re-opened, but getting hold of the petition to sign it may be difficult unless you know a Rambler near you!

However, Lancashire County Council are also attempting to get this section of the Ribble Way re-opened under a Creation Order and the Hyndburn Ramblers are urging everyone to write to the Chief Executive, Lancashire County Council, County Hall, Fishergate, Preston PR1 8XJ expressing your support for the Creation Order and your desire to see this path open again to all walkers. If you walked the path before it was lost, or if you led a walk along this riverbank, or if you want to walk along this riverbank again, or you just want to walk it for the first time then please write and tell LCC's Chief Exec. The more letters received the better. This is a campaign that everyone can join in and support.

See the side bar for more of our adventures Walking The Ribble Way.

You can contact me at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

Autumn Returns to the River Ribble

2007-10-22T10:01:00.000+01:00

Whilst we have been walking The Ribble Way over the past few weeks, we've also been spending as much time by the River Ribble in Penwortham and Preston too, and autumn has certainly arrived...

... as the trees are turning and the light is changing...

...and now low tides are bringing us the first echoing calls of the Redshank and Oystercatchers and other wading birds and wildfowl returning to the Broadgate mudflats for the Winter months...

On the Riverbanks the trees are turning, the berries are ripening, and the wildlife is getting ready for the cold months to come - the light on the River changes from day to day, the rich greens of the trees are now contrasting with every shade of red and gold - so go down to the Ribble and wander along its banks and through the meadows and woods and see for yourself!

The mudflats are bursting with wormcasts of the invertebrates which feed our fabulous Ribble birdlife...

...in abundant numbers!

Which is why low tides on the River Ribble bring us fabulous displays of birdlife...

... which we Ribblesiders will enjoy as much as the birds during the Autumn and Winter months. Wander along the River banks in Penwortham and Broadgate over the coming weeks, especially during low tide, and take a trip downriver to Marshside at least once this Winter to see the Ribble at its best.

Long Live The Ribble Wild!

If you were hoping for the next instalment of our Ribble Way adventures, don't despair, the next episode will be on the blog next week. In the meantime, you can read all about where we've been so far by clicking on the Ribble Way links on the side bar...

You can contact me at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk

The Ribble Way Part 5: Wigglesworth to Gisburn, from Rams to Deer, and Huge Improvements in Stile!

2007-10-09T14:26:00.000+01:00

It’s the last weekend in September, and we arrive back in Wigglesworth (having parked the lower car at Gisburn animal market) to glorious sunny weather and high hopes of more Ribble-dipping despite today’s part of the Ribble Way only passing next to the river on a couple of brief occasions. The lack of time actually spent by the river does get rather annoying at times when no good reason can be said to divert the route other than the whims of some landowners sending us over walls and fences and across fields away from the river, which add extra hassles and don't always offer fabulous views to compensate for it, which is a real shame as this is a spectacular area which we feel rather aggrieved at being prevented from roaming whither we will…

Whilst some of us do get a brief and rather shallow dip, we also fill our time with wandering around looking for the less-than-clear route, accusations of poaching, wading through fields recently sprayed with slurry, encountering every kind of animal from wide-headed rams to horses and pigs and birds and happily rather more laid-back Bovines than we’ve encountered in recent weeks…
…and we also enjoy a diversion from our route which brings us a breath-taking encounter with a deer, and later enjoy what must be one of the most beautiful views over the River Ribble we’ve seen so far…

First of all, we head back through Wigglesworth Hall Farm on the permissive path down from the village to find the Ribble Way once more...

...which shows us the last glimpses of Pen-y-ghent we're likely to see.
You can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them...
The wide-headed rams who saw us off the premises last week are still keen to show us who’s boss…

…and we pause to consider whether their unusually wide heads might in some ways be a necessary counter-weight to other parts of their anatomy…

Once we turn right/due East below the farm onto the Ribble Way once more, we soon reach Wigglesworth Beck where there is some confusion regarding the route.

We know not to cross the bridge as the Ribble Way runs along the south bank of Wigglesworth Beck, but there is a wire fence into a field as one option, following the Beck eastwards towards its meeting with the Ribble, and there is also a wooden fence over to the Beck itself, but no stile or gate onto either route to make it clear which we are supposed to follow…

So we decide that the wooden fence must denote the route, so shove the dog beneath a gap into the Beck itself then climbed over the fence and called her round to the bank again.
After setting off alongside the Beck...

...and seeing the work which has been taking place here to reduce bankside erosion, we decide we are in danger of damaging the new grass planted on the bankside matting and, looking ahead as far as we can see around the curve of the Beck, we can see no stile showing this is the correct route but what looks like might be a stile from further along in the field running next to us into the next field along.

So we retrace our steps back to the bridge, climb back over the wooden fence (& shove the dog back into the Beck) and then we climb over the barbed wire fence to walk along in the field itself.

As we approach the far end of the field and can confirm the stile we thought we could see, it becomes obvious that this was the right decision...

...and as the stile is quite a low one, the dog manages pretty well. A stile or gate at the entrance onto the Ribble Way into this field in the first place at Wigglesworth Hall Farm would have saved alot of hassle, and been much easier to get ourselves over as we had to lift children and dog and ourselves over a barbed-wire topped fence where there should really be a stile onto the correct route, ensuring all necessary appendages remained attached and unbarbed without too much difficulty.

Walking along the valley from Wigglesworth Hall to Cow Bridge we find the weather, the views, and the walk are all really lovely - and we even get a good long look at a beautiful electric blue Kingfisher as he shoots out beneath the bank of the Beck and flies right past us upstream…

Wigglesworth Beck from the right side of the fence...

Long Preston and a brief glimpse of the River Ribble below...

Wigglesworth Beck looking upstream back towards the Farm, the Kingfisher having whizzed past us upstream far faster than my trigger finger...

Stunning views across the Ribble valley... could this be the last view of Ingleborough as we head further down the Ribble Way?

The upland floodplain below Long Preston is an important wetland habitat...

...but also has signs of an English autumn alongside the last vestiges of summer...

...with summer grasses in seed...

...late summer flowers...

...such as buttercups...

...and water forget-me-nots...

...and the bright red berries in the hedgerows.

Along this stretch we actually come across an opening gate, which pleases us and the dog alot!

...but it isn't long before we encounter our more usual kinds of stile...

...where normal service is resumed, poor Muddy alternately hauled over, through, and under various fences and stiles...

After walking along the raised bank path above the marshy wetlands which run back from the Ribble floodplain here below Long Preston, we eventually meet the Ribble itself…

River Ribble just above Cow Bridge, looking upriver towards Long Preston Deeps.

Today’s stretch of the Ribble Way only allows proper access to the river here as it runs towards Cow Bridge: any other contact between footpath and river along the Ribble Way between Wigglesworth and Gisburn is restricted to crossing the river over Paythorne Bridge. As it turns out, we do get to see a little more of the Ribble before the day is finished...

In the meantime, this is our first contact with the River Ribble today and Muddy doesn’t need any other encouragement than seeing the river –

- and Darren isn’t far behind her!

I actually brought my swimming gear this week, as has Chris, but it just doesn’t look deep enough to actually swim! Darren wades under the bridge and attempts a brief swim against the flow but confirms it’s really too shallow, so gets out again.

Much to Muddy's disappointment!

Nonetheless, I’m raring to go now so we walk back upriver a short distance as I’m determined to give it a go if possible and it does look a little deeper here. The girls have beaten me to it and are already in there paddling but get out straight away because the stones are too slippery; the dog tries to swim out after them in a straight line but nearly gets washed downstream with the strength of the flow; so I put my boots back on and mull it over while we sit on the banks of the Ribble with a slice of home-made Pennine honey and Yorkshire butter flapjack and a drink of water listening to the River passing by...

After a while lounging by the water, our decision not to linger any longer is made when a bloke comes charging down the path from Cow Bridge to see if we’re poaching!

We explain we’re just enjoying spending a while by the river during our walk, and assure him that we have no intention of poaching the Salmon or putting them off breeding (although given the state of my feet it’s perhaps as well these stayed out of the river!) and we set off on our way again.

On the road just up from Cow Bridge, the Ribble Way takes a left/Southerly turn along Todmanshaw Lane to follow a route well away from the river for pretty much most of the journey apart from the bridge at Paythorne. Grumbling amongst ourselves at the presumption that we're sitting by the River so must be poaching, and that we're having to leave the river behind us for the rest of today's walk, we are cheered up by a gorgeous dapple grey horse which sticks its head over the fence for a fuss. After scoffing both of the girls’ apples, the horse neighs and whinnies at us as to return with the rest of our picnic as we walk up towards Todmanshaw and New Laithe and Deep Dale...

As we reach Deep Dale Wood, the Ribble Way passes into a field full of fabulous pigs who take it in turns to either ignore us as they snort and rummage in the earth or mob us for snacks.

We refuse to give in to even the most pigletish appeals...

...and leaving the Deep Dale midfield to it, we pass through to the next field. As we stand to admire the view (and try to ignore the stink of the freshly-sprayed slurry on the field), we see a deer by the edge of the wood. We walk towards her slowly and then stand close enough to watch her as she becomes aware of us and stops what she is doing to watch us.

You can click on the picture to enlarge it
There passes a truly delightful few minutes where we watch her watching us, with no sounds but the breeze in the trees and the birds singing in the woods. After a few minutes, another deer walks into view along the edge of the Wood towards the first one. She walks towards the second deer and lets him know we are there, then they both set off across the field at a fabulously graceful speed and out of sight. Fantastic.

As we are close to Deep Dale Wood by now, we decide to walk towards the brow of the hill to see if we can see the river below. At the edge of the woods is a stile so we decide to see if we can get down to the river through the Wood. This is indeed possible, so we take an unexpected diversion down through Deep Dale Wood – and a beautiful woodland it is too -

- and eat our picnic by the flow of the Ribble and watch the huge salmon jumping in the pools further upstream...

After our lunch, we walk back up through Deep Dale Wood and rejoin the Ribble Way as it passes in a South-Easterly direction from the Wood to Middle Laith. (Our unexpectedly beautiful sojourn at Deep Dale must have been a good omen as our trip to the other Deepdale just 2 days later saw a 5-1 win over Southampton!)

The route may be somewhat strong in the olfactory department, due to the slurry-spreading, but it is nonetheless made infinitely more pleasurable by the views and the fauna and flora we pass by on our way...

...from autumn tints in the trees...

...to upland wetlands...

...and funghi...

...Red Campion...

...bees still busy storing for the coming winter...

...and Lapwings sweeping gloriously across the fields.

The Ribble Way just before Middle Laith has been diverted but it took us a good deal of wandering about to find the correct route: now, instead of passing to the right/South of Middle Laith Farm, the path follows the hedge towards the left/Northern edge of the farm, passing through two good accessible kissing gates to the North then the South-East of the farm and onto Brook Lane.

What a real pleasure NOT having to haul the dog and ourselves over steep wall stiles or barbed wire fences!

Brook Lane on the Ribble Way at Low Scale.

The views from the Ribble Way between Middle Laith and Ged Beck Laith, passing Halton West along the way, are fabulous...

Pendle Hill creeping ever nearer...

...and the local residents are always as interested in us as we are in them -

- sometimes alot more friendly than we have experienced in previous weeks on the Ribble Way too!

At Halton West, the Ribble Way passes along the road for a few dozen yards to the West before turning South again towards Ged Beck Laithe.

This next section, between the road through Halton West and reaching Ged Beck Moor, again involves a good deal of wandering around trying to find the right way, which is really annoying. Consulting the map in minute detail eventually gets us in the right places, but there are few if any markers (apart from one very unhelpfully situated on a fence pointing vaguely towards a corner of a field where there is no means of exit), the gates we do have to pass through do not open, nor are there any stiles, nor any way of passing the dog beneath the gate, so we have to resort to climbing & lifting dogs & children over as usual.

After crossing the first footbridge over Ged Beck, we cross a dilapidated old footbridge and force open a gate which has clearly not been opened for centuries before we realise the second footbridge we need to cross is back in the field we've just left but further round the Beck... where all the cows are... so we negotiate our way through the inquisitive cows - who suddenly set off at a rather alarming gallop but luckily in the opposite direction to ourselves - and we then try to avoid the boggiest of the bogs and cross the second footbridge onto Ged Beck Moor...

Once we have crossed the second footbridge, we then find ourselves wandering in a hopeful direction across to Paythorne Moor – and wading through yet another field of slurry which leads to a comment about the problems of access to the Ribble when instead of being allowed to walk alongside a beautiful, clean, bubbling river we are forced to wade through fields of dung...

After a hopeful wander in what the map suggests might be a good direction, we suddenly spot a way off Paythorne Moor, and find that the next series of fence boundaries are marked by NEW gates – which OPEN and everything! There are Ribble Way markers in all the right places, and a much easier route to get us down to Paythorne village. Have we passed into Lancashire perchance?

We find to our great relief that this much-improved access pretty much continues for most of the rest of today's journey. It will be interesting to see if access problems become less of an irritation over the coming weeks too…

After a very pleasant and easy walk down to Paythorne, we reluctantly resist the very appealing-looking pub which faces the spot where the Ribble Way emerges onto the road through the village, turn left/south-east, and walk down to Paythorne Bridge.
Unfortunately, this is the point where my camera has suddenly re-set itself to taking super-megabyte photos which I have reduced as much as possible on my trusty old pc but will still take an AGE to upload onto the blog, so you will have to content yourselves with a few brief glimpses of the rest of our day on the Ribble Way - and I strongly urge you to go and see Paythorne Bridge and Castle Haugh (between Paythorne Bridge and Gisburn) for yourselves!

Paythorne Bridge is a very attractive stone bridge across a slow meander of the River Ribble, and we pause for a while, leaning over to watch the Ribble lazily wending her way beneath us…

…and on downstream to Gisburn.

Here we have a decision to make: do we stay on the Ribble Way to Gisburn, or do we take a significant diversion?

Here at Paythorne Bridge, the Ribble Way leaves the road at the southern corner of Paythorne Bridge and moves in a southerly direction across Castle Haugh Hill (all well and good) but then meets the A682 then the A59 for about a mile and a half into Gisburn. It isn’t clear from the map whether the Ribble Way runs alongside these busy roads or along the road itself and none of us fancy walking along these roads as they’re very busy indeed. Either way, it will certainly be a lot noisier and a lot less pleasant.

We study the map and debate whether to leave the Ribble Way to its southern run altogether and follow the public footpath which runs across the north side of the Ribble. This sets off in a westerly direction from the north side of Paythorne Bridge across Bank Close Laith, then turns south-west & then full south towards Gisburn on the north/west side of the Ribble, crossing through Moor House Farm and Windy Pike on the way, and entering Gisburn over Gisburn Bridge.

But as we have set out to walk the Ribble Way, we are keen to continue to do so, and a good look at the map reveals a potential compromise: we could follow the Ribble Way from Paythorne Bridge and along the A682 for about half a mile then turn right/west and follow the public bridle path across Stock Beck and through Gisburne Park to Gisburn Bridge.
This would allow us to avoid walking along the A682 all the way into Gisburn – and avoid having to walk along the A59 at all – as well as allowing us an added glimpse of the Ribble at Gisburn Bridge whilst still following the Ribble Way across Castle Haugh and Castle Haugh Hill. This we decided to do – and were we glad we did. Castle Haugh is NOT to be missed!

From Paythorne Bridge, the Ribble Way passes through the woods next to the River, climbing all the while up towards Castle Haugh. The woods soon thin out and we had a brilliant view across towards the west as we climbed. Before you pass through the top gate onto Castle Haugh Hill and the last field before the A682, you really must walk over the brow of the hill towards the river and take stock of this glorious view.

The Ribble here curves in a delightful horseshoe bend just below Castle Haugh (presumably the site of an ancient settlement), and we sat down for a good while admiring the fantastic view of the river and woodlands and the landscape beyond which opened out in front of us.

The sun was also getting quite low on the horizon, and was lighting up the clouds in a deep golden glow - but I'm afraid you will have to content yourself with imagining how this looked - and go and see for yourself.

After relaxing over the fabulous view, we set off back to the top/southern corner of the field, and head down towards the A682. As we meet the road (roaring with traffic), we find that most of the time the Ribble Way runs along the roadside edge of the fields themselves, only a small part so far is on the grass verge of the road itself. Nonetheless, we continue with our planned diversion through Gisburne Park, taking the entrance to the bridleway as it heads off the Ribble Way to the right/west at Little Painey, some yards after a huge bunker-like storage unit by the road.

The bridleway passes into the woods at Gisburne Park, and the evidence of pheasant and grouse-rearing is very noisily everywhere. The path crosses Stock Beck on a lovely stone bridge, and the path eventually passes Gisburne Park hall (now a hospital) on the right, a very impressive Austen-esque building. The path eventually arrives at Gisburn Bridge, and again we while away a time on the bridge watching the Ribble go by before heading south and south-east down the road to Gisburn and the end of today’s Ribble Way adventures. We walked about 8 and a half miles today and had a great day with some really fantastic moments.

Next week we will be walking the Ribble Way from Gisburn to Chatburn, taking in as much of the River Ribble as we can manage – but as the Ribble Way has been diverted in recent years due to the sensitive and thoughtful generosity of the landowner between Steep Wood and Sawley Lodge who has erected a deer fence across this public right of way to prevent public access and set up get orf signs all across this beautiful section of the Ribble Way, we will be forced to divert our walk over hills and dales and fields and fences, following the new Ribble Way diversion and otherwise…

You can read more of our Ribble Way adventures by clicking on these links:
The Ribble Way
Part 1, searching for the source of the River Ribble;
Part 2, playing spot the Ribble from Ribblehead and Gearstones to Horton;
Part 3, Horton to Stainforth - Dry-Ski slopes and a swim at Selside;
Part 4, Stainforth to Wigglesworth, a good soaking.

You can contact me at savetheribble@tiscali.co.uk