Pendle Hill

I love this walk and I’ve been wanting to walk up Pendle Hill again for ages but the weather never seems right and it won’t be long before I’ll have missed my opportunity so today’s the day. Got over to Barley and as usual the car park was really busy.  Anyway I got togged up and set off. 

The path was straight forward up past Ogden Reservoir.  

Walking up here I remembered last time I came up here I went up the other side of the Reservoir and over to Newchurch, but when I’d looked back I’d seen walkers going up Pendle Hill on a pathway before the one I usually go up (which is the long spine of Pendle) so I thought I’d see if I could find this path.  As I turned off up a track to the top of a field I went through a stile, but once through there was no obvious trod or direction to go in. So I headed upwards and slightly left.  It was steep and at the top I couldn’t see any stile I turned left and eventually came to a gate.  I did not want to go all the way back down to the reservoir so over I went.  Now I was just going to keep heading up, it was tough going underfoot as it was really tussocky grass and every time I thought I was near the top when I got to the brow there in front of me was another climb up.  It was so steep in parts I was almost on all fours clambering up.  Eventually to my right I spotted a cluster of people – the top.  

There appeared a lone walker coming from my left and heading up towards them.  He was clearly on the proper path so I headed up to where he crossed past.  Once on the path it was so much easier walking.
It was pretty windy at the top and there were a large group of walkers around the trig point (never seen so many trekking poles).  The view was stunning I love it up here and today you could see for miles.

For the walk back I decided to try and find another way to the one I usually do which is down the steps.  By the time I get to the bottom my legs feel like jelly.  The plan was to walk back the way I had come to try to find the path I’d missed on the way up. I set off – but soon spotted a path that seemed to zig-zag down the hillside to eventually meet up with the bottom of the steps so that’s the way I decided to go. The path was fine until about half way down it turned into a scree run with a narrow gully.  There was nothing for it but to continue down slowly and gingerly.  Took me ages to get to the bottom but I finally made it. 

From there it was a straight path back to Barley passing some sheep shearing at a small farm on the way through the fields.

Brilliant afternoon walking.  One of my favourites – up there with Beamsley Beacon.  Its already on the list for next year.  A good six mile walk.