Kelbrook Moor

I thought I had done this walk previously about 4 years ago, before I started keeping a walking journal or blog.  I parked up in the village and set off up towards the track onto the moors.  I didn’t remember any of this walk – all I kept thinking was it was a very boggy moor so hopefully after a couple of dry weeks it wouldn’t be too bad today.  As I walked up the farm track nothing was ringing any bells for me.  

The track led through several rough pastures and by ditches and streams to eventually rise to Scald Bank and here it started to rain and went wrong as I just kept glancing quickly at the book to get the directions while trying to keep it dry. 

I dropped to the road too soon but came to the pub from the road instead of the moor.

 From behind the Black Lane Ends pub on the old Skipton-Colne turnpike road the path rose left to a stile in the wall ( I was back on track – right path and right direction and the rain was easing off).  The views were supposed to be Boulsworth Hill, Ingleborough, Penyghent, Buckden Pike and Great Whernside, not today unfortunately. 

I should have been able to see Earl Cragg at Cowling too and I couldn’t even see that. From here the paths and tracks eventually took me to Roger Moor – it was getting boggy, heathery and bulrushes were everywhere and I just kept my eyes on where I was putting my feet.  All the way round I had heard clay pigeon shooting and now as I dropped down off the moor I could see where the shooting was coming from. 

I definitely hadn’t done this walk before.  On cob lane I turned down and passed a large compound of old cars before turning right on a drive past a house into a field – from here it was a case of walking steadily down through fields back to Kelbrook village.

  A good walk but with the trailing about avoiding bogs on the moor the walk had been 5 ½ miles not the 4 ¾ the book said.  At least I was starting to dry out from the rain.

As an additional point when I got home I couldn’t find my glasses or case so assumed I must have lost them somewhere on the way round.  Anyway the next day – Sunday after my walk I decided to drive back to Kelbrook and make sure they weren’t on the verge where I’d parked.  Long shot I know, but guess what some kind person and picked them up and put them on some railings by the road.  I only spotted them on my way back to the car as I’d stopped looking in the verge and was looking up along the railings.  How lucky am I. 

Made a note in my book this is a summer walk it would just be too hard and wet and boggy in the winter months.