~Pendle Hill & Weets Hill~
3rd January 2020
Molly on top of Weets Hill
Today, we started promptly with a familiar walk up Pendle Hill from the roadside. Later, we climbed Weets Hill from Barnoldswick.
Molly on top of Pendle Hill
The earlier walk started at 0750hrs and we headed up the steps to find ourselves ahead of sunsrise, so pottered about a bit and then I tried to get a silhouette photo of Molly at the trig point. This is the best of several attempts. I met a chap who is aiming to reach the summit 200 times this year...and this day he was on No.3. We agreed we would probably meet one another again this year.
Descent Route
Barnoldswick is about a 20 minute drive from the parking spot close to Pendle Hill.
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In Barnoldswick, as in many towns, you can play "Spot the Former Pub" and here I am looking at Helliwells Funeral Services. This used to be The Seven Stars. Something ironic about the pub that now offers a chapel of rest, drinking oneself into an early grave, perhaps. Bancroft Mill houses a working steam-powered mill engine!
Lister Well Road
I parked in the main car park in Barnoldswick which was formerly part of the railway station site. Lister Well Road is gained by walking up Manchester Road out of the town. The tarmac lane is only such for part of the way and then downgrades to concrete and hence a muddy track. Motorists are warned not to proceed without good purpose.
Prospect House
Lister Well Road
Gisburn Old Road
The end of Lister Well Road meets Gisburn Old Road.
Very Muddy
Parts of the walk across the moors is very muddy, used by cattle for some of the year and in quite a mess.
Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill comes into view over the other hills between today's two summits.
Gisburn Old Road
Quite a comfort reach a stretch of solid ground with Star Hall (I think) on the right. We are aiming for Weets House Farm up the winding road ahead. There we will take a footpath up to Weets Hill summit.
Weets Hill Farm
Molly on top of Weets Hill 1,302ft asl
Madam's first time up here and only my second - previously up here in July 2009. Unfortunately, a cloud came along and took the shine off the occasion. The views are fantastic up here and now we are going to head back down on a direct route to Barnoldswick.
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The path down is obvious and rather soft in places. Barnoldswick is nearly always in view and route finding easy.
Great North Air Ambulance
The helicopter prepares to land on sports fields close to the Rolls Royce factory in Barnoldswick. As far as I could tell there was no emergency, maybe dropping in see how the aircraft engines are made.
Folly Lane
Shortly we were back in Barnoldswick, finding a way through the streets back to the car.
The Weets Hill walk was about 6 miles long and involved nearly 900ft of ascent which is greater than the usual short route up Pendle Hill, which is about 730ft.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2020 ©
Take me back to the start ....