~Three Walks in The Snow~
5th December 2010
My usual walking day, Saturday, was a huge disappointment with non-condusive weather. Up early on Sunday I was going to head for Pendle Hill, but it was not safe to move cars off the drive due to sheet ice on the avenue and whatever else on the roads to Barley. So instead I put the boots on and headed into town. Later in the day we went to Wycoller, even later I watched the setting sun.
Blue Tit
Scroll down for photos and a description of the day....
Clockhouse Avenue
The view from the bedroom window at 08:00hrs. The little bit of road you can see is coated with ice and the descent is about 1-in-6 at its steepest and not fit for cars in this condition. Boots on, I headed into town - can you see the valley mist in the distance, extending behind the first house on the right?
Hilary Street, Burnley
House clearances have improved the area. Hilary Street is all boarded up and must be next for the chop. You can see where I wanted to be!
Tunstill Street |
Pheasantford Street |
We had "civil disturbances" in June 2001, riots in any other language. Well-paid people wrote a report that cited people from different racial backgrounds were living "parallel" and "polarised" lives. We were at work in this area, known as Duke Bar. At the same time, pubs and cars were being torched not more than a quarter of a mile away. Surreal. It was decided to build big new super-schools and clear some of the old housing, to help reduce segregation. Will this solve the problem? Work it out for yourselves. *
Duke of York Pub, Burnley
Iconic, listed building - badly damaged in the riots, sorry - civil disturbances - currently unsold after at least one auction.
Bank Hall, Burnley
Former mining area, now an open parkland, the sun is rising.
Thompson Park, Burnley
The Mile Straight
Terraced Houses in Burnley Wood
Look at those frost-covered roofs! Any house without frost on the roof is either badly insulated or it's a cannabis farm.
Can you spot the Panoptican?
The Bus Station
End of Part One. Part Two involves a walk from Laneshawbridge to Wycoller
Snowy River Walk
Wycoller Fields
The Victorian Range at Wycoller Craft Centre
Robin at Wycoller
Wycoller Pack Horse Bridge
No report from Wycoller is complete without the obligatory photo of this bridge.
Another Wycoller Bridge
I had a look back at my walks from the last fifteen years and I can reveal that I've been to Wycoller 127 times since I started making notes and I'd been there a few times before that. Great place!
Karen in the fields
The view from Laneshawbridge to Wycoller
End of Part Two. Part Three was a 20 minute walk from home on to the fields behind our house to watch the sun setting.
Stanley Mill, Burnley
Burnley Sunset
The End
Well, I feel to have made the best of the day. If today had been yesterday, if you know what I mean, I'd have shown you some great photos from Lakeland. But, you can't have it always, or is that all ways??
Walkers: Karen (for Part Two) & Me
Time taken: Most of the Day
Weather and conditions: Sunny!
Greetings Count: No one on Part One; a good few during Part Two and just a couple during Part Three.
Richard's Refreshment Review: Pie and Peas in Wycoller Craft Centre. Were you paying attention, what was the price? A very nice tearoom with a good choice of snacks.
* Burnley has an impressive new College and University building for everyone, male and female, all creeds to use and enjoy. The old site has been converted to an Islamic Boarding School for Girls - so much for intergration, great work you well-paid suits.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2010 ©
Take me back to the start ....