Fat Goat Walks

Fat Goat Walks

It was some moments before I could compose myself and have a slurp of Ginger Ale and a chomp down at one of my rather drab Tesco Chicken Salad sandwiches. I took a number of photos but none of a decent enough quality to be able to discern which hilltops were which, the sky was a bit more hazy at this time and this did not lend itself to clear photography. The wind was beginning to get up a lot as well, the summit of Pendle is never a warm and welcoming place but the views on a very clear day are usually better than what I was experiencing I decided to head off in the direction of Boar Clough sticking to what I believe will be the walk of August 18th. Herein lay the problem, I have never descended Boar Clough only gone up it and from 180 degrees the route for me was indiscernible. The rule is generally ‘follow the cairns’ but as a power Nordic-walking couple passed by me I opted to follow them…this would prove to be a mistake as they disappeared into the distance and all that I could recognise was Fell Wood and a reservoir that I assumed to be the Upper Ogden Reservoir which turned out to be the lower one! The route which I had taken back was definitely not the Boar Clough route but it also was quite picturesque and something of a nice diversion – but by goodness was it steep??? At one point I passed by a sign which indicated I could go in one direction towards “Under Pendle” or the direction from which I had stumbled was “Ogden Hill” I recollected seeing this on o/s maps and it was on my “to-do” list – hurray an unexpected tick-off!An huge style had the potential of dividing me into two separate people (temporarily!) as I traversed it backwards, my right foot was searching for a step that it would never find but I did manage to keep my balance as I landed on my heels!

After descending some more and passing through a number of sheep-filled fields I finally hit tarmac no more that an hundred yards away from the path that starts out from Barley as the road Barley Green. This diversion had taken a mile off my journey and it was hard to be disappointed about that bonus! I stopped and chatted to two ladies whom asked me if I had been “up top, was it clear and had I managed to see Blackpool tower”? I replied that I had been at the top via the steps (which made then both ooohhhh and rub their thighs) and that with my eyesight I was lucky to have seen Ingleborough (I forgot to get a photo of that!). The drop down into Barley via the ever-improving Barley Green was sheer walker’s paradise and I made it with joy (the sensation – not a girl I had met!) at the car park and 11:47 – it had taken me just two hours and thirty something minutes to ascend and descend the toughest hill in Lancashire!

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Peak (Pendle) Practice

The sun was out and the sky was bluer than even I had wished, so it was off to the village of Barley on Saturday morning for a first ascension of the infamous “steps” since 2010. The reason why I had to go this way was/is because this is the route that I shall be following on the 18th of August when I do the Pendle Witch’s Walk and I didn’t want it to be a nasty shock for me on the day – it will be for anyone that has never encountered these steps prior to their particular ascension.

I arrived at Barley having taken primarily the A59 all the way up to and through Preston then taking the A671 just outside Wiswell up to the A6068 at Padiham where I headed past Higham and Fence before turning off at St Anne’s Drive then over Heights Road, Spenbrook Road through the centre of Newchurch and down Cross Lane, for some reason my sat nav had decided to send me to “Witches Galore” as opposed to Barley car park; but as I am now familiar with the area I made it to the the said car park for 9.00. At this time there were but four other cars here, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long.

The Pendle Inn with the Pendle view

By 9:15 I was walking onto Barley road and was greeted by this wonderful,if only slightly threatening distant view of the steps route that I would have to take today and on the 18th of August. I really could not have wished for better weather and made it a mission statement of the day to simply enjoy the walk in this lovely weather and to not attempt anything in the least bit heroic. As I ambled over one of the three wooden footbridges that I would traverse the realisation of just how noisy the sheep were today began to set in.

Stang Top Moor with Aitken Wood atop its' summit

With the sky being a nice summer blue – not so clear that the sun beats down on oneself and drains one’s energy, but blue enough to allow for some views that are not normally associated with this rain, cloud and generally grey hotspot. In the grand design of things it has to be said that Stang Top Moor is quite insubstantial, a joy to behold granted but not something that normally imprints itself in the psyche…until this day. Today I could scarcely keep my eyes off it and promised myself that I would return one day strictly with the intention of finding the elusive o/s trig point somewhere at the edge of the summit!

No slipping and sliding and jumping at Fell Wood today for me!

The section of the walk in-between Brown House and Pendle House is always a delight – even in much worse weather than to what I was being treated. Again I drank in the views, this time focusing on the generally ubiquitous and somewhat eerie Fell Wood. Having walked through this gloomy yet captivating little forest with its’ treacherous eastern footpath I was more than a tad relieved that today I didn’t have to skid and slide around that path and I wouldn’t be on edge wondering ‘what was that noise?’ emanating from practically every tree. From here on the walk took on a tougher tone as I traversed the field linking the two “houses” (Pendle and Brown). Soon I would be at the foot of the Barley steps and from there the walk would take on a more arduous character.

A four legged friend...

Only from some distance had I seen any other walkers – a group of sexagenarians, now as I neared the infamous steps more became apparent as they also tottered their way up the very steep slope, no photograph which I have taken highlights these unfortunate yet masochistic soles so you’ll have to take my word for it…I was not alone. For a moment or two as I dwelt on the threshold (or leaned on a gatepost) I was joined by a little companion who hobbled around searching for items unknown! The time for procrastination was over I now began my assault upon the steps…so from the bottom of the steps to the o/s column there would be no more photographs. At roughly half-way I decided to have a bit of a break for a few minutes. I sat on a rock and watched as others further back down the steps also appeared to be struggling. I waited a few more minutes and eventually invited a chap wearing a “Black Cat Brewery” t-shirt to “pull up a rock” as he also sounded ready for a break. We did the usual guy thing and talked about the toughest hills that we had climbed so far – his was Snowdon, mine was this! Some moments later his wife caught us up so I bid my farewell and shot up the rest of the slope with all the speed of…someone overweight walking up Pendle Hill!

By this time, probably over an hour into the walk; other walkers came into view or bounded up behind me including one family with a rather reluctant son who was being “encouraged” by his mum! This gave me the impetuous that I needed to dig a little deeper into my reserves, I was overtaken by a rather attractive girl and her boyfriend whom both smiled politely as they powered on passed me and at this point I gave way to the “encouraging” mother and her kin (including a dog). Very close to the apex of the path the “encouraging” mother and her family were also now sat on some rocks and after a brief conversation I carried on to the top also passing attractive couple who for some reason now at the other side of the style over which the path to Downham begins.

The march onto the summit now began as my pace seemed to pick itself up! I glanced over my shoulder to see who was right behind me and noticed with some dread that it was the attractive couple once more! They were physically fit, attractive, dressed in expensive-looking walking gear and spoke with accents that portrayed a certain social standing…but this was my walk, on my hill and I’d be damned if they were getting to the O/s trig column before me. I dug deep, then even deeper and finally after pretty much a three hundred yard jog…I reached the ordnance survey column first, put both hands upon it, thanked God, stumbled to one side and had a good coughing spree!

The Forest of Bowland Peaks

The Moss Reservoirs

The big cairn...with Spence Moor lurking behind!

An huge style had the potential of dividing me into two separate people (temporarily!) as I traversed it backwards, my right foot was searching for a step that it would never find but I did manage to keep my balance as I landed on my heels!

Quite a few more cars now.

Walking in aid of Pendle Hospice

August the 18th (a Saturday) this year marks the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch Trials. To commemorate this dark time in Lancashire’s history there will be a world-record-breaking sponsored walk up and over Pendle Hill in aid of Pendle Hospice.

I shall be taking part – although the jury is still out (so to speak) on what fancy-dress I’ll be adorning!

Here is the Just Giving web page that I have started off: https://www.justgiving.com/Mark-Wild0

You can donate by text now by sending a text with the code QDJP74 to 70070

example: To: 70070 QDJP74 £4

If you would like to know more about the event and a bit of the history of the place and past events surf on over to:http://www.pendlewitchwalk.co.uk

Here is what I believe will be the route; which drops down Boar Clough to head back down towards the Ogden Reservoirs and onto Barley Green, of course it is always possible that we shall drop slightly further south west passing Turn Head under the shadow of Black Hill before progressing to the Ogden Reservoirs. I’ll know for definite when the route is posted on the http://www.pendlewitchwalk.co.uk website.

Here is the Twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/pendlewitchwalk


View PWW Route in a larger map

My Episode on the Yorkshire Three Peaks

Who would have believed that after my banging on relentlessly about doing the “Yorkshire Three Peaks” since September 2009 that it would be so long after doing the event before I wrote some kind of report on it?

The perceptive reader would probably assume that I never completed the full challenge, and he’d be right. Sorry folks, this is something of an anti climax but owing to bad clothing choices – one football shirt and one cheap rainproof jacket, terrible weather conditions – oh how it rained relentlessly; and general state of ill-preperation, I got as far as Ribblehead and then caught the train back to Horton in Ribblesdale – looking rather worse for wear!

The walk itself started off bad for me as my worst fears were realised within ten minutes of the start. I had feared that my colleagues would set off at a blistering pace – blistering doesn’t even begin to describe it, there was simply no way that I could keep up and by Brackenbottom Farm I was lagging. By the time that I had reached the infamous 1900′ section (where the saxifrages decorate each late spring) I was on my own. A very kind-hearted colleague did keep holding back for me…then obviously he would set off again as soon as I caught up to him…how I remember now with a wry smile the countless times that I did this to Chris (my fianceé) on Pendle Hill, Catbells and Whernside last summer. Irony is a bitch when it comes back upon you!

It rained for most of the day and when the rain did subside the temperature dropped. I slipped and had my entire right hand side mud-kissed before we had even reached any of the two main moss sections: Red Moss and the notorious Black Dub Moss that as luck would have it were relatively incident free…for us. After some eight miles I decided to shed some excess, useless burdens – my Go-Outdoors walking poles. I had never attempted a walk using two poles prior to this day yet for some reason thought that two poles would give me an edge…maybe coming downhill – no, going uphill – no, on the flat – a resounding no! Thus the poles may now still reside on the right hand side of the road on the B6479 about 100 yards south of the “Fourth Peak” – the beverage and hot snacks van that parks in this vicinity on major three peak days.

In summing am I disappointed to have not completed the full challenge? Once again a resounding “YES” but at the same time I am not embittered, I vow to do the walk again next year – in August when even the wet weather should still be warm, and, there WILL be less of me there at that distant time. I have re-uptaken my urban walking with renewed vigour having clocked up 45 miles in the last three weeks – and this will be profoundly improved upon with the addition of another urban walk during the week and one rural walk at weekend. Further to this, I will try my best to visit the gymn at least once per week in order to do some treadmill miles (always the easiest miles) and with some good fortune I hope to get out and about on my bicycle at least once per week . I am hardly going to be in the house at all this summer!

Further Y3P training

Well, it’s been a while since I last did any blogs on here and it’s been longer still since I did any hill walking. The problem is that when you set yourself a challenge like doing the Yorkshire three peaks, one can be completely overwhelmed by the enormity of it and subsequently your body can find reasons for you to become irresolute and withdraw from the challenge.

I’m nearly there! recently I have done a bit of urban walking and my shins have felt like someone has used starch on them after only a mile or so. This can be the very start of a down spiral towards failure. It HAS to be combatted! This coming Saturday (weather permiting) I aim to do something about it by driving over to North Yorkshire and doing FOUR peaks.

No, I haven’t taken leave of my senses. I am not going to do all three and then one more for measure, I plan on doing the following:

The route is to go from the B6255 at Chapel le Dale, over Souther Scales to the top of Ingleborough, turn-around, come back down to Simon fell via the west ridge, up and over Park Fell, head for Ribblehead and join the three peaks route up and over Whernside. Then we would hit the B6255 again at Chapel le Dale.

From other walker’s blogs I gather that this route is something akin to 14.5 miles – my longest walk since being a little kid and those seemingly endless hikes over the Howgills that my headmaster used to inflict upon us on a yearly basis. So in a nutshell I am going to give myself NINE hours. If I can do this in that length of time then I think that in a month’s time I will be able to do the whole 25 mile, Yorkshire Three in-between twelve to fourteen hours. And that will be good enough for me…until next year when I shall do the whole thing in reverse starting at H.I.R and ascending Ingleborough first!

The Three Peaks of Yorkshire: I.T. Services Does the Yorks 3 Peaks

So, after successfully completing all three of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire, one per day, one in June, another in July and the final one in August, I pined away like someone lovestruck for another chance to be amongst the Ribblesdale mountains where the air is fresher, the grass somewhat greener and the weather altogether more dry than some other national parks in the north west of England that I could mention. A decision had to be made…not would I? When would I?

A few months after we had ascended Whernside and I bid a regrettable farewell to the area, I happend to mention at work my willingness to do the full challenge…but with others that I knew with me. For someone at my current physically declined level I sumised that I would be taking leave of my senses to do the walk alone. With others around me (whom I already knew) we would be able to spur each other on, plus it would be nice social occasion where we could discover a bit more about each other and ourselves (as anyone ascending Ingleborough from Chapel le Dale will concur, you find a lot out about yourself when first confronting “The Wall“.

I asked two of my colleagues at work if they both fancied coming along with me and to my astonishment they both agreed. I was to be further surprised the next day when I had sent my e-mail to the entire department and ultimately there were fourteen positives! Since then the number has dropped down again to 13 which might be perceived as the start of the bad omens – save for the fact that one team member has roped in her husband and sister – so no tridecaphobia as of yet!

At the time of this post I must admit to be somewhat apprehensive – I have not even begun serious training for what will be an extremely strenuous challenge – this is in part owing to ill health (two colds in January) and lethargy. Very shortly I will begin power walking around the neighbourhood, I don’t have a problem with the hills themselves as they hold no surprises for me and to be honest…none of them are as tough as Pendle Hill!

At the same time I would happily attempt the route at a fortnight’s notice, anything to be back in North Yorkshire would be fantastic. There are many things that I am looking forward to about the walk; the sense of comrardary and team bonding, the sense of trepidation on the morning of the walk, the (hopefully) sense of unbridled achievement upon successful completion and finally the main one for me: the views of Pendle Hill, Cross Fell and on a clear day even little old Parlick from atop of all three mountains. It’s going to be fantastic!

As a spin off from this event, we thought that it might be a great idea to do the whole thing in aid of Mountain Rescue of England and Wales. To sponsor us please visit the following site: http://www.justgiving.com/itservicesdoes3peaks

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Peak (Pendle) Practice

The sun was out and the sky was bluer than even I had wished, so it was off to the village of Barley on Saturday morning for a first ascension of the infamous “steps” since 2010. The reason why I had to go this way was/is because this is the route that I shall be following on the 18th of August when

Walking in aid of Pendle Hospice

August the 18th (a Saturday) this year marks the 400th anniversary of the Pendle Witch Trials. To commemorate this dark time in Lancashire’s history there will be a world-record-breaking sponsored walk up and over Pendle Hill in aid of Pendle Hospice.

My Episode on the Yorkshire Three Peaks

Who would have believed that after my banging on relentlessly about doing the “Yorkshire Three Peaks” since September 2009 that it would be so long after doing the event before I wrote some kind of report on it?

Further Y3P training

Well, it’s been a while since I last did any blogs on here and it’s been longer still since I did any hill walking. The problem is that when you set yourself a challenge like doing the Yorkshire three peaks, one can be completely overwhelmed by the enormity of it and subsequently your body can find

The Three Peaks of Yorkshire: I.T. Services Does the Yorks 3 Peaks

So, after successfully completing all three of the Three Peaks of Yorkshire, one per day, one in June, another in July and the final one in August, I pined away like someone lovestruck for another chance to be amongst the Ribblesdale mountains where the air is fresher, the grass somewhat greener and