So I come to the last of our summer hikes, this one happened on the 12th July 2018. It seems so long ago now. The weather doesn't look so nice but it was hot, believe me it was.. for England.
Here’s the iFootpath link for it:
https://www.ifootpath.com/display-ifootpath-walk?walkID=3202
Five or six miles is decent walk, and if it’s hot and muggy it can get uncomfortable if you don’t take some water with you. We did but in this case fly spray might have been better.
A 5.5 mile circular walk through the spectacular Ribble Valley in the Forest of Bowland. The walk starts and finishes on Avenue Road. The route takes in the riverside path alongside the Ribble plus the surrounding fields and tracks. There are beautiful views throughout as you take in this peaceful and tranquil setting which, some speculate, could have been Tolkien’s inspiration for the Shires in the Lord of the Rings novels.
Hurst Green is a sleepy village famous to us only for a lovely café that we used to regularly frequent. We don’t go so often now but it will eventually get into the @tasteem incentive for the weekly contest.
After exiting the urban areas of the village, a well trodden path led the way into a densely wooded area. This would be really muddy if it was wet, but the summer was so dry there weren’t any problems such as this.
Crossing this bridge brought us into a more open area and a lazy walk on the side of the River Ribble.
There was no crossing the river at this point unless you wanted to do a balancing act on this green pipe that sits on the bridge. Some metal fencing had been placed in a half-hearted attempt to deter prospective circus performers.
These cows were in deep discussion about something or other, but largely ignored us. One however was making a poor attempt a guarding the way. They are really nosey creatures but back off when approached.
Red wild flowers were growing in abundance, I don’t know what they are called.
Somewhere at this point, a horsefly took a huge interest in @bingbabe and just wouldn’t take any hints despite several expletives directed toward it. These insects have a bite, and you really want to keep away from them if possible.
Running down this enormous field (cover photo) seemed to get rid of the pesky insect. No fly spray when you need it!
So this is where Tolkien found his inspiration for Lord of the Rings? It really is a calming peaceful place if nothing else. This wierd looking tree does reminds me of Hobbits somehow.
I didn’t see the piggery but there’s one around here somewhere. It was very overgrown in this area and the business might well have gone 'belly up'.
This tree looked good for photographs and who else to pose but Mrs Big Grin herself. I could have taken photographs for hours and she would continue to sit there and take it.
Yes, we really are in Hobbit country, just look at the signs.
Some walking was tricky; these large bricks are not the best thing to track over. Fortunately only a short part of the road was like this.
At the end of this long lane is Stonyhurst Collage. It’s quite a prestigious place to send your kids too.
I couldn’t resist a little peek inside the ground as it was closed for summer.
There’s supposedly a lunatic asylum close by but I can’t seem to find any record of it. Many have been closed down now; this is a possible UrbEx location if I can find the damn thing.
The walk was almost finished, but we went through one more field that had lots of sheep hugging the trees. The sun wasn’t really strong that day and it was cloudy and yet they were all doing this collective tree hugging exercise.
My feet were hurting a little by the end of this one. It was longer than usual, though small fry for @bingbabe who runs more than this every day.
This walk a nice jaunt through the Tolkien backwoods, but try as I might I saw no hobbits.
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What an interesting walk @slobberchops! Love the mystery...trying to find the asylum, wonder why it's not on any maps? That piggery that looks overgrown and abandoned must have been hustling and bustling once upon a time not so! Lovely photos too!
The path on Hobbit hill looked a bit treacherous indeed. Must be the remnants of old hobbit homes that got demolished ;- )
Awesome pictures, perfect combination of both vast landscapes and interesting structures (like those two bridges).
LOL, it could be. That road was next to a regular road. Someone had dumped all that stone junk on to the path or something.
What a great hike! I can't believe how narrow that little bridge is. hehe. I don't know if I could walk down it going straight.
Very nice. You can really tell by the grass in the first picture how hot it must have been for you guys this Summer. My lawn usually gets like that around the beginning of August when we don't get a lot of rain. The wooded area of this hike looked really cool.
Looks like a great hike! I totally would have been out there doing the circus act on that green pipe. lol! Those red flowers are really cool looking! I don't know what type they are either, but I like 'em!
It's really disappointing that they ruined such a lovely bridge by covering it with a pipe. Though I suppose few would need to use it out in the middle of nowhere.
Hope you enjoyed your hike around the area. Seems like a lovely place to visit.
I miss your walk related posts. As always enjoyed the discovery and this case the totally genuine smile and happiness on your missus's face!
Thanks, I wish I had some more memories and photographs, but that's the last one. Only took me 5 months or so to do all of them.
I think I did that walk many years ago when I lived in Liverpool, although I don't remember the green pipe bridge. Beautiful photographs as always. Be interesting to find the asylum ... but I also thought the piggery looked interesting as well.
No sign of either. The asylum is hearsay information from years ago, and despite me looking on Google maps, I can't see it.
They are all being closed down and demolished. Britain's barbarism from 150 years ago is leaving us a bit at a time.
In London, they're being converted into luxury loft apartments. The one round the corner from where I grew up looks particularly grim and started life as a workhouse.
Ooo.. you are touching on a subject Ill be talking about really soon. ESP over the internet!
Funny I was just thinking on my wander back from town just now how I really want to 'get out there and walk' but it's just so muddy atm I can't face it!
Looks like a great walk! 12 July is a long time ago... I hadn't even finished work back then!
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It does seem a long time ago, and today's weather is pants, and muddy as you say. I got very wet feet checking out a prospective Urbex just now. Wet long grass isn't pleasant to wade through.
Looks really an interesting place to walk! I like that piggeries sign with the statue of a smiling pig and the atmosphere of Lord of the ring ^_^
It was a perfect day for a stroll on the riverside. I was out of work, it was midweek and there were few other people around.
Those cows look familiar
Source
Not sure what the red flower is called, but we have it in our garden. I'm sure I've read it's from South Africa and is considered invasive.
Will you be combining future walks with some #CleanPlanet activities?
I doubt there will be any future walks soon. More mud walks now, for another few months. I never did get into Atom, too much brass for me.
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A nice reminder of summer in the midst of winter. And a not-so-nice reminder of those blooming horseflies! They were a nightmare when we were in Torridon - they even bit us through our clothes!
Yes they are not nice little insects, they seem to get pissed off at our presence.
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Nice country spot 💯 greetings from Germany 🤙🏼