Midge Walkers

Walk  No. 106

Ribchester/ Knowle Green Walk

Every once in a while, a somewhat longer walk is undertaken, necessitating moving to a Saturday, and starting earlier. The 22nd of July was such a day, when 7 adults assembled in the car park in Ribchester and set off at 10.45.

Turning with the White Bull on our right into Water St. and right into Greenside, soon brought us to the main Blackburn Rd, where, after passing the Ribchester Arms, we took a left into Stydd Lane, along by the Catholic Church and alms houses and continuing to the ancient church of St Saviour (previously mentioned in the walk report of April 2017), where for the benefit of those not on that walk, we stopped to view the interior.

Continuing through a gate and across a couple of fields linked by stiles, brought us to the edge of a wood, and after walking over a footbridge, our route through the trees over a second footbridge and up a steep incline, eventually took us down to a stream which we crossed by stepping stones. Climbing the banking on the opposite side and continuing through the trees, we cleared another couple of stiles into open fields, the last occupied by a mixture of cows and bullocks, which fortunately seemed preoccupied with munching on the grass and basically, to our great delight, ignored us.

Leaving the field over a ladder stile on to Dean Brow, we turned left, and after a short distance right into Huntingdon Hall Rd and after passing a couple of very desirable properties branched left to skirt a field and after walking alongside a deserted caravan, long past its use by date, took a path over a further field and through a wooded area, emerging on to a lane and turning to the left brought us to a bridge, where we stopped for our lunch break.

Suitably refreshed we continued via a kissing gate to cross another couple of fields, to exit via a gate into a farm drive and emerge on to the main Clitheroe Rd, turning right and continued past the former Halls Arms, now a business centre, to arrive at Knowle Green. Deviating from the route we took the opportunity to view the interior of the village Congregational Church dating back to 1827, where a wedding ceremony was just about to take place.

After a short distance, we turned left into Glen View, at the end of which we took a steep flight of steps down to pass the ruins of an old mill and continued over a bridge and along a path through a tree lined route. Following a further flight of stone steps down towards a stream, we emerged on to Mill House Lane, appropriately named since we soon passed The Mill House.

Turning left over a stone bridge, the route took us through a garden and over a footbridge to another couple of fields, to arrive at Woods Brow. Along a path skirting a garden, and over another couple of fields, we arrive at Buckley Hall. After negotiating a further field which took us down a steep incline to cross Boyce’s Brook via a footbridge, the route continued up a steep slope to negotiate a stile, which as on a previous occasion necessitated the aid of a step stool.

Crossing another couple of fields and stiles brought us to a farm lane, where we turned right and after two further fields, passed through a gate emerging to the rear of a row of houses which brought us on to Church St. and subsequently to our starting position.

Despite the threat of bad weather, we had escaped unscathed, and once again enjoyed tremendous views of the surrounding area. A distance of around 7 miles had been covered and all agreed that the effort and companionship had been well worth while and as on previous occasions, record grateful thanks and appreciation to the organiser.