Midge Walkers
Walk No. 108
Samlesbury Walk -
During a week, which hadn’t seen the best of weather, it wasn’t surprising that the 8 adults who met at the Myerscough Arms on the A59 at Samlesbury, were dressed to cope with any adverse conditions, which were indeed forecast.
Leaving at 13.50., we walked down a farm track to the left of the closed down pub, leading to a white farm house (Rigby Fold) and skirted it via a footpath to its left, soon crossing two stiles into a meadow. Taking a route to the right brought us to another stile adjacent to a cluster of properties (Moorhouse Farm), where we turned right to the fourth stile and subsequently through a gate into a chicken run, exiting onto a Woods Brow by yet another stile, and turned right. By now it had started to rain.
Turning left down another farm track, we soon came to a stile in the right fence, which we crossed and started to descend towards a wooded area, through a gate and under some damson trees laden with fruit, which some of our number sampled. Taking a left turn brought us to the bottom of a grassy bank, at the top of which a route through a shrub area lead to another stile.
Crossing the field, skirting a large pond on the left and following the hedge line, soon produced another stile and a field which sloped down to a footbridge crossing Mellor Brook. Climbing the other side and passing through a metal gate, we entered an area of buildings leading to a drive, at the end of which we arrived at Jackson’s Bank Lane. After a short distance to the left, another stile gave us access into a field, at the end of which a further stile allowed us to follow a wooded area, through which sight of the winding river could be seen.
Descending the slope towards the complex of Balderstone Hall on the bank of the Ribble and crossing a stile to emerge on to a lane, allowed us to take a short detour to view the turbulent river from the garden of one of the properties situated there.
Returning to our route and passing up the lane, we entered the yard of a dilapidated farm and finding shelter in a barn stopped for a coffee break.
Resuming our journey allowed us to cross another stile and follow the perimeter of a field to a gate and continue to the buildings of Lower House Farm where we crossed through a kissing gate to follow the long incline of the drive emerging on to Bezza Lane and turned right. After a short distance, a lane to Pickering Fold Farm allowed us to skirt the perimeter and descend via a gate to a footbridge, to cross the brook. Following the bank to the left another stile gave access to a grassy slope, at the top of which a metal gate and subsequent stile gave access to the final field, exiting via the two stiles used at the beginning and return along the drive to our starting point.
The intermittent rain hadn’t spoilt our enjoyment, nor the presence of no less than 16 stiles, and although small in numbers, the quality of the four and a quarter mile walk was judged to have been both picturesque and well worth the effort. Once again our thanks to the organisers.
P.R.L.
