SOME LANES AROUND LONGRIDGE. | bowlandclimber

You may have been down some of these lanes with me before, several times in fact. Hopefully there is always something new to be discovered. I’m staying local and taking it easy. My follow up with the eye surgeon was all good news but he advised me to avoid over exertion and keep using the drops. So a gentle walk around Longridge seemed more sensible than going climbing. I take a shortened, six and a half miles, version of my Around Longridge Walk trying to keep it rural.

Several lanes are encounted – Halfpenny, Green Nook, Shay, Pinfold, Happy Alley, Lower, Tan Yard, Forty Acre, Mile or Lords, Clay. A wonderful selection of names reflecting their historical origins. 

There are no blocked paths or awkward stiles today. I am free to enjoy and photograph the flora lining these lanes. The one disturbing thought is that there are very few insects out and about. We have had a miserable early summer and today is cold and overcast, not conducive to fluttering butterflies or other insects for that matter. What is going on?

Halfpenny Lane, an old toll way towards Preston. Nobody remembers Halfpennies these days, nor Farthings, ‘fourth’. A house at the far end has called itself Farthings.

Whittingham Road is a race track. Past the new housing developments I escape down Green Nook Lane with its more pleasing stone cottages. 

Cutting across industrial Shay Lane I’m into the football fields, no matches today. Onwards over that dodgy wooden footbridge which won’t survive much longer and through infant maize plantings. The path created across the set aside wasteland takes me through uncut meadows which if left alone should provide a rich habitat in the future. 

Down Pinfold Lane, don’t forget the ancient cross base in the field. Chiffchaffs, Goldfinch and Robins keep me company, but I don’t see the Little Owl that lived here. There is little to see across the disused reservoirs apart from Black Headed Gulls and Lapwings on the island. A new wire perimeter fence has appeared  to keep the belligerent dog walkers out of the reserve.

Up towards the church on Happy Alley (Church Brow) and then across the fields bordering Alston Reservoirs. I take the easy option of walking up past the ecolodges onto Lower Lane, where I lived in the long and distant past. Soon I’m off the busy road and walking up Tan Yard leading to the quarries but the name suggests an ancient tanning operation.

A new diversional track utilises those modern galvanised gates with the obligatory yellow latch. It’s up here that one can look out over the Ribble Valley and the reservoirs supplying Preston. Pendle is just out of screen.

The first cows of the day soon disperse as I approach. Phew. And I’m into the caravan park. My path is choked with Himalayan Balsam, sweet smelling but so invasive.

 I emerge onto the housing development originally passed by the indolent planners as a ‘tourist attraction’. The change of government is obviously welcome but I do fear for our green spaces. Time will tell. There is nobody bouldering at Craig Y so I move on around the Upper Dilworth Reservoir. The grebes unfortunately have not been successful this year, another worrying sign. 

The view from new built Bowland View is obviously good.

Then on down Mile Lane, no more than half a mile, from Billingtons.

The Chipping Road is busy and I’m glad to escape onto Clay Lane, there  was once a tile operation going on here making field drains. It was also the drove route into Longridge and then the halfpenny toll towards Preston.  That’s where I stop today, content with an easy walk. 

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Here are a few of the flowers I noticed today.

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