A circular walk, 14.2 miles - 6 hours.
Pendle Hill is a great looking hill from any angle, it can be seen from most high points in the Pennines, and it was this that inspired me to take it on. It's famous of course for its association with the Pendle witch trials, and the place will always seemingly remain famous for that, even the local buses have a witch on a broomstick displayed on the side with text saying 'The Witch Way'.
Pendle Hill is also famous as the place where George Fox had his apparent visitation that led to the Quaker movement being founded, and still to this day Pendle has strong links with the Quakers. It was also one of the first places that a sophisticated measurement of rainfall was recorded by Richard Towneley in 1661. There is an atmosphere about the place, and I was looking forward to this one.
This is a circular walk from the town of Clitheroe, but as usual I had noticed a Trig Point on the map to South West that had to be bagged, so this walk could be shortened down considerably if you choose to follow it.
I was going by train, and so I would have to make my way through the town, a good chance to buy some batteries for my GPS! It had been lashing down since I changed trains at Blackburn obscuring the view of the hill on the journey there, but as I arrived into the town the sun came out, and the day could be described as hot.
Here heading out of Clitheroe on the Pendle Road with Pendle Hill up ahead...
Cutting right here onto a footpath across some muddy fields towards a lane...
Looking towards the first rise in the land that I am to scale, known as 'The Rough'...
Cutting left across fields from the lane here towards the A59...
Crossing the busy A59...
After crossing the busy road the path continues across open fields towards the village of Pendleton...
Pendleton ahead here, with The Rough above...
Passing through the village here...
Heading right here...
Heading directly towards The Rough from Cold Coates Farm...
Out onto the steep sides of The Rough...
Cutting left over this large stile to get to the summit...
Looking back towards Clitheroe beneath Waddington Fell..
The Trig Point on the summit of The Rough at 315 metres...
Cutting immediately right and downhill across the tufted grass and heather here...
This brings you out onto a farm track, the route cuts left and past Wilkin Heys Farm following the track for about half a mile...
The track brings you out onto 'Clitheroe Road' which I cut across to get to the edge of Pendleton Moor...
Pendle Hill is divided into four parts, Pendleton Moor, Spence Moor, Barley Moor and Pendle Hill itself. Here heading across Pendleton Moor...
Churn Clough Reservoir and the village of Sabden, with a distant Hameldon Hill, and Great Hameldon on the horizon...
The path is well walked, so if in low cloud is easy to follow. It is a little boggy though...
Cutting left here through this kissing gate out onto Spence Moor...
The path initially heads east downhill again, but not marked on the map is a path splitting off to the left. It is again well walked, so easy to follow...
Heading across boggy Spence Moor here, with Barley Moor ahead...
The pathway starts to descend steeply...
Between Spence Moor and Barley Moor is a valley as deep as the moor is high, which is hidden from the Clitheroe side of the hill. This is a steep descent into the valley bottom, and the path is suffering from major footpath erosion too...
Looking West along the valley towards Ogden Reservoir from the path...
Looking across the valley towards the path on the opposite side that takes you up onto Barley Moor...
Into the valley bottom now, time for a sandwich - in a hail shower...
The path swings around to the left, then cuts right very steeply uphill onto the edge of Barley Moor...
Onto Barley Moor in very wet weather...
After a mile and a half of trudging across Barley Moor, the Trig Point on Pendle Hill finally comes into view...
Pendle Hill summit Trig Point at Beacon or Big End, 557 metres (1,827 ft)...
Some good views from the summit despite the nasty weather on the approach. Here Hameldon Hill and Great Hameldon get a soaking...
And so do the Yorkshire Dales to the north...
Looking north across Big End...
A big thanks to Richard aka Summiteer for this photo, I have included a link to his great website at the end of this blog...
Heading north now across Big End...
Looking back towards summit...
The path now continues steeply downhill...
The shadow of Parlick and Fair Snape Fell to the west, from the descent of Pendle Hill...
The path now cuts right again north across Downham Moor towards the forestry plantation here...
Boggy Downham Moor...
The path brings you out onto Pendle Road, turn left here and follow the road for about 200 yards...
Cutting left here to follow a track that runs along the base of the hill back towards Clitheroe...
Looking towards Clitheroe and Longridge Fell...
After about three quarters of a mile the track cuts right and becomes a lane leading from Barkerfield Farm. Here on the lane looking towards Worsaw Hill...
Ewe with new born's...
I really didn't have any food on me!...
Last look back at Pendle Hill...
Re-crossing over the A59 here. The route then heads left along a lane that runs parallel to the road, before it cuts right back towards Clitheroe...
And finally back into Clitheroe...
A good but tough hike due to taking in the Trig Point at The Rough. But this walk can easily be shortened down to just take in Pendle Hill.
The shadow of Parlick and Fair Snape Fell to the west, from the descent of Pendle Hill... 
Ewe with new born's...
5 comments:
Pendle summit Trigs had a coat of paint ! but then it's like Blackpool on a bank holiday most weekends, too many folk for me, it's 6 miles(crow flies) from my house in Earby
I thought it looked near on a walk over your neck of the woods last Saturday. That would explain it if its only 6 miles!
I like that hill, I thought it quite simular to Pen-y-ghent in its shape. Not to many about due to the terrible weather earlier in the day!
Steve.
...thankyoU! ~ once again for another awesome share! ~ i think i'm starting to get a feel ~ for your country! ~ these walks of yours are sO inspiring! ~ blessed be!...
Many thanks for the comment :)
Nice image of my old red carpet van on Pendle Rd in the first pic. Keep up the good work.
Andy.
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