Lancashire Re-United

 Walking on the Lancashire  Packhorse Route ( Click  on photos to view at  full size ) 

Feeling  the need to  escape the tedium  of  a bleak Sunday  sat  in front    of  a Tv  I  along  with  my  wife decided to  venture  out into  the Lancashire countryside
 Many  a time I  have said  that  living in  the part  of  Lancashire that  I  do  offers me the chance to  walk  in a great  many  beautiful  places and  where we walk last  weekend is  one such  place

 Way  back  before  the advent  of the railways goods where transported between Lancashire  and  Yorkshire via pack horse and a walk  up  on  the hills above Clowbridge Reservoir takes you  back  to  those times

The Reservoir  itself (  formerly  known as Hapton Reservoir offers a great  relaxing  walk or  a spot of fishing  as well  as being  used by  the Rossendale sailing  club . It  was man made and  one of  my  favourite  places to  unwind  from the stresses of  our modern world
 But  it  was up  on to the moors  we wanted  to  be and  its  not  long  before  a few chest  pumping strides offer  you some fantastic views

I  have to  marvel  at  the way  in which people in the old days would walk  with  a  pack  horse or  two  loaded  with  goods and  travel from Hebden Bridge to  Clitheroe on this  route  . How long  must  it  have taken them to  get  to  where  they where  going  and how  long  to  trek back , But  who  would mind with countryside  like this  to  look  at

Walking  further we can see that  the signposted  paths splinter  off  in all directions which  will give us  more reason to  return to  this area once the days get  longer  and the sun gets  warmer .

Time now, as the days  sun begins  to face to  begin our  descent , our feet  beginning  to  get  increasingly  wet and sore ,  as through puddle after  muddy  puddle we splash

  Back  down the hill we venture until Clowbridge reservoir comes into  view 

Time we thought  for one last  30  minute  circuit  of  the water before  heading  home , watching the fishermen fish and  the sailors sail , longing to  return to  this  rugged but beautiful  part  of Lancashire again