West Pennine Moors (Day 2)

West Pennine Moors (Day 2)

High pressure held and I was fortunate enough to get a second consecutive day out on the moors, this year there has not been been many consecutive days of sunshine! The forecast was for early morning fog to clear however I woke to clear blue skies and sunshine and after a hasty breakfast set off for Holcombe Moor. It soon became apparent crossing over the moor toward Edgworth that the fog was lying over Bolton & Manchester but as I was only going as far as Crowthorn it didn't matter to me.

Winter Hill TV mast, a feature of yesterdays walk was clear but the fog was just reaching out over Wayoh Reservoir, you can however still pick out the railway viaduct between Entwistle & Wayoh Reservoirs. (It is just to the left of the large electricity pylon direct beneath the TV mast.) 

Armsgrove Viaduct was built in 1847-48 by the 'Blackburn, Darwen and Bolton Railway Company' to bridge what was then Bradshaw Brook but after the creation of Wayoh Reservoir by Bolton in 1876 it then crossed a spur of  the reservoir. There are nine towering arches constructed from 3 ton blocks of stone supporting the viaduct. The stone was brought from Stanworth Delph at Withnell along 7 miles of mainly impassable roads. During construction, in an effort to speed up progress, the stonemasons were offered an unprecedented rate of six shillings and six pence (about 32½ p) per day.

The view over Affetside towards Bolton however showed the full extent of the mist. I followed the track that contours Holcombe Moor (Crowthorn Rd. that eventually becomes Moorbottom Rd.) and just above Red Brook came across these icy images.

The brook had been splashing the surrounding vegetation and the water had frozen on the stems.

Leaving the track I took a path that climbs diagonally up the moor in the direction of Peel Tower.

Peel Tower with the mist in the valleys

Peel Tower commemorates Sir Robert Peel, Prime Minister of Britain between 1841 and 1846, founder of the modern Police Force they were once named 'Peelers' and are still referred to as 'Bobbys'.  

I carried on to the edge to find a viewpoint and somewhere to stop and eat my sandwich.

Holcombe Brook in the mist.

With views like these and a good sandwich I could have stayed all afternoon.

View in the direction of Tottington and Affetside

It was time to decide which way to go back, originally I had intended to return along the track (Moorbottom Rd.) but it was a beautiful day so the options were to either go over Harcles Hill, Pilgrims Cross & Bull Hill or drop down into Holcombe and return up the east side of the moor to Buckden Wood and then cross over Bull Hill to Crowthorn, in the sunshine I decided to go via Holcombe.

Emmanual Church - Holcombe

I took the main track down from Top o' th' Moor into Holcombe village and immediately followed the track known as Moor Rd. back onto the moor.

Moor Rd. - Holcombe

Time was getting on and with the short days I needed to press on, 
it was approx 1.1/4 miles along the track to Buckden Wood where I could cross back over the moor but not before stopping to take this photo overlooking Harcles Hill Farm. 

Harcles Farm with very distinctive aircraft contrails.

The sun was getting low and although I had torches etc. I knew that the moor over Bull Hill was desolate with no distinct tracks. From Buckden Wood I cut straight across the moor toward the trig. point skirting the Military Firing Range and hoping not to come across any discarded live ammunition.
  

The setting sun from Bull Hill Triangulation Point

From the trig. point I decided, as it was going dark, I would follow the firing range boundary posts across the moor and down onto the track (Crowthorn Rd.) I had started on. This would bring me nearly a mile further south than I wanted to be but following posts seemed a safer option than trying to follow the indistinct path across the moor to the maggot farm  at Crowthorn. I remember the maggot farm (is it still there?) from 'The Three Towers Fell Race' and one year having to run on a compass bearing from the farm because of the mist and I also remember that if it is still farming maggots you could probably find it by following the stench!

Evening light over Turton, Entwistle and Winter Hill.

I crossed the icy boggy moor quickly following the posts and arrived on the 'right' side in time to get another shot over Winter Hill, (similar to my first photo) In the mist this time you can see St Anne's Church at Chapeltown with it's distinctive tall spire. But the final shot was inspired purely by the colour of the setting sun.

Red Sheep in the Sunset

Apart from some people in the distance at Peel Tower I had not seen anybody to talk to all day, I wished the sheep Good Night and finished my second walk on the West Pennine Moors in two days.