Sunday 17 September 2006

Worsthorne Walk

We all met on Gorple Road at 10 am, 8 of us showed up. It was a very misty start to the day, when I got up Pendle Hill wasnt in site, hidden behind a think bank of fog. However, as the morning progressed, the sun came out and it was quite warm as there was no wind.

The first site we went to was on Hambleden Pasture, near the top of Gorple Road.Here there are 2 sites, a tumulus and a stone circle. We came across a lovely little frog hopping around amongst the stones, tried to get a pic of him but he was a shy chappy. From there we journeyed downhill to Ringstones, a supposedly Romano British fort. The first time we went to look for this one we couldnt find it, possibly cos the grass was too long to see anything. When you get there, it is actually quite well defined, and on a very large scale. There is more info on this place in Bennett's History of Burnley. ( No relation to me, I am a Suthers).

I had begun this mornings walk in a lot of pain from an acute ingrowing toenail, however, the painkillers set in and I was ok so long as I didnt kick a stone in the grass. When I did, I had to strictly modify my language!!!! I did blaspheme though!!!!

After Beagle Hill, Bonfire Hill, and Pike Law, we eventually got to Ells Clough where there is an earthwork and a stone ring cairn. Then onto Delph Hill, my favourite site. By then it had begun drizzling, so we all rapidly got into waterproofs. It soon fined up however. Coming back we were amazed by the amount of ponies and horses that seem to roam wild over this area, noticed one mare who was heavily pregnant with her foal from last year and another baby from this year. How many times a year do horses breed? Would be glad of some input from this from anyone in the know. Not many magic mushrooms around. maybe they are late this year? Saw harebells growing in the same place as last time we were up there. Also a Canadian Goose flew over in the afternoon and landed on a pylon about half an hour after we had seen a skein of them fly over. Maybe the others were migratory and this one was staying. Skylarks are still rife up on the moors as well as meadow pippits, so are a few swallows. Cant be long though until they all go south.

Anyway, I digress, after we went back to Hambledon Pasture and to the stone circle on Slipper Hill, of which nothing much remains, but you can still get the feeling of the site. Will have to look up on old maps what used to be on that site cos to me it looks like there may have been an old dam there at one time.

Several folk had to make there way back home then, so we said our goodbyes, then 4 of us went on to Burwains which is in Briercliffe cl;ose to Thursden Valley. It is thought that this is a place where people would converge in the past as it was a burial site and a supposed place for rituals. Whoever discovered this site either had a very fertile imagination, or saw it in winter, cos at this time of the year when the grass is long, its very hard to distinguish landforms.It does cover a very large area, but I think with constant mowing of the land over the centuries, that the site isnt as obvious as it once was. Mores a pity in a way. If this was my ancestors grave yard, then just where did my ancestors live? Where are the remains of their houses, farms, their rubbish tips? They must be someplace locally. Will we ever know?

 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

How I would loved to have been on that walk with you. Your part of the country sounds so interesting, so much history.
Sylvia
http://journals.aol.co.uk/Sylviam4000/YeOldeEnglishPosy/