Egerton to Ramsbottom (successful!) 28/09/14

I had imagined that the trip to Pendle Hill would have had a much greater mileage than it did, somewhere in the region of 6 miles, so only putting down 4 miles seems a bit low for the journey to the other side of the Pennines. So, we look to a bonus stroll for Sunday, to get some miles down quickly before I head homewards, and I'm not fancying any hills after yesterday's escapade and the girls would rather play with Lego or take a trip to the park rather than tag along again, and we have to get it in before lunchtime too, which means options are naturally limited. Rivington Park is the obvious port of call but we've done that too many times already, and my idea of walking down the valley into Bolton won't take us anywhere near Moss Bank park, so that doesn't wash either, and the third choice comes together eventually to keep everyone happy, Dr G takes the girls to Nuttall Park, whilst My Sister and I make another attempt to do Egerton to Ramsbottom in under 3 hours.

Egerton to Ramsbottom (successful)  7.3 miles

Upper Rivington & Anglezarke Reservoirs 10/05/14

Even as a n adopted Yorkshireman, it seems a terrible and unnecessary cliche to perpetuate the theory that it always rains in Lancashire, because being on the windward side of the Pennines really should make so much difference, but the sad truth to me seems to be that I cannot coordinate a visit to my Sister and her family with an incidence of good weather. This has been a pretty decent year so far, no particularly rough weekends for weather, and mid May should manage to look decently clear, but the first rotten weekend of the year comes down to scupper my plan for a trip to Pendle Hill, and I'm already getting the feeling that this particular destination is going to prove somewhat difficult to obtain. Still, circumstances for my visit play against me, with my nieces having weekend morning activities which take them out of circulation, and they do enjoy their cycling and swimming trips, and my Sis and I aren't doing ourselves any favours when both mornings are needed to sleep off the drinks from the previous night, so the excursions plan for the weekend has to be scaled back, to fit in a stretch between the rain showers.

Upper Rivington & Anglezarke Reservoirs  7.5 miles

Rivington Park 08/02/14 & Entwistle Reservoir 09/02/14

I am not one to be sold by advertising, as most of it washes past me in a 'Don't need it / Never wanted it' way, but every so often something will capture your attention, as it taps in to your interests in an almost specific way, as if it were directed to you personally, and that is exactly what Land Rover's #hibernot campaign has done for me. I'm not sure if this is a campaign to sell more off-road vehicles to the suburban middle classes, or if it is a genuine attempt to promote outdoor activity in winter, but the ad perfectly captures what the many tangents of being outdoors in the least clement of seasons can be like, and the associated website does seem to be doing its best sell the idea of enjoying this 'grey and pleasant land', despite being pretty horrible to navigate (we don't all use tablets, you know). So whilst February fails to offer long days and clear passages of pleasing weather, the idea of #hibernot seems like a good way to enjoy the season before Spring finally makes its breakthrough, and as an excess of rain has knocked Pendle Hill from the immediate target list, some low key expeditioning will be handy as I end my week of NIW by staying with My Sis and family on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors.

Rivington Park 3.6 miles, & Entwistle Reservoir 2.6 miles

Egerton to Rivington Park 08/09/12

Over to Bolton again for the end of my late summer break, mostly to get together with the family to celebrate my parents' 45th wedding anniversary, and with dinner out on the slate for Sunday, I've still got a Saturday to use to my own ends. Fortunately, with my Mum being away on other business for the day, and Dr G's 7-seater car being in the garage with all manner of mechanical difficulties, we only have My Sister's 4 seat road-bug as available transport, so if a trip to Witton Park is due for my nieces, at least two of us are left to our own devices by default. So that's as good a reason as any for My Sis to come walking with me for the afternoon, and having viewed a most uninviting morning, the day turns to a blazing hot afternoon, so this must be time for an assault on Winter Hill.

Egerton to Rivington Park, via Winter Hill.  7.9 miles

Egerton to Ramsbottom (almost) 21/07/12

Instead of additional walking on the 19th, I had my parents visit and took a nostalgic trip on the Scarborough Spa Express, getting in a repeat steam-hauled trip on the oft-travelled rails of 30 years ago. Only a three hour turnaround at the coast didn't allow much time for a wander into the unknown, but it did give me time for shopping, and Mountain Warehouse offered me up a pair of new walking boots to replace my leaky pair. So a successful (and expensive!) trip there, then, and as I've got my parents up country, that's a fine excuse to head over to Bolton for a family gathering and for me to get in a walk around the periphery of the West Pennine Moors.

Egerton to Ramsbottom (almost).  8.9 miles