The Rossendale Rambler

On Sunday 27th December, following a night of storms and gale-force winds with a promise of more to come, we happy ten met at Kay Street Car Park. Awaiting us was a most unhappy bunny from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph; there to take our photograph for inclusion in the Festival of Winter walks feature. (See picture in 'Notice Board' for those who missed it. Ed.)

We made our way, via Hall Carr, up to join the Rossendale Way near Cowpe Lowe and arrived, suitably thirsty, at Waugh’s Well where we managed to force a wee dram of malt whisky down our throats. (Purely medicinal of course!) It was at this juncture that Yours Truly felt compelled to remind several of the assembled company that my name is SUSAN, not SUE; having got that off my chest (no comment. Ed.) We proceeded, minus Graham who was on afternoon domestic duties, to the Coal Road and around to the approach to Owd Bett’s. An intended visit to this hostelry was abandoned, due to the pressure of time and the anticipated loss of daylight, so we lunched in the shelter of a wall near to a farm that was once called Paradise and whose name remains on the OS map.

Suitably refreshed with butties, Christmas cake and more malt whisky, we were off again with the next stop the Valley View Cafe, on the hill high above Edenfield. There we were greeted by mine host Steve Redstone, whose caravan was so warm it was tropical ! We settled in for tea, cake and toast and the odd drop more of whisky - this was thought necessary as the heat in the caravan was making what was left go ‘off‘. How Steve managed such a feast after several hours without power was a mystery and to make matters worse, someone had abandoned a car half-way up Gincroft Lane and had set fire to it. When we walked up the lane, it had recently been removed - thanks Steve.

The final section took us via Horncliffe and a re-established footpath back to Rawtenstall centre and past the hordes in Asda. Thanks to Richard and Walter for a good walk: It was 10 miles, as is any walk with which Walter is connected. His miles are a bit like nurses’ minutes which are somewhat elastic ! We had plenty of chat and laughter and enough sleet, rain and wind to disperse the cobwebs and lethargy of Christmas. Oh ! - and thank you to everyone for the rousing chorus of Happy Birthday at Waugh’s Well - my big Five-O day was a treat.

Its been cold, wet, muddy and dark. I've suffered aching muscles, sore feet, thirst, disorientation, vertigo and chuckle muscle cramp. I've been laughed at, teased, cajoled, humiliated and fed. I've seen people 10 years older than me disappear over the skyline. I've been wined, dined, hugged, kissed and elected. So far I haven't been shot at, drowned, gored, beaten, hung, drawn or quartered. but someone is probably working on it. Neither have I suffered from sunstroke. I've discussed every subject from the State of The Union to the love life of moles. From things to do with a hoover, (don't ask), to the peculiarities of the nationally elected. I've slept on a top bunk and had a coffee cup fill with rain faster than I could drink it. Dragged a 4 cwt. rucksack up a hill, only to go down the other side and then had some joker ask where I'd been all day. I've dried and polished more boots, done more washing, drinking, talking and listening, had more baths and less sleep. Neglected my car, my weekend cookery, my armchair and T.V. to turn up on a Sunday morning for some more of the same. So am I crazy? Probably, but I love every minute of it, and the cure is, hopefully, many years away.
Ian appears to have fitted in with the Rossendale Ramblers very well indeed - Editor.

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