I mentioned on the Tue 23 June 09 note about the higher stone cross base on Coopers Lane Heskin. The old Ordnance Survey map (1848/9) shows 2 cross bases so I thought I’d cycle over and check out the second. As with the first it is exactly where the OS map showed it so I’m still puzzles why it was reported to be lost.

Sharbat Gula (Afghan Girl) by Steve McCurry.

A cycle ride along the Rossendale Valley during a Friday morning rush hour may not seem like a good idea. It turned out to be a pleasant ride without problems. My only mistake was leaving Rochdale, heading for the A680 for Haslingden. I finished up on the B6222 towards Bury. They say clouds have a silvery lining and this was the case today. I checked my map and to get back on the correct road there was a narrow winding lane climbing through Gelder Wood. At the summit I joined the windswept A680 and stopped for a snack break at Owd Betts. It was closed so I sat on the bench outside.

Cemetery Hotel on the B6222

Break at Owd Betts

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In our kitchen is my son's Venus flytrap plant. It now has a wasp to keep it going for a while. Did the wasp fall or was it pushed?

While out for a cycle ride I decided to look for the cross base on Cooper’s Lane, Heskin, mentioned at the last Historical Society meeting. It was reported to have been lost and now found. I checked the 1848 Ordnance Survey map and the modern map and both showed the cross base. After checking the map again I find there are 2 cross bases shown on the lane so maybe its the lower that has just been found

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Image using HDR correction.

This morning's sunrise for the longest day and summer solstice wasn't visible due low cloud. There was a faint hint of colour in the sky as the sun rose at 04:40am. This view was taken from Denham Hill.

This evening attended one of the excellent barbeque events held by the Withnell Fold Sports and Social Club by the cricket field. The burgers were up to their usual high standard. Unfortunately a locally brewed real ale (Darwen) wasn't up to the same standard. It was one of cloudiest pints I've drunk.

Called at Rawcliffe's yard to see the progress of the restoration of Benjamin Disraeli's statue.

Benjamin Disraeli the Earl of Beaconsfield before being removed from Cleveland St/Chapel St., Chorley. Carved by Thomas Rawcliffe in the 1880s.

Another statue of Disraeli carved by Thomas Rawcliffe in Queen's Park Bolton. Photographed this morning while out for a cycle ride.

Approaching the end of 4 days of walking the path took a delightful route through fields of lush grass and buttercups.

Fields 1 mile east of Burnbanks, Cumbria.

In 1980 I walked the Coast to Coast route from St Bees to Robin Hood’s Bay with Charlie. The route was originally devised by A Wainwright. I thought it would be interesting to walk the first bit through Cumbria to see if things had changed. Apart from a few minor changes to the route the main change was the number of people around.

The view from St Bees Head looking north to Whitehaven

Decided to give my new bike a long ride test so set off at 6:45am and firstly rode through Blackburn being careful to ride round the many smashed bottles in the gutters. To keep off the main roads and rush hour traffic I kept to minor roads wherever possible. I cycled through Whalley, Clitheroe, Chatburn and Sawley. At Holden I turned left at the ‘Copy Nook’ and remembered club rides here with the Ribble Valley Cycling Club over 40 years ago. I headed up the long climb of Holden Lane until I reached the B6478 Tosside road and crossed over to head for Bowland Knotts. Before the causeway at Stocks Reservoir I came to the small St James’s Church where I stopped for a few minutes to have a drink and eat some fruitcake before setting off on the climb up to the summit of Bowland Knotts at 422m (1,385ft). There was a long easy descent to the north and at Clapham Railway station I stopped for another break and sit down. I followed the minor lanes via Eldroth to Giggleswick where I stopped to chat to the Postman doing his deliveries by bike. I cycled through the middle of Settle before leaving on the Rathmell road and followed it through Wigglesworth and Holden. One disturbing sight was the abandoned Gypsy camps along the wide grassy verges. There were piles of rubbish left behind, some partly burned with empty bottles in the ashes and many piles of bags just dumped. Leaving glass in grass verges is extremely irresponsible as its very hard to remove and can cause serious injury if children play there in the future. And if gypsies camp there again their horses could be injured. At Sawley I didn’t want to retrace my outward route home so cycled through Grindleton, Waddington, Great Mitton then Whalley where I retraced my route home. A total distance of 86miles.

Just before Holden is the magnificent
Bolton Peel Farm

At At St James's Dalehead Church the sign said 'Pause and Rest Awhile', so I did.

The summit of Bowland Knotts. Pendle can just be seen on the far horizon.

Rural Royal Mail deliveries in Giggleswick

Royal Mail low tech bike. After 7 years service they are given to Africa.

Plan of the route

Altitude profile

After another hot sunny day I waited until early evening when things began to cool down and go for a cycled ride to White Coppice about 4 miles away. I sat on a memorial bench by the cricket field and enjoyed the views and weather. The bench was placed there in remembrance of Miss Elsie Whitehead (1909 – 2003) who lived in nearby Rose Cottage in her youth. She was the headmistress at Withnell Fold School when I was there and taught me from 1952-59.

The memorial bench + my bike.

In memory of Elsie Whitehead.

A family enjoy the sunshine
on the cricket field.