White Coppice (near Chorley), Hurst Hill, Lancashire. Tue 1st Jan 2008

Mon 31st Dec 2007
Walked from home to White Coppice where I picked up my rucksack which I’d left earlier by car. I didn’t see the point of lugging it along the lanes when there was no need. After picking it up I continued down to the cricket field and across the goit. Here was another of those annoying and undersized swing gates that are very hard to get through with a big rucksack. The main gate was locked by a chain so I climbed through a gap to the left. I continued up to the old White Coppice Quarry and along the walled bank of the river. Looking down and across to the rock wall on the far side I remembered back to January 1978 when I photographed the mass of icicles forming a wall that obscured the rock face. I don’t recall a similar freeze up and the only other one I can think of was 1963. Today it was very mild and overcast. I followed the minor path up onto the moor until I came to the fork in the river. I turned right, hopped over the river and continued up the moor side. I continued climbing steadily until I was high enough to see Hurst Hill in the distance. My problem now was to find water. Although there had been plenty of rain recently and the ground was sodden there was a distinct lack of any in a running state. The higher I got the more risk I took of not finding any and having to descend. That’s just what happened and it took a couple of goes to get enough in my water bag. I reached the summit about 13:40pm and easily found the pitch I’d used previously. The views were good but the cloud was ominously low. Later in the evening the wind started to get up but I managed a few photos before the rain started. As midnight approached so did the cloud and the views went.

One of the first pictures of 2008

Warth Bridge, White Coppice
in the early morning drizzle.

Tue 1st Jan 2008
I had things to do today so didn’t wait till light. I was packed up and on my way by 6:15am. The weather was dismal, rainy, windy and dark. I set off on a compass bearing but walking in drizzle with just a head torch for light is very difficult on rough moor. All I could do was concentrate on keeping upright as long as I could. On my final approach to the river I failed and finished up horizontal in the deep grass. With a sore side and injured pride I struggled up and continued down. The river level was a bit higher than yesterday but once on the other side I was on a decent path. The lights of White Coppice came in to view and I followed them down to the cricket pitch and along the road. By now I didn’t need the head torch as the streetlights were enough. At Warth Bridge the artificial light made an interesting view through the drizzle so I took a photo. The rest of the walk home was straightforward and easy.