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Lat/Long: 53.985877, -02.434614
OS
Grid ref: SD 71504 54534
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Shortly after 6am set off to drive to Stocks Reservoir via
Clitheroe, Waddington Fell and Slaidburn. I’d arranged the visit
but when I got there the barrier before the Board House was
down. I didn’t know it didn’t open until 07:30am. I returned
along the road and parked in the laybye I set off to walk up the
access road the barrier was open. I firstly visited the remains
of Hollis Village but mostly only the concrete foundations
remain. The Hospital Building is still there hidden in the
trees, it is fenced off with a low barbed wire fence. Through
the Hollins Village I used the drone to photograph the route of
the old narrow gauge railway that is now an access track to the
fishing lodge. When I got to the lodge there was a United
Utilities vehicle there and a man in it who was able to direct
me to the footpath that runs along the old railway route. |
The old Hospital. |
Site of the Hollins & narrow gauge
railway. |
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The same view May 1927 |
The green track is the old railway to
Jumbles Quarry. |
The old railway route. |
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I followed it easily for a while further north it was very muddy
due to it being used by sheep. The weather was clear and cold
and peasant walking. Eventually I reached a marker post showing
where the path heads down across a field towards a footbridge
over the River Hodder. The first part was across the grass was
fine but later many stone slabs were placed along the path and
these were wet and slippery and dangerous. I had to walk on the
adjacent wet grass and mud. By the river was a nice flat pasture
to cross and then over the footbridge. A steep climb took me to
the ruins of New House that still had most of its roof on. I
followed the old farm track down to the bridge over Hasgill Beck
and up into the woods. The path then took me to the car park on
the site of the old church whose foundations were excavated
about 15 years ago. |
Dalehead Parish Church St James'
information board. |
Datestones in the wall. |
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The stone lintels that Roy and I unearthed near the Board House
were built into the car park boundary wall and now an
information board tells their story. I was disappointed to see
it was a pay for parking. Along the road and over the causeway I
followed the road and then left to follow a path through the
fields by the east side of the reservoir. Though sunny it was
still wet and muddy underfoot. |
Stocks Reservoir looking south. |
The Board House and Valve tower. |
Stocks Reservoir dam. |
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Eventually I reached the footbridge by the reservoir embankment
where the footpath continued across it at a lower than top water
level. Near the Board House I took some drone photos then walked
into the woods behind the Board House to the area where the
lintel datestones had been. I used gps coordinates to find the
location but it was unrecognisable. Then back the car and
peasant drive back over Waddigton Fell, the same way I’d come
(mostly). |
The Board House. |
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