Our 2017 walking holiday programme began in February with a memorable Pendle Hill and Simon’s Seat walking weekend, within Lancashire and Yorkshire respectively, with two very enjoyable guided scenic walks and a lovely group of customers, some who’d been on previous Country Adventures walking tours and some joining us for the first time.
The base for the weekend walking holiday was Clitheroe, in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Lancashire, where on Friday evening there was an opportunity to meet up for a drink and discuss the walks. Then on Saturday morning, Joe, the Country Adventures guide, took the group over into Yorkshire to the Bolton Abbey estate, owned by the Duke of Devonshire, to start the day’s Simon’s Seat walk.
Simon’s Seat is a rocky outcrop, made up of millstone grit, sitting 485m above sea level, with extensive views across the neighbouring countryside and makes for an interesting hill walk amongst impressive rock formations.
Starting the walk from the Cavendish Pavilion tea room on the Bolton Abbey Estate, there was no sign of snow that had been forecast for the day as we made our way along the River Wharfe heading for another highlight on today’s guided walk, the waterfalls at the ‘Valley of Desolation’.
The waterfall was in full flow and even without the summer array of flowers & greenery, the Valley of Desolation always looks picturesque and peaceful. We continued up by the waterfall along a track leading into the forest that leads onto the open moorland of the Bolton Abbey Estate.
Once out on the moorland there was snow all around…quite impressive really, to have such an immediate change in scenery from the green forest trails we’d just stepped out of, to a wintery landscape with every bit covered by snow.
It’s moments like this when it’s good to have a walk leader with you to guide the way and keep you heading in the right direction, even when the trail is hidden. It really was magical scenery which made for a great route to the top of Simon’s Seat.
From Simon’s Seat, that is it in most part for the day’s ascent, as the route descends to the River Wharfe once again and back in the main part of the Bolton Abbey Estate but the stunning landscape and interesting features doesn’t end there, as the Bolton Abbey has a rich and diverse landscape.
Here are some of our group standing beside The Strid, a well-known section of the River Wharfe, and part of the Dales Way long distance footpath, where the river narrows greatly and the power of the water magnifies – you certainly wouldn’t want to fall in here.
During our visit to the Bolton Abbey estate we were also treated to some ‘extra characters’ dotted along the walking trail.
It was a great day out on the Bolton Abbey Estate, taking in the Valley of Desolation and Simon’s Seat and a walk we’ll be doing more of in years to come.
On Sunday, we stayed in Lancashire for the days walk on famous Pendle Hill. Famous for both the history of the witches in 1612 and George Fox 1652, founder of the Quaker movement, Pendle Hill has a certain mystique.
Our circular route today was just 7-miles, starting from the small village of Barley, and a walk Country Adventures has guided many times before. It’s a walk that has everything, bustling rivers, forest trails, wild moorland, rich history, picturesque villages, and a hill summit.
Weather wise, we knew we could be in for an adventurous time as snow was forecast, we just didn’t expect the mini blizzard that came in as we neared the summit of Pendle Hill. Despite being just over 1800ft in height and not classed as a mountain, reaching the top of Pendle Hill in such weather conditions added to the day and made it a good exhilarating walk.
It wasn’t possible on this day to see the view from Pendle Hill to the Lake District mountains in Cumbria, or the peaks of Yorkshire, but it was a magical day nonetheless, making it a memorable Two Shires Pendle Hill & Simon’s Seat weekend walking holiday.
Read customer tour reviews of the tour.
Photo album from the Pendle Hill & Simon’s Seat walking weekend.
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