Pennine Walker, a photographic walking diary

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29th January 2017 - Pendle Hill

Walk Details

Distance walked: 8.7 miles

Total ascent: 1390 ft ascent

OS map used: OL41 - Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale

Time taken: 5 hrs

Route description: Barley-Lower Ogden Reservoir-Upper Ogden Reservoir-Ogden Clough-Pendle Hill-Downham Moor-Worston Moor-Scout Cairn-Mearley Moor-Ogden Clough-
Upper Ogden Reservoir-Lower Ogden Reservoir-Barley

Not the best of weather this weekend. Yesterday was a write off with wind and rain and today's forecast was uncertain and kept changing every time that I looked at it. Rain was supposed to move in during the afternoon but things looked much better than I expected when I looked outside this morning. So, I decided to stay local and head to Barley for my first ascent of Pendle Hill this year. Arriving at 0915 I found it to be very quiet and I set off with lots of blue skies and sunshine. It stayed this way for longer than I expected but it did finally start to cloud over as I was heading back to Barley in the early afternoon. I returned to find the place absolutely packed.

From the car park in Barley I set off by taking the private road past the old waterworks buildings up to Lower and Upper Ogden Reservoirs. I then continued along the path up Ogden Clough and up the flagged path to reach the trig point and summit. After taking in the view I made my way north to the stile to cross it onto Downham Moor. The path was followed west across Downham Moor to Worston Moor where I reached the circular shelter and my stop for lunch. That had, I continued southwest to the Scout Cairn and then across Mearley Moor. When I reached the cairn at the end of Mearley Moor I made my way east across the top of Howcroft Brook to the track up from the Nick of Pendle. I was on this briefly before descending into Ogden Clough to pick up the path I used on my outbound route. I then retraced my steps back to Barley.

Route map
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© Crown copyright. All rights reserved. License number PU 100034184.

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It's a sunny morning as I set off from the picnic site in Barley
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At Lower Ogden Reservoir
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and Upper Ogden Reservoir
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My route continues with the path up Ogden Clough
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Crossing Boar Clough
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Higher up the clough and the path crosses to its other side
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and continues to follow it uphill
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Looking back down Ogden Clough
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Ogden Clough left behind and on the flagged path to the summit
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Fantastic views towards the Ribble Valley as I turn around
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and across to the fells of the Forest of Bowland. The higher ones in the distance have a cover of snow.
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On the summit of Pendle Hill and at a briefly unoccupied trig point
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Looking north to the Yorkshire Dales and for a time I could make out a snow covered Ingleborough and Penyghent before they were hidden by cloud
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The Black Moss Reservoirs, Barley and Lower Ogden Reservoir. Boulsworth Hill can be made out through the patches of cloud.
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Misty weather as I look south towards the West Pennine Moors
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The bulk of Downham Moor forms the northern half of Pendle Hill and that's where I'm heading now
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via the stile
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Snow dusted wall
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and frozen pool
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Striding out across Downham Moor. This is my favourite part of Pendle Hill, much quieter than the summit.
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and that's certainly busy at the moment
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Great colours on the moors this lunchtime
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Looking back to the wall and the summit
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Spence Moor to the south
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Longridge Fell, Beacon Fell, Parlick and Fair Snape Fell in the Forest of Bowland form a backdrop for another frozen pool
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Approaching the stile onto Worston Moor
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Before crossing the stile I had a look up the Ribble Valley towards the Yorkshire Dales. Unfortunately low cloud has more or less hidden them. I can see the village of Downham below though.
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Approaching the circular shelter and my lunch stop on Worston Moor. The Scout Cairn can be seen in the distance behind it.
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Clitheroe, the Ribble Valley and the fells of the Forest of Bowland from the edge of the moor..
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Lunch had, onwards to the Scout Cairn..
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The bulk of Mearley Moor to come. This was definitely the wettest part of the walk underfoot.
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Looking back from Mearley Moor to Worston Moor with the summit of Pendle Hill on the right
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The West Pennine Moors in the distance from the cairn at the end of Mearley Moor
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Longridge Fell, Parlick, Fair Snape Fell and Totridge
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The Ribble Valley from the track back to Ogden Clough
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and the bulk of Pendle Hill as I approach Ogden Clough
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The steep sided Ogden Clough
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On the path back to Barley
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A flat calm Upper Ogden Reservoir
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and it's the same at Lower Ogden Reservoir. Barely a ripple.

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© Alan Kilduff 2016-2023                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
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