Sunday 3 August Denise’s Walk
After the copious showers on Saturday, it was a great relief
to wake up to a clear blue sky on Sunday. There were 10 of us in total,
including a new face, Tracey who had seen the Meet Up site and was duly given
all info by Jack. We set off north from Thornsett, crossing pastures to
Aspenshaw Hall and then into a lovely beech wood with fine views to the west
across the gentle valley. Past The Old Mill At Rowarth, which has re-opened
again, (needless to say well before Sunday opening) we carried on up the lane
to Rowarth village where we had a coffee break by a field with 5 miniature
ponies who all looked hopeful, but only received an apple core. This part of
the walk was peppered with the sound of gunshots ringing out from Rowarth Gun
Club behind the pub.
Up the rough hill to Cown Edge, where the views were
tremendous on such a clear day. Past an attractive pine wood, we turned east to
the steep fall away from Cown Edge and with a small zig-zag to the south found a small disused quarry
which gave us ideal shelter from the
brisk wind for the lunch stop.
After lunch we headed south on the Pennine Bridleway and at
the junction for Lantern Pike, 7 headed up to the Pike, while 3, including
yours truly the leader took the low road, as my lungs have been giving me grief
recently (despite being a non-smoker).
As the 3 waited by the road junction, we admired the lovely
flower-filled gardens on the small terrace of houses. The 7 were surprised not
to find us at the foot of the Lantern Pike path, which we had sailed by on the
downward slope, but realised we must have gone on and re-joined us, to take a
shady lane down to Sycamore road, thence the Sett Valley trail and a path
through the woods past a murky looking pond below Thornsett back to the start
point.
We adjourned after what Jack’s GPS indicated had been a 10.2
mile walk, though he thinks it over-reads, to The Printer’s Arms in Thornsett
for a well deserved refreshment at a sunny table outside. (Note I have not so far confessed that the
northernmost part of the walk had been un-recc’d, so a couple of wee “diggles”
en route as per most Denise walks).
Denise
