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When? Started: 1993 Who? Started with staff and friends from U H S, Chester. Organiser: Martyn Harris We walk every Wednesday and Saturdays, New Years day and May Day. How many walk? Walks take place as long as there are at least 2 wanting to walk on that day. More walk on a Wednesday than on a Saturday. Most ever: 29. Current group size walking: 2-7 in mid-week and 2-4 on Saturday. Where do we walk? Saturday: Anywhere in North and Mid-Wales, Peak District, Shropshire and the Long Mynd and as far North as the Trough of Bowland. Thursday: Anywhere within about 40 miles of Chester. Type of walk: Distance: 6 – 14 miles (but usually under 10 miles). Climb: up to 4000’ (but usually very much less!). People involved on walks in 2024:- Martyn Harris, Fran Murphy, Sue and Michel Pelissier, Mike Dodd, David Savage,, Ed Meads, Nigel and Elaine Taylor, Winston Feather.

Monday, 9 July 2007

The Longendale Edges 7th July 2007

Guess what Richard's doing? The plant in front of him is a clue.
Dowstone Rocks/Shining Clough Rocks in the background.


The suggested scramble route to Dowstone Rocks/ Shining Clough Rocks.
Not the way we went!


Looking towards Deer Knowl and start of the walk along the Longendale Edges.



The easiest of the stream crossings at Wildboar Clough.

Dated photographs by Richard.

Walk stats: 10.6 miles; Climb: 2499'; Time:6 hours 45 minutes;
Walking average: 2.2 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Richard and Dave J.

The walk presented more of a challenge than we expected. First with the Longendale Trail taking us too far without access to the road we wanted, and then signs from the Mill Clay Shooting suggesting that the route was inaccessible to walkers. That bit of road was the easy bit, the challenge started once we had stated to head for open country on largely pathless terrain. First we had the challenges of crossing a stream at Shining Clough before fighting our way through bracken to follow a fence to a stone track. At the end of the stone track we followed the edge "path" on the edge of the peat upland until we reached Wildboar Clough, which also had to be crossed. We decided to have lunch in this pleasant spot with the sun shining on us. The next section was definitely pathless, just heading in a north-east direction across Torside Naze. The worst challenge of the day, descending steeply in to Torside Clough, fording the stream and climbing the grassy bank to reach the Pennine Way Path. This was just about enough for me, and I decided to use the Pennine Way back to the car park at Crowdon. The rest eventually decide to do likewise!

Animals seen on this walk included a Stoat and two Mountain Hares. Birds seen or heard included: Canada Geese, Ring Ousel, Dipper, Spotted Flycatcher, Lapwing, Greenfinch, Song Thrush, Stonechat, Black-headed Gull, Meadow Pipit. Swift, Swallow, House Martin and Common Sandpiper.

A walk to remember, but maybe not to repeat! The second half of the walk that was missed out on this occasion, will be incorporated in a walk some time in the future.

A couple of pleasant pints of Jennings Cumberland Ale were sampled at the Bull's Head in Tintwhistle. This pub has character with all sorts of artifacts, mainly from the past on display.

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