On a glorious early autumn day, we drove into Lancashire to climb Pendle Hill. I’ve not climbed Pendle for probably over 30 years. The last time I was up here, my memory says that the weather came down and the conditions were horrible and we dropped down into a little village that was having a Summer fayre.

So it was almost a new hill for me. Starting in Barley, I took the the slow, longer path up. It doesn’t matter, does it, whether you run up and do 53 floors in one go or whether you string it out and go slightly less steep, you still get to the top and the views are still magnificent.

Once we got to the top, we decided to go a little “off piste” and thought we would put into practice our skills learned on our hill and moorland leader course. So we contoured round and hit Ogden Claughton. A perfect spot for lunch!

Walking through star moss, lowland grasses, a little bit of Ling heather, – but such different and contrasting countryside to Kinder Scout a couple of weeks ago. Up on Kinder, the peat bogs are deep and wide and the heather is energy sapping, whereas on Pendle there are far fewer features and but also quite a lot less heather. The grassy terrain was a joy to walk on even if it was almost completely featureless.

Once away from the busy paths because it was a glorious day we had Pendle Hill to ourselves – just us, the occasional falcon chasing the crows away and the sheep.

All in all, a lovely day out. The sun was shining although the wind was north-westerly so a bit cool, but a glorious early autumn day. One to be savoured.

I have to say though, I ache everywhere today and my knees are telling me that even though I climbed up 53 flights of stairs, it was the climbing down that took its toll. We came down the short way- the short, sharp, shock way – and my knees felt every single one of those 53 floors. You know that jelly legs feeling! Well, that!

Join me next time! Look out for the links on Eventbrite.