LDWA Walking the Central Loop

Posted on 17th October 2018 at 6:14 pm by neil.harwood / 0

After walking the Southern Loop in the Spring of 2018, I am delighted to say that the West Lancashire group of the Long Distance Walk Association (LDWA) will be completing the Central Loop of the Lancashire Way tomorrow.

At the beginning of Day 4 in Slaidburn

The LDWA, was established in 1972 with the aim of furthering the interests of long distance walkers. Sport England recognises the LDWA, together with the Ramblers Association, as the governing body for “rambling” in England. It has over 40 groups across the country and organises many walks each week from Challenge events to short local walks. It is famous for its “Hundred” walks, which are held over the Spring Bank holiday weekend, and in which participants need to complete a course of 100 miles in 48 hours. More details can be found at the LDWA website – http://www.ldwa.org.uk

Why not join? Membership is currently just £13 – and I whole heartedly recommend it.

Refreshments on the summit of Pendle Hill

The Central Loop will have been walked over six Thursdays in September and October 2018, taking 43 hours, and wherever possible using public transport to link the beginning and the end of the day’s walk. The six days were

Day 1 – Preston to Mellor – Stages 17-18 – 20 miles – 2,228ft of ascent. Highlight – the panoramic views from Wainwright’s viewpoint close to Billinge Hill.

Day 2 – Mellor to Braley – Stages 19-20 – 16 miles – 2,322ft of ascent. Highlight – tea and cakes at the cafe in the car park at Barley. We had set off early that morning to catch the 15.14 bus back to Clitheroe and made it with time to spare.

Day 3 – Barley to Slaidburn – Stages 21-23 – 18 miles – 2,741ft of ascent. The views from Pendle Hill – the light was just perfect – followed by lunch on the grass by the stream in the lovely village of Downham.

Day 4 – Slaidburn to Chipping – Stage 24 and the Alternative Stage 25 – 18 miles – 1,958ft of ascent. Highlight – we took the alternative Stage 25 along the Hodder Valley from Dunlop Bridge to Chipping and it proved to be a delightful alternative.

Day 5 – Chipping to Ribchester – Stages 26-27 – 16 miles – 1,842ft of ascent. Highlight – the views across the Loud valley to Beacon Fell, Parlick, the Bowland Fells. The opening picture on the home page this site is the view!

Day 6 – Ribchester to Preston – Stage 28 – 11.5 miles – 748ft of ascent. The River Ribble near Brockholes with Pendle Hill still in the distance followed by refreshments by the water’s edge at the visitor centre at Brockholes.

UPDATE

The final day yesterday was completed and it gave us some of the very best weather for a very pleasant walk back into Preston. On the previous five days we had had lots of grey cloud, which unfortunately can be typical of the county of Lancashire. But it rarely remains like that for long and some good sunny spells were also enjoyed particularly from Barley to Grindleton. And we only really suffered heavy rain during the first half of Day 4 and at the very end of Day 5.