8th July 2008

Rossendale Way In A Day (RWIAD), Saturday 5th July 2008

Every area has its own locally renowned walk, and Rossendale is no different. I’m sure some of the club’s members have completed this walk, but here’s my personal perspective.

Saturday 5th July 2008 saw the annual Rossendale Way In A Day, arranged by the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team, whereby you can choose the entire 46 miles (leaving at 05:30) or, as we chose, the half way route of 22 miles (leaving around 09:00). In much the same was as it was last year, the weather forecast wasn’t looking good – rain was predicted for most of the day, and it certainly wasn’t wrong.

Arriving at Deerplay, where the half way route was to commence – myself, Victor Marcinkiewicz, and two friends of mine – we advised our intention to start, having already pre-registered. We were all given printed directions, as well as a disc that we knew we’d have to show at the various checkpoints en route, so that they could confirm we’d checked in okay, as well as advising any stragglers that they might be best to stop there as they may not make the next checkpoint or finish in good time.

Setting off at 08:50, the first part was on the footpath before starting off cross-country – this early part was an easy section to the first checkpoint, just near where the path crossed the road above Sharneyford. However, within minutes, the heavens opened and we donned out waterproofs for best part of the remainder of the day.

From here, we started the long trudge across Reaps Moss following a fairly well defined if somewhat boggy track – this was hard on the knees. Not sure how we managed it, but we crossed here quite quickly and it set us in good stead for the rest of the day – it was just a shame that we couldn’t see anything down in the valleys due to the blustery rain we were now walking in. Passing over various landmarks – Hades Hill, Middle Hill, and Brown Wardle Hill, we could see the next welcome site in the distance – the next checkpoint and the food tent.

Arriving here, we were welcomed by hot beverages, sandwiches, and malt loaf – setting us up for the next long winding stretch, but somewhat more scenic through the Healey Dell Nature Reserve. This was the point when the weather brightened up a lot, and we saw blue skies for the first time. Walking on the old railway track, we picked up some time, before heading cross country again for the next stretch on the edge of Bagden Quarry, and up the valley to Rooley Moor Road where the next checkpoint was. This was a welcome water top-up.

The stretch along Rooley Moor Road is probably the hardest on the feet, as there is little opportunity to get walk off-road. This is a well defined cobbled road going on for several miles, and the only distraction was a local amateur radio club all set up en route. Passing Top of Leach, we walked through the disused Cragg Quarry, and finally come to our last checkpoint below Cowpe Lowe.

Cowpe Lowe can be particularly demoralising as it is a 2 mile loop bringing you back to the checkpoint again, before you head home on the final leg. Now that the weather had cleared a bit, we headed up the path via Waugh’s Well and came up on top of Scout Moor, where we could see the new wind farm up close. The 60m turbine masts you can see from a distance, look nothing like they do up close – we marvelled at the turbine blades waiting for that wind to come.

The homeward stretch too us down above Grain Brook, and allowed us look across Cheesden Pasture, as we came down to the road near Turn Village. With a short road walk, we arrived at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary just around 5pm – approximately 7.5 hours of walking time. Registering our finish, we settled down to our pie and peas, as the rain intensified somewhat (we had been relatively lucky), and awaited our respective lifts home.

Talking to one of the organisers, we found that next year’s event was likely to be over our side of the valley – something to look forward to. All of us had sore feet, and aching limbs, but nothing we knew a beer or two wouldn’t help take our minds off them. Whilst the previous year we’d ventured to the Fisherman’s Retreat, this year we decided to wait until we got closer to home, and had the refreshments at the same venue where I’d recently led an evening walk from in Helmshore.

Whilst the weather could have been better, the company was good and we all enjoyed the walk. Although a repeat route from last year, it gave some of us the impetus to want to return to some of the areas again, albeit not on a long distance walk. We knew it had been worth it just for that.

Stuart McDonald