Monday 6th February 2023 North Western Countryside Walk

Monday 6^th February 2023

North Western Countryside Walk

The short walk this month started from Greenmount, with twenty-seven walkers setting out on a bright crisp morning and heading for Greenmount Golf Course. Once on Whipney Lane we followed the muddy footpath throught the woods, and into the fields, walking in the direction of Croichley Fold. At this point we were rewarded by the sight of three young row deer in the morning sunshine. After passing through the fold, we climbed over the high stile and descended the steep slope into Two Brooks Valley. After following the brook for some time, we climbed out of the valley and made our way passed the old chimney of Two Brooks bleach works, that dates back to the seventeenth century and was bought by the Whowell family in 1850 and continued the beaching business until the end of the century.

 

Our route then took us through Higher Barn Farm, where we were greeted, as usual, by a large Alsatian dog. Once safely through the farm we headed across the fields, where, in the morning sunshine, we had glorious views over to Peel Tower. At the end of the fields we descended to Hawkshaw, which was made more difficult because of the frost that still covered the grass.

 

After crossing the road, we made our way up Coal Pit Lane and on to the Top of Quarton, where we continued across the fields to Plantation Road. Here we turned right and followed a narrow footpath to Roger Worthington’s grave where we stopped to enjoy our morning coffee, in the winter sunshine.  At the top of Hawkshaw Lane we turned right and walked down the lane as far as Boardman’s Farm, once the home of Ralph Rooney, who was, in those days a local celebrity, and the gardener for the Whowell family who lived at Croich Hey, in Hawkshaw. Our route then took us to the Range House and onto Spenleach Lane where we joined more familiar paths back to Greenmount, having covered six and a half sunny miles.