In 2018 I maintained an intention to continue to visit the wonderful favourite of Pendle Hill many times…and never managed just once!

Hapring back (as we must) to 2018 my walking since summer that woeful year had waned to the point where I no longer classed it as a hobby of mine, the manifestation of this would materialise in my below-par performance on Rivington Pike and Winter Hill on the day of the Anglezarke Amble – the 9th of February, this year.

This year (2019) I have vowed to not repeat such a lack lustre performance and to duly amble around my beloved Pendle as many times as is humanly possible. Visit number one for the year has now been accomplished. In addition to such a success, I am now happy to declare that I had added the lesser summit of Stang Top Moor to the summits bagged during 2019 spreadsheet – (because we all know that I will be compiling one!) and this achievement also took place yesterday.

Moreover, the afore mentioned summit was the first item on the day’s itinerary.  I reached the car park at Barley at 08:45 and was ‘booted-up’ by nine o’clock.  In all honesty I could not have wished for better weather, although there was evidence of a gathering of precipitation – the skies did look like there was a downpour looming (but who would know when), not one drop of rain would land on me throughout the entire day. Being February, it was inconceivable that the sun’s rays would beat down so severely that I would have to abandon the walk, which that only left wind that might have any form of impact upon me and my walk and yes at the summits there was quite some breeze to be had!

I was glad to have paid attention to where I was going on route to Stang Top Moor – the last time I tried this in September of 2017 I ended up sloshing my way through a fledgling forest…and a private one at that! This time, although the route did take on a stickier texture than the type of terrain which normally affords me most pleasure, I didn’t get lost or worse – end up on the wrong side of the fence from where my target resided. It’s nice to feel in control of one’s actions and activities, especially so if they are meant to be a pleasure! I feel like I should apologise to the designers and architect of the building which is Whitehough Outdoor Centre – apparently it’s not the repugnant blot on the landscape which I may have led both of my readers and myself to believe, but let me attest once more, it has no aspirations to attractiveness! I was happy to pass on by.

I had somehow managed to forget that the ordnance survey column at Stang Top Moor is coloured blue. Hardly shocking news in the real world, I grant you; but in the walking world this is practically unparalleled, radical and bohemian nonsense! Fortunately, that’s where the outlandishness concludes, and I am pleased to report that the grass is not red, and the sheep are not in possession of tartan fleeces! The view of Pendle Hill from Stang Top Moor is nothing short of astonishing, how this had eroded from my memory escapes me but essentially this was a good thing as I got to experience afresh the joy of an uninterrupted view of my favourite hill free from the fear of being run over, or having it taken away by those who might venture into my field of view. I stayed only long enough to take a selfie and a few photos of the immediate vicinity. Onwards!

According to ordnance survey maps, a clear path exists which’ if followed should lead a walker such as me from Stang Top Road to Black Moss Road and thus cut a sizeable chunk from the total journey. Although I could easily see the entrance to the path from the Stang Top Road side, I had no faith that said path would not deteriorate to a quagmire within seconds of my joining it! Hence, I took the road – I trust roads not to guide me off into the nearest muddy field or river! My pace at times did come very close to quickening on occasion and I would duly admonish myself, an ambler, observer of nature and thinker such as I has no reason to become acquainted with speed, other than a ponderous one that is! I perceived that in the very dead of winter or in icy times this lane with its leaf-strewn intermittent paving could become quite hazardous. For me this was walking paradise, easy, stress-free, unaccompanied and liberating.