The old lime kiln near Chorley Old Road and Westwood Close, just outside Whittle-le-Woods. It used to be in Brindle but is now in Clayton-le-Woods. It was on the east bank of the Lancaster Canal (south) before the canal was filled in around 1967.

The old crumbling wall by Alance Bridge, Yarrow Reservoir has now been rebuilt
and Parson’s Bullough Road is open again.

The work on Fri 22 Aug 2014

I visited the small car park at the north end of Stocks Reservoir near Slaidburn. It used to be the site of St James’ Church which was demolished in the 1930s when the reservoir was being built to supply Blackpool with water. The reservoir dam meant that the valley and village of Stocks-in-Bowland would be flooded. Several years ago a friend of mine found some old stone door lintels showing dates of 1706 and 1709. Eventually I was able to track down photos showing them in their original buildings. We recommended to United Utilities that it would be a good idea to build the lintels into a wall as a feature and so prevent them being stolen. And now they have.

St James" Church before demolition

the same view today

The new replacement church

interior

The Swinshaw Farm 1709 date stone

The datestone c1910
with Isobel (Bell) Robinson
and Nancy Robinson

Lamb Hill Farm sheep clipping 1906, near Slaidburn.
Surrounding farmers came along to help.

This afternoon Rosemary, Joan, Kevin and Boyd met representatives of Clayton-le-Woods Parish Council, Lindsey from Chorley Council and John from Lancashire County Council. The reason was to try and find a permanent site for the Clayton/Leyland reservoir memorial structure. Various sites have been considered but each has had its problems. The latest site suggested is the open area of maintained grass by the A6 and opposite the Pines Hotel. The land is already occupied by a floral display of Clayton-le-Woods Parish Council’s celebration of 50 years of the RHS (Royal horticultural Society) Britain in Bloom. All agreed that there would be room to fit the memorial to the north. Yellow markers were sprayed at each corner of the proposed site. They can just be seen in the photo.

The 9th Whittle-le-Woods Flower, Craft and Produce show was another huge success. The home made confectionery section had more entries than ever. Wonderful events like this can only succeed with a lot of work from the organisers the judges and of course the members of the public who contribute to the displays and come to visit and enjoy an afternoon of good company and chat.
 

Judging the entries.

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This evening Withnell Fold Cricket Club celebrated 110 years of its cricket field with a special match against East Lancs. C.C. who were also celebrating as it’s their 150th year. Another celebration was Withnell Fold’s Graham Sharples who has been with the club for 50 years.
After a nail-biting final over East Lancs. C.C. won a very close match.
 

Withnell Fold Cricket Team in 2004
at their centenary celebration.

Withnell Fold Cricket Team

East Lancs Cricket Team

Summit view (just) from Sgurr an Fhidleir (The Fiddler) 705m
Stack Polly can just be seen in the distance, its summit in the clouds.
I was also climbed here yesterday but it was thick cloud and torrential rain.

Camp by Loch Eil after 36hrs of rain

Inverscaddle Bay looking towards Ben Nevis (hidden in cloud)

I recently read an amazing book called ‘Calum’s Road’ by Roger Hutchinson. It tells the remarkable story or Calum MacLeod (1911- 1988) who lived in the small village of Arnish at the north end of the Isle of Raasay off Skye, Scotland. For many years he tried to get the authorities to extend the island road to reach his village. The only access was by sea or a narrow boggy path over the moors. They wouldn’t help so in the early 1960s he set off with a wheelbarrow, pick, shovel and sledge hammer to build a vehicle road himself. It took him over 10 years and remains to this day. I wanted to ride my bike along it, getting there the scenic route via the Outer Hebrides.

Calum's Road

Cycling across South Uist I came to the birthplace of Flora MacDonald.

Flora MacDonald (1722 – 1790)

Boarding the ferry at Oban.

Ferry disgorging us on the Isle of Barra.

In the walled garden

Kirkby Stephen, Wensleydale, Buttetubs Pass, Swaledale, Tan Hill, Cumbria, Nth Yorkshire. (cycle ride)

Near Nateby (Kirkby Stephen) is a new car park by the old railway which is where I left my car. Set off to ride my bike up Mallerstang to the south. I joined the A684 at the Moorcock Inn then headed towards Hawes. It’s not a nice stretch of road because of the speeding traffic and a fairly steep climb.

Moorcock Inn

Possible bike change in Hardraw

Over Buttertubs summit

I was very relived to reach the turn off on to the minor road to Hardraw. Then it was a left turn up through Simonstone which is where the Tour de France came through on 5 July 2014 on its way over Buttertubs Pass. I was also cycling over the pass which was quite steep at the start but eased over the main summit.

Descending back into Swaledale

I passed a couple of cyclists on the steep bit. Over the top I descended to the actual Butter Tubs which is a deep chasm by the road, then a long steep descent into Swaledale. I turned right again for the even steeper climb over the Oxnop climb.

Old fuel pumps near Langthwaite

Just as I’d descended back into Wensleydale I turned sharply left for the Fleak climb which was fairly steep and long at the start. There were nice views of Swaledale as I descended into Reeth. After Arkengarthdale the road climbs fairly steadily up one of the finest remote climbs I’ve done. At the summit is the Tan Hill Inn, Britain’s highest Inn at 528m (1732ft). The descent was deceptive as there were still a few climbs in it. It was nice to reach the picturesque Kaber then thankfully only a short stretch of the busy A685 before returning to Kirkby Stephen.

Tan Hill Inn

Profile of the ride.
 

I love this video cover of the hit song 'Happy'

Today’s date of Monday 4th Aug 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of WW1, or the Great War as it was called at the time. To remember the occasion there was a short service at the Whittle and Clayton-le-Woods War Memorial. The service was lead by Revd Philip Venables the Vicar of St John’s Church. Council members laid wreaths at the memorial and local children read out the names of all 109 men of Whittle and Clayton-le-Woods who died in that war.

Most War Memorial to the Great War show the date 1914 – 1918.
The Whittle and Clayton-le-Woods War memorial shows 1914 – 1919.
The fighting finished with the Armistice on 11 November 1918, but the war didn’t end officially until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on 28 June 1919. So legally, we were actually at war until 1919 – all memorials should really say this date.

Drove to Ellenroad Engine House at Newhey near Rochdale. It’s just off the M62 at junction 21 and the mill chimney can be seen from the motorway. As it’s the first Sunday in the month they were having a ‘steaming’ day when the Lancashire Boiler is fired up and the massive twin steam engines Victoria and Alexandra are run for two periods of about 30mins each. On steaming days they ask for £5 entrance charge but other days entrance is by donation. It is operated by the
Ellenroad Trust.

Shovelling coal for the Lancashire Boiler

Wide view of Victoria and Alexandria steam engines

The original mill was built in 1892 and produced fine cotton yarn. The steam engine then was powered by five Lancashire boilers.

The mill burnt down in 1916 but the Engine House was saved. The mill re-opened in 1921 and was powered by the 3,000 horsepower twin Victoria and Alexandra steam engines. These are the engines that remain along with one Lancashire Boiler.

They are the largest working steam mill engines in the World.

The Lancashire Boiler and coal feed hopper

Alexandra

Phillida - Generator Set.
This is a generator consisting of a steam engine coupled with a DC generator. The engine was built by Browett, Lidley Engineers in Patricroft, Manchester in 1921 and the dynamo by Mather and Platt, Manchester.
It povided pilot lighting in the mill so workers could enter and leave when it was dark and for maintenance work when the main engine was not running.

Phillida

The Whitelees Beam Engine.
Built by J. Petrie of Rochdale in 1842 and originally used in the Whitelees mill in Littleborough. It powered machinery that produced woollen goods such as blankets until the 1940s. It was acquired by the Ellenroad Trust in 1986.

Whitelees Beam Engine

Piston shaft of the Alexandra steam engine and the 80 ton flywheel that provided drive through 44 ropes to line-shafts on five floors of the mill.

Video of Alexandra running

Thought I’d start the new month of August with a hearty heart attack breakfast at JJ's Diner, Burnley Road, Cliviger near Burnley, BB11 3RF.
Their motto is "We don't serve fast food, just good food as fast as we can." Open 8am - 2:30pm daily.
Fantastic prices.

Hearty Breakfast