Wilderswood mine trail ,Montcliffe,Rivington ,Horwich

small yellow and black ladybird

just looking at the grasses

old gatepost

old mine level

old water pipe from the pond or mine ?

by the old entrance to the mine still blowing cold air

down towards cabins pit

winter hill mast in the distance

the owners showed me a very gentle old horse – he loved polo mints

old level and tramway

old mine drain?

one of the old rail s

the old tramway bridge – rails

me on a bridge across the tramway

this bridge was reinforced by iron rails

the pike

looking for grasshoppers

me holding a grasshopper

Bell pit

one of the levels

the mast from wilderswood two lads

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-mine-trail-311592/
http://justramblingon.co.uk/country-walks/rivington/to-the-wilderswood/
http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/trails-around-the-world/europe-trails/trails-europe-united-kingdom/trail/rivington/prd_167366_4539crx.aspx
http://justramblingon.co.uk/tag/dogs/page/3/

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/winterpike.html

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike_Folklore.html

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/Rivington%20Pike

http://justramblingon.co.uk/history-pages/two-lads-hill/

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Two_Lads_Cairns.html

Rivington Pike links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivington_Pike

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Rivington_Pike.html

Two Lads links

http://www.about-rivington.co.uk/acatalog/Two_Lads_Cairns.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Pennine_Moors

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_Hill_(North_West_England)

http://www.daveweb.co.uk/whvol2.pdf

Turton and Entwistle Reservoir in the Snow, Bolton -4C to -6C in the shade

a giant block of snow

the snow was very deep

a tunnel we found

the other  end of the tunnel

the ice bridge !

me and Evie relaxing

Jake that is me and Evie on the bridge

Memorial forest

a memorial to people who have died

playing on the path

looking how deep the snow is

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-kingdom/-turton/740129157274747005

http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/united-kingdom/-turton/325129157266780227

Note from Dad  :Please take care before going out in cold temperature’s with young children support mountain rescue teams don’t  use their services !

temperature varied from -4c to -6c even in the sunshine ,  ice found on boulders and in some areas on the well used paths – the previous day it had rained and this had frozen overnight enjoy !

http://www.mountain.rescue.org.uk/mountain-advice

http://www.mountainrescue.org.uk/safety-advice

http://blog.dialaphone.co.uk/2010/11/25/new-mobile-mountain-rescue-service-–-just-in-time-for-the-snow/

http://www.boltonmrt.org.uk/go.php?page=main

http://www.bowlandpenninemrt.org.uk/safety.htm?

Fairy Battery,Turton and Entwistle reservoir,Bolton -3 to – 6c no Snow!

This is our third blog with places with the name of Fairy in them

the other two are

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/2010/09/trou-des-fees-fairy-caves-virton.html

fairy caves -Trou des fees ,this was in Virton Belgium

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/2010/11/family-walk-fairy-steps-boulder-climb.html

Fairy steps -this was in Beetham ,Cumbria

me walking on ice

there is water flowing underneath this ice I am staying to the safe parts !

ice crystals

in the quarry

can you see me ? advantage of Hi visibility clothing !

memorial bench  by Bolton Holiday fellowship

memorial bench

http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/about-us

http://www.hfholidays.co.uk/get-involved/activity-clubs

link to Bolton’s HF

memorial bench in memory to Craig Tuppen

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/483239
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/424991
these are better photos!!!

Fairy Battery, an outcrop of rock popular with climbers.  The site was the secret meeting place of non-conformist worshippers in the 17th century.  Opposite the outcrop on the other side of the stream is a quarry complex with extensive mine caverns, now filled in. – taken from Blackburn and Darwen council site

me on top of Fairy Battery, I am being careful as there is a big drop on the other side!!!

climbing up a boulder  this was slippy and covered with ice

very little to grip onto !

??? ditches they just seemed to be filled with water ?

bell pit -we had seen this from Cranberry moss
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/44053027
right hand side of photo

we saw  several mines around the top of Fairy Battery.
http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/2010/11/cranberry-moss-bull-hill-darwen-old.html
our last adventure was to Cranberry moss last weekend 

giant icicles

some of the rock outcrops  in this area

some of the sites about the reservoir

http://www.lep.co.uk/lifestyle/walking_turton_and_entwistle_reservoir_1_84828

http://www.northturton.com/walks_res.html

http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=767

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Entwistle,_Lancashire

http://www.entwistlefamily.org.uk/local_history.htm

http://www.unitedutilities.com/Wayohreservoirs.aspx

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/fairy-battery-entwistle-303810/

family walk -fairy steps, boulder climb -Walk Away V15, Beetham,near Milnthorpe, Cumbria ,snow and -3c

me and Evie in the stocks !

links to Beetham,

http://www.visitcumbria.com/sl/beetham.htm

http://www.heronmill.org/

http://www.northofthesands.org.uk/westmoreland/parish/9/beetham

A small shrine to Saint Lioba (or Leoba), built into a stone wall in the nearby hamlet of Slackhead.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beetham

this is an old gate post

limestone pavement

looks like a giant pine cone !

through the forest -I am in the distance !

This gives some information about the fairy steps

http://www.visitcumbria.com/sl/beetham-fairy-steps.htm

http://www.discovercumbria.co.uk/beetham.html

http://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/england/cumbria/folklore/the-beetham-fairy-steps.html

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1073997

http://www.francisfrith.com/beetham,cumbria/photos/fairy-steps-1894_34132/

http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=1407

http://lakesbloc.com/guides/fairysteps-guide.pdf

Note from Dad : this is not only a good walk but a famous climbing area for bouldering this has a V15(the difficulty of a boulder problem is described by the American ‘V’ grade system that runs fromV0- to V15)

description of a climb called Walk Away V15 – (sit start)  The middle of the wall is utterly desperate by the way !!! in fact the sit start is pretty grim 😉

Video of view from the top of the fairy steps

looking  down the fairy steps

looking up the fairy steps

if you want to see the fairies you are supposed to fit through this without touching the sides but it is too narrow for dad !!

tree trunk cut for the  path

an old house we found

Route taken is

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/fairy-steps-beetham-cumbria-303720/

Spooky Wilderswood in the dark at -4 to -6 C, Winter Hill,Horwich,

Note from Dad :

Route early evening in complete darkness  -4c through to -6c with ice found on the path and rocks, we are also testing new high visibility clothing, new strobe safety equipment on a clearly defined path,  this area and route is known to me and Jake in both  poor weather conditions and at night, both Children have previously  experienced temperature’s down to – 21C on a regular basis in winter when they lived abroad – basic family activities like going  to the supermarket from the car have to be done at -21C ,  Both Jake and Evie have multiple high performance layers on them to undertake this walk , we have online GPS tracking. we take our safety very seriously! Please be careful now the weather is getting colder and it is getting darker ,

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/search/label/wilderswood

some of previous Blog posts exploring in this area

this is my new coat

the back of my new coat -we are testing the strobe lights and the increased reflective patches

walking  through  Wilderswood

This photo is the same doorway (looking the other way )as the Photo below – the difference being one is at  night  you need to careful – things you are familiar with look very different at night

remember this  photo with the sheep ?

http://jakeofwinterhill.blogspot.com/2010/08/two-lads-from-wilderswood.html

SPOOKY Wilderswood

ice on the path be careful

me and Evie having a hot drink !

our route:

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-303656/

Wilderswood Mill

http://www.about-horwich.co.uk/horwich/Wilderswood_Mill.html

walking route’s in this area

http://prestonwalkies.blogspot.com/2007/04/wilderswood-and-winter-hill.html

http://www.middle-age-shred.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15988&start=0

Underneath this route 😉

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/wilders1.html

http://www.d.lane.btinternet.co.uk/wilders3.html

One of our routes

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/wilderswood-294070/

some of the Birds in this area –

http://www.manchesterbirding.com/horwichmoorssiteguide.htm

Good ideas for day time Heritage trails in this area

http://www.horwichheritage.co.uk/publications.htm

History of Rockhaven castle – old house on this site before the wood

http://www.about-horwich.co.uk/horwich/Rockhaven_Castle.html

early morning walk at -4c where we stayed Smithfield ,Longtown,Cumbria

these are our footprints in the frost

my slippy dance which Evie joined in

it was freezing that day

we walked along the drive way

a tree stump with mushrooms and fungus on it

route we took
http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/early-morning-walk-keepers-cottage-302344/

Link to the cottage where we stayed
http://www.keepers-cottage.co.uk/

Grizedale walk-a long walk for my sister!

my family without dad who is taking the photo !

we have a long way to go

this is Evie with her new zebra hat

this is a wigwam

giant man

us on the bridge

a lovely beetle it made a funny noise!  it went like this ah ah plus vibrated at the same time  it was odd

me looking at a very noisy waterfall

me with my hat with  spikes on it

I am still a very long way from the car

oh look the sign near the car  thanks for  looking !

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/grizedale-forest-299784/ our route

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/grizedalehome Forestry commissions web site

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grizedale_ general guide to area

http://www.lamrt.org.uk/ Local mountain rescue team  Langdale/Ambleside Mountain Rescue Team (LAMRT)

Cathedral Cave – Little Langdale, Lake District, Cumbria

Entrance to the Cathedral cave  this tunnel is the longer (100m) of the two entrances

out of the first tunnel .

in the main cave .

This is known as the side window ?

looking up at the central pillar.

central pillar 30m high

This cave is a famous climbing site, people have held part of their weddings here as well ,

http://www.sanoodi.com/routes/cathedral-cave-299782/ is our route

http://www.mine-explorer.co.uk/mines/Cathedral-Cavern_1113/Cathedral-Cavern_6663.pdf

map of  cave,