Hurst Green and Longridge Fell

We have had some great walks over the past few weeks. The fantastic weather has meant a few 5am starts to avoid the worst of the heat, with the West Pennines Moors our destination of choice. Today's cloudy weather meant a return to near normality though, and a chance for a different tale on one of our favourite walks on Longridge Fell. 

We parked up at Hurst Green and followed the road up towards the college, turning off along a bridle way on the right just before leaving the village. The path led alongside a stream for a short while before passing through fields and farm tracks, rising gently towards Longridge fell. It was on lead all the way here, as it was unfamiliar territory and sheep were grazing. 

On reaching the road we turned left and after a short while reached the main forest road leading up the fell. Off lead all the way here before eventually descending to the road at Kemple End. 

At Kemple End we took the footpath past the pretty cottages and past a farm. Sadly we then reached a field of too inquisitive for comfort cattle so had to retrace our steps, finding a very overgrown alternative route to Over Hacking and Woodfields. The signage on the footpaths was virtually non existent so we were grateful to the farmer at Over Hacking for sending us on a good route, not over a public footpath, to Woodfields. 

Our journey took us past the wonderful Stonyhurst College before joining the road back to Hurst Green. 

All in all a tricky walk to navigate in parts, and for us a bit of a detour to avoid the cattle. You do of course have to use your judgement, and perhaps had it been just a couple of inquisitive cows we would have carried on. It just didn't seem worth running the gauntlet of 20 to 30 cattle though given they instantly crowded round our entrance to the field.