Ribble Way Part 3

Our adventures seem woefully inadequate having just read Ben’s latest blog all about Thanksgiving. It sounds a lovely idea for the whole family to get together especially at Big Bear in the sunshine. Saturday was the usual – gym for me, some food shopping then both J and I did some work and generally lazed the day away. I am sure rugby featured on somewhere during the afternoon!
Sunday didn’t look too hopeful with lots of black clouds about and very wet from the previous night’s rain but we set off undeterred to Clitheroe (end of walk) and then Ribchester to start the third stage of the Ribble Way. We walked past the badger wood but no sign of them; they must have been tucked up in their set. The river is very wide and with all the recent rain was very high as well. There was a long stretch through fields which were incredibly muddy and J quickly had very wet feet. He had new waterproof trousers which kept the outside nice and dry but didn’t breathe so got a bit damp inside!! The wooded stage was even slipperier with all the mud and leaves and it was quite a relief to get on to a hard surface for the final part of the walk. About 2 miles from the end we found a nice little tea shop where we had sandwiches and fresh orange juice which managed to revive us for the final stretch. They had a book called ‘Tea shop walks in Lancashire’ so I shall be ordering that!! We saw Stoneyhurst College in the distance which is where Tolkien’s son studied. The area around there is supposed to be the setting for Middle Earth in the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. We didn’t see any Hobbits but then it was very wet underfoot and it wouldn’t have done their fur any good. By the end of the day it was lovely and sunny and we got home around 4 pm just in time to cook a roast and chill out. Do you remember doing a walk near Stoneyhurst one Christmas Mandy? It was equally wet that day!!
I am hoping that my car will be back either tomorrow or Wednesday but I must admit I am very pleased with the Polo, perhaps they would like to do a swap. Mel and I are going to the Lowry tomorrow night to see Arnold Bennet’s The History Boys. We went to see the film of it a few weeks ago but then someone at work mentioned that it was on in Manchester so I managed to get 2 tickets – not necessarily together but not far apart! I hope I don’t get stuck on the M62!!
I have just come back from the gym so thought I had better catch up before I forget what we did!! Love to you all xxx