Bowland & Pendle Walks
Spence Moor
Date: 20th February 2007
Distance: 9.3 miles
Ascent: 1655 feet
Time: 3 hours 50 mins
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SD779373
Walk Summary:
An exploration of some of the lower Pendle heights including Spence Moor and The Rough.
Route Summary: Sabden - Clitheroe Road - Wilkin Heys - The Rough - Nick of Pendle - Deerstone - Spence Moor - Cock Clough - Haddings Lane - Rigg of England - Black Hill - Sabden
Photos: Click on the photos below to enlarge.
Walk Detail: Upon arriving in Sabden I discovered I only had change for 4 hours worth of parking so I knew I couldn't dawdle on this walk. My hopes for the weather were quashed early on when I realised it was to be a murky, cloudy day.
This was a shame as the first top of the day, the brilliantly named The Rough, would have made a good vantage point, particularly for Longridge Fell and the southern Bowland fells.
As I left the trig point on The Rough the top of Spence Moor itself was still under cloud though thankfully it lifted as I got closer. The final climb to the top of Spence Moor, via the little rocky outcrop of Deerstones, was achieved quite quickly. The top of Spence Moor is flat and wet, and the summit is ummarked. While I could have walked out to the northern flank for a better view of Pendle Hill I decided not to due to time constraints.
The descent from Spence Moor was quite boggy in places and I came across some quite impressive blanchmangey patches of ground. After getting across the wettest bits I continued my descent in the woods of Cock Clough which was a nice interlude especially as it was accompanied to the sounds of a rather active woodpecker.
It is a shame that the rather grandiosely named Rigg of England is in fact a rather drab farmers field. From the Rigg I followed the road along the ridge of Padiham Heights all the way until Black Hill. By sticking to the quiet road I was able to enjoy good views east to Boulsworth Hill and Great Hameldon and west to Spence Moor which looked quite impressive from this angle.
The top and trig of Black Hill were much more satisfying than the Rigg of England even though this top was even lower. There was also a nice path, unmarked on the map, that took me down into Sabden with ten minutes to spare before my parking ticket ran out.
This was a pleasant little ramble and while it would have been much nicer if the sun had come out I could not really grumble after a run of decent weather.
Follow me on ...
