Just two of us this time and we set off from the carpark in Barley and headed toward the Ogden reservoirs along an uphill track used by the water board (if it is still called that). The track climb past woodland unitl it reached lower Ogden, this used to provide the water for Nelson, I dont know if it still does? the water level was really low, its no surprise there is a hosepipe ban. Continuing on we reached the upper reservoir, almost empty but enough water for a pair of tufted duck. the track now ended and we started following the valley on a rough path eventually reaching a dry stream bed which we crossed and then started looking for a path onto the southern slope of Pendle.
We started up through ferns and soon found a pendle way sign which showed we were on the right track Looking back down the valley towards Ogden it was surprising how much we had already climbed. After a fairly steep start the gradient eased a little as we picked our way over dry stream beds and it was lovely to see the view improve has we rose higher and were able to see over the lower hills. As we got higher we could look to the west and clearly see the Ribble estuary, a hazy Blackpool tower, and in the southwest the dim outline of the north Wales hills.
Eventually we left the streams behind and and walked over mostly grassland until we reached the summit and the trig point. There were a good number of people around at the top who had walked the direct route from Barley and it was nice to see that parents still walk up Pendle with their children. There was a chilly wind on the top but we went a little way down the eastern side of the hill and sat in a sheltered spot for a well deserved snack and a little break. I love the views from here (pictured~), looking down on Barley, the Blackmoss Reservoirs and then over to Nelson and Burnley with the Pennines in the background, or looking northeast to Blacko tower, foulridge reservoir and then north to the start of the Yorkshire Dales with Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent prominent on the skyline, West to Beacon Fell and the thin glint of the Irish Sea in the distance and all the fields spreadout below. Apart from the view we could watch swallows hunting insects flying just above the ground but below our feet, so different frrom seeing them in the town.
Eventually it was time to make our way down the ";big end", now I understand the need for a man made path to prevent erosion, but it really did make going down hard work but we eventually reached the bottom of the hill and then followed the track back into Barley where we soon found a nice tea shop for the now traditional cream scones.
It was lovely to stand on the top of Pendle again after such a long time, although I was disappointed that there were; not more birds on the moor, a few skylarks and that was it, oh, and another goldfinch when back in Barley. Again saw lots of wild flowers I could not identify but I took photos and will hopefully be able to work out what they were. Again the walk was about five miles but with most of it being uphill it took around 4 hours including the break.
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