Thursday 17 September 2009

The Lancashire Witches

My brother and I used to sit around my Great Grandmothers chair in her little bungalow and listen while she told us both the tales of the Witches of Pendle Hill.
Being just small children we used to lap up the stories of Old Mother Demdyke and not so old mother Chattox and their evil deeds in and around Pendle, Whalley and Clitheroe. So yesterday, the three of us set off over the moors and fells of Lancashire on the trail of the witches.

Its a fantastic drive out of Lancaster climbing high up onto the moors with excellent views over the Lune valley and over to the Lake District. Some may call the Lake District Cumbria but to me it has always been and will always be Lancashire.

We then dropped down off the tops into the Forest of Bowland and parked up alongside the Trough of Bowland which is a small shallow river running through the valley which we used to paddle in as children. Lilian had her feed while Laura and I scoffed some of the butties and pies we had prepared for the journey.

From the trough we continued on over to Barley neath the shadow of Pendle Hill. We passed through some lovely little villages, some with tea rooms and all with what appeared from the outside some very welcoming Inns.

Our day finally ended up at Dovestones Reservoir where we finished our rolls and even lashed out on buying a cup of tea each from a snack wagon.

Sadly we saw no signs of any Witches on the way although we did come across a Sheep called keith who advised us against "stopping in these parts"

Highlight of the day for Laura was "being on my honeymoon, sitting in the car out of the wind eating a meat and potato pie drinking a stewed cup of tea watching my husband feed the baby"

Oh yes, she has now decided she doesnt want a widebeam anymore, she now wants an old farm on the side of a moor looking out onto Pendle.....I may have to start working more overtime.
Lancashire really is one of Englands most beautiful counties.


A small brook or Clough pronounced cluff running through Bowland.





Keith the Sheep and a couple of mates warning travellers not to go any further



Pendle Hill




Dovestones








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