Rural Rosendale Walking Festival

For the second year running Rural Rossendale organised the Rural Rossendale Walking Festival, and once again what a huge success. Five walks over three days all with a foody theme; Soup Loop, Sarspiralla Stroll, Blackpudding Plod, Fudge Trudge and Whiskey and Wind Turbine. Naturally, the name of walk gives a clue of the delights to be expected during or after each walk. This year I walked the 7 mile Whiskey and Wind Turbine on Saturday along with Rita Alebenese and Moira Mitchell.


As "back walker" I had the pleasure of spending quite a lot of time with Hilda and Olga, two very interesting ladies who would put most people to shame. In the photograph Hilda and Olga walk with Moira. Hilda is 78 years old and likes nothing more than a good walk in and around the hills!! Having just returned from a walking holiday in Austria, the torrential wind (what else would you expect around the turbines) and rain did absolutely nothing to diffuse Hilda's enthusiasm. Apart from the beautiful, ever changing landscape and scenery, the walking festival allows me to meet and get to know some lovely people. Thank you everybody that made my walk so enjoyable but most of all thank you Hilda and Olga, I wish you lots of fun on your future walks and holidays.

Then in Sunday I did the 12 mile Soupl Loop along with Chris Thomas and Victor.
And the dog came too....

Am I mad?? You bet your life I am!!! I'm sat here with acheing feet and a LARGE glass of wine. I developed blisters a couple of weeks ago whilst marking out the Soup Loop with Wendy and Chris and felt it was probably cos I hadn't got my boots tight enough. So this time I pre-empted problems and padded my feet with plasters and tied my boots oh so tight. The result, oh my giddy aunt I have bruises and swelling like never before around my ankles!!! One year I'll win but crikey bob not this year, lol!!!
I digress..............


The Soup Loop starts at Bacup Leisure Hall and covers part of the Rossendale Way and the Irwell Sculpture Trail. Naturally we had to make a pit stop at the "Source of the Irwell" (Dave Taylor wouldn't forgive me if I didn't mention "The Source"!) Here we are, all 35 of us, at "The Source"

We then ventured on with a mid way stop at Peersclough Farm where all walkers are nourished with a selection of soups and bread that would warm the cockles of any heart. This year we had: butternut squash, leek and potato, curried pea and apple and french onion lovingly made by Chris at Peersclough Farm and Tom here at Number 678. Naturally the home made bread was supplied by "moi"; seeded white and seeded onion, delicish!!
You never know who you are going to meet on the way.........a courting couple of .................

pigs, lol. Come on, what did you expect?????
We had a fabulous day, I just loved it.


And i just got to tell you about Jo. Jo lives in Stockport and this was the first time she had attempted 12 miles. I ended up walking a fair way of the walk with Jo and had great conversation. Getting over the stiles was brilliant especially the one with over friendly horse that insisted on helping you over the stile by nudging its nose up your rear end, gosh it was so funny, you just had to be there. We had traversed the hardest part of the second leg, going from Edgheside up to the hill and felt really good about ourselves. However, Saturday had been wet so the tops, although level, were to say the least "muddy". Jo and I found ourselves a little behind the spritely group and just continued on at our own pace. Then.............. we found ourselves going through the muddiest patch ever, Jo lost her balance, I was mesmorised by the frogs jumping in the mud when...... down Jo went, "plop" right down in the mud, she was stuck! Oh, how I giggled, the rest of the group were nowhere to be seen and here was Jo stuck in the mud!!! It was so darned funny and yet Jo was so wet and muddy. I really wasn't the most professional walk guide; poor Jo was covered in mud and there was I giggling like there was no tomorrow. Fortunately Jo too had a good sense of humour and we finished the walk 10 minutes behind the leaders but I'm sure having had the best day!
Whereas Hilda was our oldest walker on Saturday, Logan was our youngest on Sunday. Back for his second year at just 2 1/2 years old he thoroughly enjoyed the walk perched on his dad back. Was I envious??? You bet your life I was, lol!!! He giggled all the way round and thought it was so funny when his welly boot fell off and Dad caught it with a stick and contineud to throw it ahead from the end of the stick. A lovely, lovely little boy.


If good fun, good company, good food, a view of the most interesting landscape ever and the warmest welcome ever is up your street then you really must ensure you join us next year. We are thinking of adding a couple of new walks next yeat so who knows what delights may be in store for you.
A fabulous, fabulous weekend. I can't wait for next year. In the meantime I'll have another glass of wine and look at my ankles with a giggle..........