Autumn walk to Dunsop Bridge. 🍄🥾🍁

We joined my sister and kids for a walk along the river Hodder into Dunsop Bridge, a village that claims to be at the very centre of the UK. Lots of Autumn colours and plenty of fungi finds too. We parked by the stone bridge over the river just outside Whitewell.

River Hodder.

Pheasant.

A Lonk Tup.

A mushroom that looks like a small fried egg.

Bridge over the Hodder.

My sister navigates a wonky bridge.

Riverside.

One of two stone otters by the river outside Thorneyholme Hall.

Another bridge, near Thorneyholme Hall.

Honey Fungi, possibly.

Thorneyholme Hall, currently empty I think.

More unidentified Fungi.

And more amongst the leaves.

https://www.ribblevalley-e-bikes.co.uk/ opened in the village over Lockdown.

Anyone know what this is by the bridge?

Fun in the leaves.

Shaggy Inkcap.

Hello Ewe.

On our way back we crossed over the bridge. However if you have a dog, you may have to carry your pooch over, due to the holes in it. 🙃

Another Hodder view.

Autumn colours.

Walking back to the car.

This walk was a very enjoyable 4 miles, with a brew and biscuits bought from Puddleducks Tea Room in the village,which is presently operating as a take away. I think we will return 🙂

Downham & Twiston Circular Walk. 🥾

Another blog post, another local walk. This one is from the picture perfect village of Downham, where in fact many years ago, I went to primary school. The hike is a 4 mile circular route and was a very peaceful one, we saw only one other person out walking until we arrived back in the village at the end for an ice cream. 😊

We set off from the large car park in Downham, following the brook down through the village. You may recognize Downham from the TV series Born and Bred which was filmed here.

A stone bridge over the brook.

All the cottages in the village are owned by Lord Clitheroe’s estate, so the whole village is tenanted.

There are quite a few Stiles and kissing gates on the walk.

A brood of ducklings. 🙂

We head uphill through farmland and find a well placed bench.

Some locals are keen to see us off though.

A pretty wildflower meadow. 🌼

Hugo cooling off in Twiston Beck.

Twiston Mill Pond, though we couldn’t see the pond for the reeds!

Heading past Twiston Mill , which was a busy cotton mill in the past.

Old squeeze style replaced by gate.

You can continue here to Downham Mill, but our route took us elsewhere. I would like to do this walk though too.

The walk carried on past a couple of farms. Here’s a view of Pendle.

Dog Roses and Elderflowers.

Cows grazing as we approach Downham again.

On a rocky outcrop above the village , a 🐝 on mother of thyme.

And Biting Yellow Stonecrop.

Back into Downham. The cottages are stunning and no overhead cables or satellite dishes in sight.

Picture postcard perfect.

The Assheton Arms, Downham’s lovely pub. A couple of days after our walk we heard that the company who owns it has gone into administration, so not sure about it’s future. 😦

Downham pre school, which once upon a time used to be my primary school.

Hugo waiting for ice cream.

We ended our walk at the little ice cream shop on Hare Green, which also sells brews, cakes and sandwiches.

I downloaded this route here. 🥾