As .. I .. travelled, …I …came near a very great hill, called Pendle Hill, and I was moved …….. to go up to the top of it; which I did with difficulty, it was so very steep and high. (George Fox, 1624-1691)
Trying to make the most of the long days and good weather (while it lasts), last Tuesday I started and finished work early so that I could get out for a walk. It took me about an hour to drive over to Barley in Pendle where I parked up and set out to climb Pendle Hill. The area has two major claims to fame. It was there that George Fox, the founder of the Quakers, had a revelation which led to the founding of the Society of Friends. But it is probably best known for its association with the Pendle Witches who were executed 400 years ago in 1612.
It’s an interesting curiosity that “Pendle Hill” actually means “hill hill hill”. The following explanation is from Wikipedia
In the 13th century it was called Pennul or Penhul, apparently from the Cumbricpen and Old Englishhyll, both meaning “hill”. The modern English “hill” was appended later,
The summit is 557 metres (1,827 ft) above mean sea level. So it doesn’t qualify as a mountain, but it’s a stiff climb up the steep main path from Barley. The hill doesn’t have a distinct summit. Its a long ridge. There’s a trig point at the highest point which is known as the “Big End”.
Reaching the trig point there were extensive views down to Barley and beyond to the east
and over to the Bowland fells to the north with glimpse for the Yorkshire Three Peaks through the haze to the north east.
I set off along the plateau, following the Pendle Way, to descend by Boar Clough. (“Clough” is a local term used for a steep valley or ravine.)
Usually this route would be much more difficult underfoot but the recent warm dry spell meant that the ground was firm, rather than wet and boggy, and the stream that has carved the clough in the hill side was just about dry.
I descended down into the larger ravine of Ogden Clough
Following the valley I reached the first of the small reservoirs
I carried on down the track and just before the second reservoir cut across the valley through some woods. I was still following the Pendle Trail but the section also forms part of the Lancashire Witches’ Walk, a 51-mile (82 km) long-distance footpath between Barrowford and Lancaster, opened in 2012 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the trials of the Pendle witches. The poet laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, was commissioned to write a poem for the trail and Ten cast iron tercet waymarkers, designed by Stephen Raw, each inscribed with a verse of the poem the have been installed at sites along the route. I passed the second of these.
Looking closer at the inscription
The whole of the poem is inscribed on one side of the waymarker, but it’s not so easy to read, but you can see it here.
My route now took me up the hill on the opposite side of the stream
Looking back
and up through and then besides Fell wood before following a path eastwards through the fields towards the small village of Newchurch in Pendle.
There was a good view across the valley to Pendle Hill
Continuing to follow the Witches’ Walk
On to Newchurch
I paused to take a look at the “new” church (well, it was new in 1740).
I passed the souvenir shop (which was closed as it was now well after 5p.m.)
I love the inscription above the door. It’s in Lancashire dialect. “Gerrit Spent” looks like a Dutch gentleman’s name but it translates as “get it spent”. The rest of the transcription meaning “they don’t put pockets in shrouds”.
The final leg of my route took me across the woods and fields towards Barley
with Pendle Hill in view as I walked along the track back to the village
Another good, varied walk (just over 6 miles) during the late afternoon and early evening on a fine day.
Down by the Dougie 
ThAnks for a great post about my local hill! I really need to do this walk as I can see Pendle from my house. I live in Clitheroe.
Thanks for your nice comment Shazza 😀.
After conquering Ingleborough, Pendle Hill should be a doddle 😂
Haha. Mean’t to be doing Whernside on Sunday. Yikes!
Wow! No stopping you now 😉
Its because the couple we went with have a 6 year old daughter and they want her to get her 3rd Yorkshire Peak in before her 7th Birthday, which is soon. She is a little mountain goat. 😃
Good luck 👍
A fine walk and one I did many times when I lived in Colne for a few years I’m mu younger days
Climbed Pendle once – aged 14 on Sunday School Camp, so I don’t remember much about it! Your walk looks lovely.
Yes, there are several nice routes up and around the hill
Ah I see they welcome broomsticks, lovely walk 🙂
A flying broomstick would have been handy, the first part was very steep 😉
Ha ha you can borrow mine next time 🙂
Well done! Excellent choice of walk for a lovely late afternoon/evening. These days I think I’ll be more likely to skirt around the edges and admire the shape of this distinctive landscape feature with its interesting historical/mythical connections.
Yes, a good walk. I’ve been doing quite a lot of walking recently, trying to make the most of the weather. Also ticking off some items from “bucket list” while I’m still capable!
You are finding some really interesting places to walk, this one sounds especially fun…mind the first bit.
We’re quite lucky up north on our small island. We can easily reach with only one or two hours travelling many scenic areas and hills and mountains that can be climbed in half a day or a day 🙂
I love the witch trail signs and the waymarkers! Add in some cake or ice cream, and this is definitely my kind of walk!
There’s a café at the car park in Barley and a couple of pubs. But you have to time your walk right if you want a brew at the end!
I’ve climbed Pendle Hill a couple of times at night, a long time ago – probably with Andy, although I did have relatives in Colne so it might have been with them. I’m not sure that I’ve been up there in the daylight. I often see it and think I must get around to doing it again. There’s one of those poetical bollard things by Lancaster Castle – I obviously need to go and have a proper look at it!
That was brave, going up Pendle Hill at night. Hope you didn’t bump into any witches!
I think Lancaster castle is the end of the trail, so that will be the final tercet.
I love this part of my home county. I’m not up to the challenge of the ascent but I enjoy the serene lanes and woodlands nearby. I think another visit is due. I was last up that way in late October and called in to Witches Galore where I had a strange encounter with an invisible cat. I heard a very distinct meowing as I approached the shop – no mistaking that it was a cat and it must have been very close by, though I couldn’t see the feline in question. I even thought it might have been some sort of novelty device which was triggered when somebody (me) approached the shop entrance. I asked the shop owner and she assured me she had no such quirky door bell, nor did she have a cat, and that she didn’t know of any residing in the neighbouring cottage. A bit of a Pendle Halloween mystery! 😀
How spooky !
I read and enjoyed your posts on your trip to Pendle.
I love the area but have to admit that I rarely visit. Must correct that. A walk from Downham is overdue.
Thank you very much. Downham is an oddity where apparently everybody is a tenant of the landowner, but it’s quite pretty.
I came across this area when I was doing family history research – one line of my family came from the Trawden/Colne/Pendle area and I found a set of 5th times great grandparents who were married in Newchurch in Pendle around 1750 so probably in the “new” church you’ve photographed. I’d heard about the witches – all sounded rather spooky and based on a lot of old fashioned superstition hopefully none of my ancestral relatives were involved! The walk looks lovely 🙂
It’s amazing what you dig up when you’re researching family history. I found a few surprises when I was digging into my family tree. No witches from Pendle though 😉
Yes I’ve uncovered a few family secrets – not sure if they were widely known at the time though! I wonder what our ancestors would have thought if they’d known how much information is available to family historians now!
Indeed! Given all the information available on the web and elsewhere these days our descendants will no doubt be able to find out everything (and more!!) about us
Yes it’s a bit disconcerting really though I don’t expect I shall be too worried what my descendants are thinking about in a hundred years time!