Today's walk was over the quiet moors around Widdop, not too far from Hebden Bridge. I did a much shorter stroll in the vicinity yesterday, looking for ring ouzels and as I didn't see any, I went back today, doing a longer walk.
I parked up just before The Ridge pub and entered the narrow valley above Blake Dean, it wasn't until the end of the valley near the old house of Well Hole that I finally saw my ouzel, a male singing from a telegraph pole. There were also a pair of grey partridge and a couple of wheatears hereabouts. A good track took me into the grey, gloomy and very windy moors by the two Gorple Reservoirs, where a couple of ravens came under attack from the resident curlews. I then cut over Shuttleworth Moor, via the shooting butts, disturbing several red grouse in the process. Before descending to Widdop Reservoir, I took a detour along Cludders Slack (I just had to include that name) to admire some of the impressive tors of Millstone Grit. Reaching the road over the moors to Nelson, I headed back towards The Ridge, to join the Pennine Way, heading north into Walshaw Dean. From here I turned off, down Alcomden Water and past the Alcomden Yew and back to Blake Dean, where a willow warbler sang to herald my safe return.
Ultimately, I didn't really enjoy this walk. It was windy, cold and lacking in April cheer. Conditions were more akin to the middle of November. Still, mustn't grumble.
The Ridge (Packhorse Inn), taken yesterday in brighter conditions.
Millstone Grit tor, Cludders Slack
Alcomden Water and its famous yew tree.
Regards, Chris