An 18 mile Sunday Stroll.
Sunday morning, decision time – shall we go on the 18 mile Rossendale Round the Hills walk (beautiful scenery, good exercise, fresh air) or shan’t we (uphill climbs, mud, unpredictable weather)? What clinched it was the enthusiasm of our nine year old daughter who desperately wanted to give it a go for the first time, particularly as she could use it to raise money for the RSPCA.
Within a mile we knew we had made the right decision – walking around my local area, surveying it from on high, reminded me why I’m proud to be an adopted Rossendalian! As the name suggests, there is not much on-road walking, instead there are lots of ups and downs around the valleys and hills of Rossendale along a varied route through woods and fields, skirting reservoirs, passing the “golf ball” (local weather station) and the Halo Panopticon.
After eight hours of fairly constant walking (our slave-driver daughter only allowed us to take a break for 10 minutes for lunch!) we hobbled to the finish point with no blisters but a few aches and even a bit of sunburn!
This is an annual walk which takes place the first Sunday in September now in its 42nd year and organised by Rossendale Rotary Clubs. But you don’t have to wait another year for your opportunity to enjoy an organised walk round Rossendale’s countryside and you don’t have to go so far. There are lots of shorter walks with yummy food themes, such as The Fudge Trudge and The Soup Loop, offered as part of the Rural Rossendale Walking Festival from 3rd to 5th October.
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