MMM – September 2019

September 2019outandaboutlive.co.uk 59

of cafés (a winebar, even), andis spliced by
the Leeds-Liverpool canal.
Fromthere the wayonwards wasalong
thecanal towardsWigan andthen upFairy
Glen. Fromthere the pathreturnstothe hill
and ultimately back toCharity Farm.
It wasn’t asfar asI thought, at about
eight miles, but averyvaried and lovely day.
FairyGlen is somethingof a small scenic
treasure, andit wassmothered in bluebells
andwild garlic whenwepassedthroughin
early May, butwillbejust asappealing in
autumnwhenthe waterfalls willbe running
a bitharder under the goldencanopy.
If you’re thinkingCharity Farmis a place
you could love, the cycling hereabouts, o n
the lanes, andthe towpathof the canal, is a
complete joy.
Wigan ain’t sofar awayalongthe canal,
either, andwelovegoingtoWigan just to
listen tonatives talk.
Ten miles fromhome, andtheyhavea
totally differentaccent.
Sothat wasCharity Farm. Ithought it
hadbeenwell worthwhile, andwe may doit
again. The ladyfuminggently in mylifegave
it a sort-ofgrudgingthumbs-up, butstill
carried aconfusedlookaboutthe notionof

being onholiday eight miles fromhome.

After that stroll across Harrock Hill, and

gazing over atthe nearbyWest Pennine

Moors, it wastherewe were headednext.

The plan wasto goandstayat Wilcocks

Farm,nearRivington.

This would place usagain, abouteight

milesfromhome, but in aplace we have

trodden onextensively over the years.

Only onday trips,though, and this little

excursionwasaboutbeingthere tosleep,

andfeel that we’d lived there, if briefly.

Bonkers, I know, butthereweare.

Westrolled up toRivingtonPikethrough+

THE JOURNEY

Wedrove from home near Leyland to CharityFarmat

Wrightington, then via Rivington andBelmont to

Darwen before going back home.Wespent four nights on

sites and one night wild camping

THE COSTS

FuelAverage –not recorded but probably

around 35mpg.............................................................................................£6

Sitefees........................................................................................................£64

Total costs.............................................................................................£70

We

38

miles

ABOVEIndia Mill in Darwen

and itsawesome 300ft tall

chimney

FAR LEFTEarly summer,or

latespring on Harrock Hill;

Darwen Tower

BELOWVeryquaint footpath

signon Darwen Moor