A walk in the late afternoon can bring a whole new perspective to an otherwise familiar stroll, and on the right day, dusk gives an ethereal quality to the views around Pendle.
Today I decided to walk over to the 'other side' of the valley where I could look back on Pendle Hill, and then head west chasing the sun which was setting over the Ribble Valley, the perfect way to spend a couple of hours on a bright November afternoon.
I headed east first, following the track past the farm at Heyhouses and along the Sabden Valley. Passing cows and sheep grazing in the lower fields, I could see a heavy mist shrouding the top of Pendle Hill giving it a mysterious air. On reaching Dean's Farm, I turned right to follow the uneven winding path which leads up to the top lane at Higham, then headed back westwards where the view couldn't be more different; shards of sunlight pierced the clouds sending their rays down over Padiham and leaving the most glorious pink sky in their wake, a sight I tried to capture without much success.
I followed the road along Padiham Heights crunching along a path carpeted with autumn leaves and walking beside a drystone wall blanketed with a thick coat of green moss , crossing at the crossroads and entering Black Hill Woods.
Once again, the low light of the afternoon made its way through the trees, dancing between the spectacular autumnal foliage of the trees like ghosts and as I emerged onto Read Heights, the sky was ablaze as the sun dipped even further towards the horizon.
Crossing a field where horses grazed contentedly, and skirting Hodgeon Stone Plantation, I crossed a stile and made my way downhill, beneath Robinson's Wood, to enter Sabden through the back lane past the mill. Pendle Hill loomed dark beyond the village, still shrouded in mist, as I followed the Brook back up through Heyhouses and home.
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