Marl Pits & Bocholt group – 19/04/2026 – Leader Judy

12 Ramblers were happily joined by 6 delightful young people who were walking to raise sponsorship for their exchange trip to Bocholt in Germany in July. We were also lucky enough to be joined by some of their family members and others involved with the Bocholt exchange group.  This made 29 in all, with the eldest being 86 and the youngest 8 years old. The number of young people involved definitely lowered the average age, and they skip better than some of us too!

Apart from the lovely company, the weather Gods were also on our side, giving us a dry sunny day with great views of our excellent local countryside. Add in lots of much admired very new lambs, and a very pregnant sheep stuck on its back bringing out the best in a few of our walkers to upright her. This meant some of the Rossendale mud and boggy bits were almost forgiven.

We set off from Marl Pits, gradually climbing across tracks and fields to Seat Naze, then Top o th’ Height. Here we descended north of Whitewell Bottom, to climb to Higher Walls and thence onto Swinshaw Moor.  From here we went to Bonfire Hill and back via Wheat Head, where we stopped for lunch, finding a spot offering more shelter from the wind than on the moorland. We returned to the cars via Meadowhead and  Waingate.

Thanks go to Aly for backmarking, Joe for photos of which there are only a few because of the young people involved and consent issues, and Arnold for coming up with the idea of a joint venture and setting it up, although sadly not able to be with us today, but there’s always next year!

Distance – 5.67 miles.  Ascent – 946 feet   M/h – 1.9

Anybody wishing to donate to the young people’s fundraising can do so on this link.  They were also promoting a fundraising event for keen cyclists (see last photo).

‘If you wish to see a static view of the pics all in one go, then click here.’

Continuously running slideshow below – you can see it full screen by clicking in top left of picture