Drive & Stroll, with Ron Freethy

TOO few people, once they have seen the wonderful old church and abbey, think of Whalley itself or the splendid walks which surround it.

While I love the religious history of Whalley I also enjoy closing my eyes as the modern day traffic threads its way through the main street, and think of the days when this was a staging post for coaches.

I always start my stroll from the old Grammar School set at the junction between the old roads to Clitheroe and Mitton. Look out for a road sign marked Forge Corner.

At one time there were lots of Blacksmith's working hard all day at their forges to ensure that the coach horses were well shod.

On my way through Whalley I took time out to explore the large old inns, most of which still have their old arches leading into stables.

A left turn and a steep climb brought me to Spring Wood. As its name implies, Spring Wood looks splendid during bluebell time with bird song echoing from almost every tree.

In late summer and into autumn, however, it still looks a treat and provides many places to picnic in the sun or in shady places. These days a very sensible management plan has provided bird feeding stations which are always well used.

From Spring Wood, I meandered my way to Wiswell. In Anglo-Saxon times a chieftain called Wis had a well and on a narrow road to the right of the village I found the ancient well, although it was almost overgrown with bramble. Growing inside were the fronds of hart's tongue fern which thrives on limestone. The well is composed of limestone blocks. Some confusion has been caused because in the village itself is an attractive little drinking trough which some think to be the well of the ancient Wis.

Growing on the wall close to the trough I found growing the yellow flowers of Stonecrop which because of its hot taste is sometimes called Wall Pepper. On my way back to Whalley and just outside Wiswell I found the ancient cross tucked away to the left of the road. This was once a preaching station and was also a sacred place to rest coffins which had to be carried from the area to Whalley Church for burial.

Some of the mourners must have been very tired. Imagine carrying a coffin from a farm on the top of Pendle Hill to Whalley, which must have been as much as 10 miles!

I'll bet they needed a rest and a drink from the well of Wis. Better still would have been a glass of ale and a butty from the Freemason's Arms!

These days we all watch television programmes such as Food and Drink. When you come to think about it we die of thirst before we die of hunger. With this in mind the next time you visit an old village look for a source of cool clear water. This was the reason for their establishment.

You can not only see this at Wiswell and at Whalley but also at other Pendleside villages such as Pendleton. I will be describing a stroll around Pendleton in a future article.

Whalley is easily reached via car (off A59 or leave M65 at junction 7 and turn right into Blackburn Road and then left at the traffic lights, into Whalley Road), bus and train (on the Clitheroe line), making it an ideal place for walkers since Victorian times.

The route: From Whalley follow the signs for Archbishop's Wood and up to Spring Wood where there is another extensive car park. If this footpath is closed then there is always the steep road uphill towards Burnley. To the right are views of Whalley Nab and the River Calder. Take time at Spring Wood. From there take the route towards Clitheroe until Wiswell is signed to the right. Follow the road into the village. Then return to the bypass. Cross this and return to Whalley.