Two Crosses Circuit Challenge 2023

An East Lancs LDWA production

It was all Judith’s idea, she made me do it. That’s my side of the story anyway.

We met up at around 7.40am (the one in the morning) on a slightly damp Sunday, at the event cetre in Tottington – halfway between Bury (where all Black Puddings is made) and Rambottom (not a ram in sight).

It wasn’t damp enough to need wet-legs. Gaiters, on the other hand (or leg) were pretty well essential…..this being the muddy West Pennine Moors.

Signing in

Alma & Dave in catering mode

The Start

At 8am we set off on the 17 mile route, almost enthusiastically – ‘almost’ because we were both tired and decidedly unfit.

The first checkpoint at Turton Tower (5.8 miles) always seems a lot further away than I remember from previous years. Norman’s usually ample supply of Jelly Babies was twindling…although that was more than likely because we were lagging behind most of the rest of the field.

Viv, Caterer Extraordinaire!

The most important checkpoint at Bartridge Barn Car Park (7.6 miles) never fails to impress – the food on offer is just tremendous….although having said that, the lack of Greek Salad and the delicious trifle were both missing this year. There was a very good reason for this though: Viv, caterer extraordinaire, has been very busy at home recently. She promised me that things will return to normal next year!

Orrel Cote Farm, CP5

On to pass the Strawbury Duck, where we didn’t stop for a beer, and then to CP5: Orrel Cote Farm. Orange cordial, more Jelly Babies, and Jaffa Cakes were taken on board.

It was after leaving here that it all went horribly wrong. Maybe we were yakking too much (most likely), or maybe we were just a bit tired, but somehow we went off route. This was an Embarrassingly Bad Thing: Judith and I have done this route many times so there really wasn’t any excuse….even more embarrassing, some walkers were following us!

A bit of map work soon got us back on route, through Crowthorne village, and on to pass the maggot farm.

Bull Hill came into view, although we overshot our turn-off.

Getting to Bull Hill involved crossing the morass of squelchy, muddy, peaty badlands: Black Moss & Wet Moss. The Good Thing was that a ‘safe’ route was marked with pole-mounted little flags. We still got muddy.

The Naughty Corner checkpoint was next – if you know, you know. Judith fortified herself with something alcoholic whilst I relied on Jelly Babies and Liquorice Allsorts.

The Maggot Farm

Julie Spence's photo of us at the Naughty Corner CP

Wobbling off uphill (Judith, not me) we traversed the MOD firing range of Holcombe Moor – we successfully avoided being hit by stray bullets, and didn’t pick up one piece of unexploded ordnance.

My, we’re good!

Peel Tower, above Ramsbottom

Just some of the 114 East Lancs LDWA steps....

...and a bridge too!

Next came Peel Tower, and then the descent by the new, shiny, much improved Redisher Woods 114 East Lancs LDWA steps ….much credit to East Lancs LDWA for getting this section sorted. In years past this descent has been, er, challenging.

Somewhere in my collection is a photograph of a certain young lady’s very mucky derriere following her unintentionally fast descent down what was then a ski-slope of mud.

We could see the spire of Greenmount Church, just a couple of hundred meters from the finish, in the distance.

On the homeward straight now, we could almost taste the soup (and Manchester Tart) waiting for us as we crossed Greenmount Golf Course.

A couple of minutes later, after checking in, we were sat down, tucking into the most delicious leek & potato soup, followed by equally delicious (and the capitals are important here) Manchester Tart…all washed down with lashings of ginger beer....I mean tea.

Our little diversions meant we ended up walking a little further than the 17.3 miles…not much though. Well not too much.

A good day out for both Judith and I (thanks for dragging me round!), we both needed the stretch, plus it was really good to catch up. She was very good company, not giving me that much of a hard time at all….even when I screwed up the nav.

Our next catch-up will involve a beer (or two) as well as a walk. And we’ll know exactly where we’re we going. Probably Frodsham’s Helter Skelter unless Judith’s got any better ideas.

Where we ended up walking:

Thanks to EVERYONE at East Lancs LDWA for putting on another brilliant event, I’m looking forward to 2024…and the return of Greek salad, and trifle.

NB: Not all the photos are mine, quite a few were purloined from the East Lancs LDWA FB page - including the Julie's photo of Judith and I at the Naughty Corner CP.

Two Crosses 2022

My last Two Crosses, in fact my last LDWA challenge event, was in March 2020. Almost immediately after the walk, on 23rd March 2020, the whole country was locked down because of the damnable Covid-19. Everything stopped.

I couldn’t possibly NOT take part in the return event: Two Crosses 2022, and so I did.

Judith had once again foolishly agreed to join me. Unfortunately (luckily for her?) she tested positive for Covid-19 just a couple of days prior to the event so she had to withdraw….I was going to have to find my own way round without her expert guidance.

Unfortunately Martin & sue had also decided to withdraw for Covid-19 reasons - although just precautionary.

Kay, on the other hand, had expressed an interest in coming along. This would be her first ever challenge event, she was enthusiastic!

I rolled out of bed at stupid o’clock, washed some toast down with my morning Lavazza, and headed over to collect Kay for the drive over to the event centre between Tottington and Ramsbottom.

Getting ready for the off:

 Off to the start

After registering, and grabbing some tea and toast at the event centre, we wandered off to the start line for the 8am kick-off.

The weather was marvellous, dry, bright, and fresh – probably the best ever conditions I’ve encountered on this walk. I’d been out in area the previous day, running with Tally-Ho!, so I knew the ground was going to be uncharacteristically dry and relatively mud-free.

At 8am the throng set off, some running, some walking, some (like me) dawdling at the back.

Kay at the first of the two crosses, this one at Affetside:

 A pig. Obv.

It wasn’t long before the field spread out and, as so often has happened before, small groups were formed and new friends made.

CP1 at Turton Tower offered it’s usual warm and entertaining welcome, and when we left, stuffed with jelly babies, we had big grins on our faces.

Marching north, following the Witton Weavers Way, our next checkpoint was CP4 – the big feed! This is what East Lancs LDWA are famous for: great grub, and lots of it!

CP6, AKA the Big Feed:

By now Kay and I had fallen into conversation with a small group who were walking at our pace. They hadn’t done the Two Crosses before and were a little uncertain as to the route. I was appointed navigator. Fools….did they not realise my skills were only in acting – and I’m not very good at that!

Anyroadup, they had decided on a name for our group - although I'll be diplomatic and call us the 'A' Team! 

Suitably filled up with butties, pie, excellent cheese, fruit cake, malt loaf, bananas & custard, trifle, and jelly….oh, and jelly babies, we set off across the Turton & Entwistle Reservoir Dam -  for me this was the second time in 24 hours.

The Strawbury Duck came and went, and we marched purposefully on to CP5 at Orrel Cote Farm where we were able to top up our reserves of jelly babies and orange juce.

The weather remained glorious, the sun was strong, there was a refreshingly cool breeze…and it wasn’t raining!

Next to another highlight of the route, CP6, The Naughty Corner – temporarily re-named ‘Julie’s Knocking Shop’ – not by me I hasten to add!

For those not in the know, the Naughty Corner provides 'special' refreshment for those who want it: rum, whisky, sherry etc etc. 

                  For Judith...she likes this sort of thing

               Some of the 'A' Team were drinking. Tsk. ;-)

Suitably recharged and refreshed, we followed the edge of the Holcombe Moor firing range. No red flags flying today so we were safe.

The 'A' team at the second of the two crosses: Pilgrim's Cross on       Holcombe Moor - note that a few rosy cheeks have appeared since CP6. There may have been raucous singing too.

                                    T' tower

                                    Flahs

Next came Peel Tower, then the descent through Redisher Woods, the flatlands of Hawkshaw, across the golf course and finally the finish at Greenmount.

Well not quite the finish: we signed ourselves in and then had a slap-up feed of home-made soup, a selection of puddings – and gallons of tea.

Thanks to East Lancs LDWA for another superb Two Crosses – and special thanks for the wonderful food, and for arranging for such great weather!

Special thanks to the 'A' Team for being such good company and for foolishly putting their faith in my navigational abilities!

Where we went:

17.4 miles according to the route description, 17.6 miles with 2350’ of ascent according to Doris, my GPS. 

We weren’t racing, our moving time was just over 6hrs 38mins.

With stops at checkpoints our total time out was 7hrs 14mins.

More photos here.

 

Sunday 20th March 2016, 31st Two Crosses Circuit

 

Tottering around Tottington

I try to enter this event each year…apart from being a good excuse for a walk in good company it means that I don’t need to make my tea when I get home, the catering on the East Lancs LDWA Two Crosses Circuit is legendary. Judith took part with me last year, but the thought of having to walk with me for another day was enough to put the poor girl off. Anyroadup, in a moment of absolute madness, Alistair agreed to join me on the day’s walk.

The field of around 190 walkers and runners were gathered in the event centre in sunny Tottington, drinking tea and scoffing the toast that the Club had thoughfully provided for the participants. It was good to see Martin, Steve B and his mate Steve at the start. They were doing the 25 mile route, Alistair and I had opted for the more leisurely 17 mile option.

L > R: Steve, Steve B, Martin, Alistair, ready for the off

At 8am the field set off. Martin ran off and the two Steves soon pulled away from Alistair & me – we were out for a more laid-back day. Conditions were perfect: it wasn’t raining and the ground was quite dry, within half an hour of starting out the sun came out to cheer us on our way.

Looking towards Egerton & Chapeltown

Jumbles Reservoir

A modern Peak & Northern Footpaths sign

T’Tower at Turton

Even though we were towards the rear of the field were making good time and arrived at the main food checkpoint with time for a good sit-down and chat with those manning (and womaning) the checkpoint. We probably stayed for 50 mins, long enough to see the first few runners (doing the 25 mile route) come in. We enjoyed firsts, seconds, and, er, thirds – the Greek salad was just delicious. As was the pork pie. And the fresh fruit salad….and all the other goodies.

Checkpoint 4: lovely food!

Very reluctantly we eventually dragged ourselves away from the cheery East Lancs folk and their feast of a feast. Trying to walk briskly after a slap up meal wasn’t easy – but it had to be done.

Turton & Entwistle Reservoir

Heading East now, our next objective was Bull Hill & Holcombe Moor, an area used by the armed forces so they can practice shooting at each other whilst covered in peaty mud. Very little mud today though, the recent dry spell had made walking across the normally evilly-squelchy really quite straightforward.

Wind-up windmills decorate the moors & hills of Lancashire

Just to the north of Bull Hill is the infamous Naughty Corner, otherwise known as Checkpoint 6. All manner of naughty drinkies are available here: sherry, rum, whiskey….and other beverages too no doubt. Alistair and I resisted temptation but took advantage of the dry ground for a leisurely sit down in the warm sunshine and a damned good chat with those manning the check. Runners and walkers flew through as we chilled in the good company.

An orange cap came bouncing down from the direction of the top of Bull Hill, slightly off-route - it was Martin. After a nip of something or other Martin joined us for much of the rest of the walk.

Marching south now, our route took us over Harcles Hill, and on to Peel Tower. This was the last climb of any significance of the day. There were loads of day walkers out, this is a popular area – especially on a sunny day like today.

 

Pilgrims Cross, Holcombe Moor

Wind-up windmills and quarries of Knowle Hill and Harden Moor

Peel Tower

Peel Tower. And Alistair.

South over Bolton, Ramsbottom & Bury, Manchester and the Peak District beyond

Evidence of sheep literacy problems. It wouldn’t happen dahn sarf.

The next stage involves a steep decent through Redisher Woods, notorious for being slippy and slimy. If you got this far in the walk without getting covered in mud or sliding on your bum, this bit would ensure you finished splattered in the brown stuff (ask Judith). Not this year though. The ground was dry and we enjoyed a relatively quick and easy decent. 

Martin entering Redisher Woods

Alistair exiting the woods

Looking back at Redisher Woods, it doesn’t look difficult at all

The final checkpoint (7), manned by the ever cheery Sue & Steve, came and went. We were now on the final leg of the walk, easy walking over footpaths, across a golf course and a section of disused railway line.

Once on the disused railway Alistair increased his stride, eager to equal or even beat his previous time of 6hrs 37mins (he equalled it) and Martin jogged off to get a good time. I couldn’t be mithered – I was wearing boots so running really wasn’t on anyway. As it happens I came in at 6hrs 38mins. I’m sure we could have easily knocked 30-40 minutes off our time if we’d have shaped ourselves at the checkpoints, but we were out for a walk and not a race.

Good food at the finish - home made soups, butties, Manchester Tart (especially Manchester Tart!) and loads of other goodies, ensured that nobody would need their tea when they got home. The East Lancs Catering Corps strike again!

A great day out (again!), my very grateful thanks to Alistair, Martin, the Steves, my Mum, and of course the East Lancs LDWA for putting on the Two Crosses – it really is a fine event. Special thanks must go to East Lancs members Paul & Alison. They have organised the event for the last 6 years and are now standing down to do other stuff in the group. The new organisers, Cordon Bleu Viv & Caroline are taking over – I’m sure the event is in safe hands. If nothing else the food will be brilliant!

Where we went (clockwise):

17miles with around 2200’ of up and downery