Pendle Hill 31/10/10 Hike Report

Markus fails to mention until on the train that 'yes I have a map' means 'I've printed off a scan of the map'. (Records should show that obviously if Markus were to take his nice new map outside it would get wet so this seemed the only logical option. Not one but many copies were printed and it was much more convenient than carrying a big map. So there.)

Fancy dress: Markus wearing a spider hat and cape with plastic axe (handy as an extra walking pole). Also a pair of Clockwork Orange characters, a witch or two and a frog.

Group size: 20(ish). 5 met us in Clitheroe, wearing jeans & trainers (apparently only one of them got the email and didn't relay to the others that it was an actual hike and would mostly be after dark. They turned back before nightfall).

Route: Out of Clitheroe, up Pendle Hill, down the other side. Stop in pub on the way back into Clitheroe.

Much talk of druids et al out on the hill for the night, something to do with ley lines and we pass through a haunted farm with barking zombie dogs on chains. Turns out the druids will actually be at the bottom of the hill and a crowd of 20 is apparently enough to scare away the less empirical locals :(

Very thick mist arrives with darkness. Spooky…

We find a Scout troupe memorial and a high-walled shelter. Markus jumps on Salman’s back, causing him to drop his shiny phone, which breaks on a rock. (Again, records should show that Markus simply tripped on a rock at this point, and was wracked with guilt what with the phone having just returned from being fixed)

Wander round for ages looking for the summit of a flat-topped hill, eventually find it, have a nice break and then try to find the path down through the mist. GPS is good, coupled with some very proficient nighttime-group-herding.

Stop in the pub and decide how to split the group - trains every hour, half an hour to get to station. The plan was some have a quick drink then go straight home, others stay longer and get next train. Only a couple of people decide to stay so everyone gets 1st train after all.