By Hon R.C. Assheton, chair of the Pendle Hill Landscape Partnership
After
the years of planning, discussion, form filling (and occasional
disappointments), it is fantastic that the PHLP has got off to such a flying
start in its first year. I will not attempt to go through all the projects that
have gone on, as Cathy and her team have produced regular reports for the HLF
and you can access them at here if you want more detail. I will just touch on
a few things that have enthused me.
Pendle
Hill itself was always going to be a prime focus for works, with the benefits
and projects rippling out from there. Therefore the improvements to the “Cart
Track” route to the summit, the ancillary works to the paths leading up to the
Trig point and the peat restoration have been an impressive start and an
emphatic demonstration that something is happening at last.
Having,
for years, been one of those who looks at Pendle every day, but hardly ever
climbs it, I seem to have been up at least once each month for the last year.
Not being a great fan of steps, I think that the repaired Cart Track is a great
improvement.
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| You can stride (or tiptoe) as you please, with plenty of room to walk as a pair and pass others easily |
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| The new stone shelter in the wall near the summit is a blessing to the unfit such as me! |
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| Drainage bar on the cart track |
Being
a tree enthusiast, I am very happy that the WINNS project has been able to
plant so many trees in new woods around the flanks of the hill. Although it is
a sometimes depressing time to be a tree grower as diseases seem to try to kill
every species, it is a joy to see so many varied native trees being planted for
future generations to enjoy.
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| The 'Big Tree Plant' 2018, at Swardean Clough |
I
was fascinated to visit the “Malkin Tower” archaeological dig last summer. The
fact that it was possible to find traces of habitation from four hundred years
ago seems incredible, as was the fact that students from the USA wanted to come
to sunny Lancashire to spend their vacation.
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| The PHLP Board members visit Malkin Tower, Summer 2018 |
A
chance conversation I had two years ago with the CEO of The Ernest Cook Trust
(ECT) has led to the appointment of Alison Cross as an ECT funded Education
Officer for the PHLP. Though this was not in the original plans presented to
the HLF, the fact that the ECT wanted to join the partnership has been a
wonderful boost and has added a huge amount to the value of a number of the projects in the Scheme.
All
in all the first year has been a great success. Well done team!
