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CHAPTER 2

Penwortham Bridge to Ribchester

Distance11.9 miles (19.2km)Height gain830 feet (253m)Route assessmentQuiet roads and lanes; riverside and field paths may be muddy after rain; beyond Preston the countryside is undulating with some short but steep climbs and descentsTime5¼ hoursPublic transportA bus service between Preston and Clitheroe stops at RibchesterParkingCar parks in Ribchester and Preston (pay-and-display)RefreshmentsA variety of pubs and cafés in Preston, with three riverside pubs between Penwortham and Walton Bridges; then there is nothing along the route until you reach Ribchester, where the village offers a choice of pubs and a caféToiletsAt Preston bus station and beside the car park in RibchesterMapsOS Explorer 286, Blackpool & Preston, and OS Explorer 287, West Pennine Moors

The route around Preston is a surprising haven of calm compared to the frenetic activity of the nearby city centre. It follows quiet streets and passes through pleasant parks along the banks of the river, and also heralds a change in the character of the Ribble valley, for it marks the point at which the river breaks free from the surrounding hills. Upstream, the watercourse snakes within a wide plain, batted from one side to the other by steep bluffs of dun-coloured sandstone. The formal geometry of the efficient drainage system, outlined by ditches, that could be seen in the field patterns of the estuary is replaced by more natural boundaries that follow the lie of the land. Ragged copses of gnarled woodland and stretches of old lane and hedged track give the countryside a more ancient appearance. The hand of man is in evidence in old manors and farmstead buildings, some of which date from the 15th century. More distant views hint at the wilder landscape to be encountered later in the walk, while closer to hand there is great variety in the plants and woodland trees lining the way.