Stocks in Bowland

Stocks in Bowland isn't there anymore, as it happens. Almost a hundred years ago, the little hamlet - three cottages, a post office, a smithy, and an inn - was flooded to form Stocks Reservoir, which is where we went for a walk today. 

Although I drive through the Forest of Bowland whenever I have an excuse to, there are only a couple of routes I take and I had never been down the road from Clapham to the reservoir before. This beautiful place is only eighteen miles from my front door!

We'd decided to come here after arranging to meet Dean for a walk and we were looking for somewhere to meet that was half way between us. We'd settled on the Forest of Bowland and a quick search revealed loads of walks! 

We met up in the car park which is by the ruins of what I think is the old church. (Buildings above the water line but in the water catchment area were also demolished, as well as those in the area that was flooded.) It was a nice day for the walk, which is just under seven miles, all the way 'round. 

The first part of the walk is through some woodland and then there is a climb up to a farm building - where I took this photo - and then the route goes down to a bridge over one of the rivers feeding the reservoir and back up to the old railway line, which was built for transporting raw materials around during the reservoir's construction.

I think the walk along the old railway was my favourite part of the route, and it ended down by a jetty where the is a fishing club. We stopped there for a drink and some flapjack that Abi and the Minx made, yesterday. After that we crossed the dam itself and did the final couple of miles back to the car. 

It was a lovely afternoon out. It was a little warm but that's no bad thing and the changing views as we progressed around the reservoir were a treat. And, of course, it was lovely to see Dean. He's entirely comfortable chatting with Dan and Abi - and has been since they were small - so our little group of four was comfortably shifting between pairs of people chatting as we walked along. 

And he evidently enjoyed it, too, as he messaged me later to suggest that we do it again, which I'd love to do, but I also think it would make a great run, so I want to plan that as well. 

****
-11.2 kgs
Reading: 'Underland' by Robert Macfarlane