Longridge Fell
Encyclopedia
Longridge Fell is a fell
near the English
town
of Longridge
, Lancashire
. It lies within the Forest of Bowland
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
. As its name suggests, it takes the form of a long ridge which rises in a northeasterly direction from the town of Longridge to its summit 4.5 miles distant. As the ridge curves towards the east, it comes to a sudden end and drops into the Hodder Valley
. The fell is a good example of a cuesta
; the ridge has a sharp drop or escarpment
on its northern side, and a gentler slope on its southern side. These features make it a popular takeoff for hang-gliders and paragliders on the relatively infrequent occurrences of a northerly wind.
From the fell's 1,148-ft (350-m) summit, views are afforded of the Fylde Coast
to the west; the fells of the Forest of Bowland
to the north and west (including Parlick
, Fair Snape Fell
and Beacon Fell); the Yorkshire Dales
to the northeast (including, most notably, Pen-y-ghent
); Clitheroe
, Pendle Hill
and Whalley
, to the east and southeast; and the towns and villages within the districts of Chorley
, South Ribble
, Blackburn with Darwen
, Hyndburn
and Rossendale
to the south.
The River Hodder
, and its tributary
the River Loud
, flow eastward along the north side of the fell, before turning south at the end of the fell to join the River Ribble
which runs westward along the south of the fell. Cowley Brook, a tributary of Stydd Brook
, begins its course near the fell. The village of Hurst Green
and the adjoining Stonyhurst College
lie on the south side of the fell.
The town of Longridge lies at the southeast end of the fell. There were extensive stone quarries at Tootle Heights and there are still two small reservoir
s, adjacent to a road from Longridge which runs along the top of the western end of the fell, which is also known as Jeffrey Hill.
Longridge Golf Course is located on the fell's Forty Acre Lane. Its clubhouse doubles as the home of the Preston Wheelers Cycling Club.
Fell
“Fell” is a word used to refer to mountains, or certain types of mountainous landscape, in Scandinavia, the Isle of Man, and parts of northern England.- Etymology :...
near the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Longridge
Longridge
Longridge is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is situated north-east of the city of Preston, at the western end of Longridge Fell, a long ridge above the River Ribble. Its nearest neighbours are Grimsargh and the Roman town of Ribchester , ...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
. It lies within the Forest of Bowland
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
. As its name suggests, it takes the form of a long ridge which rises in a northeasterly direction from the town of Longridge to its summit 4.5 miles distant. As the ridge curves towards the east, it comes to a sudden end and drops into the Hodder Valley
River Hodder
The River Hodder is a river in Lancashire, England. The river is a County Biological Heritage Site.It rises on White Hill and flows for approximately 23 miles to the River Ribble, of which it is the largest tributary...
. The fell is a good example of a cuesta
Cuesta
In structural geology and geomorphology, a cuesta is a ridge formed by gently tilted sedimentary rock strata in a homoclinal structure. Cuestas have a steep slope, where the rock layers are exposed on their edges, called an escarpment or, if more steep, a cliff...
; the ridge has a sharp drop or escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
on its northern side, and a gentler slope on its southern side. These features make it a popular takeoff for hang-gliders and paragliders on the relatively infrequent occurrences of a northerly wind.
From the fell's 1,148-ft (350-m) summit, views are afforded of the Fylde Coast
The Fylde
The Fylde ; Scandinavian: "field") is a coastal plain in western Lancashire, England. It is roughly a 13-mile square-shaped peninsula, bounded by Morecambe Bay to the north, the Ribble estuary to the south, the Irish Sea to the west, and the Bowland hills to the east...
to the west; the fells of the Forest of Bowland
Forest of Bowland
The Forest of Bowland, also known as the Bowland Fells, is an area of barren gritstone fells, deep valleys and peat moorland, mostly in north-east Lancashire, England. A small part lies in North Yorkshire, and much of the area was historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire...
to the north and west (including Parlick
Parlick
Parlick is an approximately cone-shaped steep-sided hill at the extreme south of the main range of Bowland fells in Lancashire, England. Its bog-free sides make it more popular with walkers than the shallow boggy hills to its north. Paths zigzag up this hill from the south, or for the more...
, Fair Snape Fell
Fair Snape Fell
Fair Snape Fell is one of the larger hills in the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, England. It occupies a position in the very south of the main range of fells, alongside and just to the north of Parlick, joined by a ridge...
and Beacon Fell); the Yorkshire Dales
Yorkshire Dales
The Yorkshire Dales is the name given to an upland area in Northern England.The area lies within the historic county boundaries of Yorkshire, though it spans the ceremonial counties of North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Cumbria...
to the northeast (including, most notably, Pen-y-ghent
Pen-y-ghent
Pen-y-ghent is a fell in the Yorkshire Dales. It is one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, the other two being Ingleborough and Whernside. It lies some 3 km east of Horton in Ribblesdale...
); Clitheroe
Clitheroe
Clitheroe is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is 1½ miles from the Forest of Bowland and is often used as a base for tourists in the area. It has a population of 14,697...
, Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill
Pendle Hill is located in the north-east of Lancashire, England, near the towns of Burnley, Nelson, Colne, Clitheroe and Padiham, an area known as Pendleside. Its summit is above mean sea level. It gives its name to the Borough of Pendle. It is an isolated hill, separated from the Pennines to the...
and Whalley
Whalley
Whalley is a large village in the Ribble Valley on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire, England. It is overlooked by Whalley Nab, a large picturesque wooded hill over the river from the village....
, to the east and southeast; and the towns and villages within the districts of Chorley
Chorley (borough)
Chorley is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. It is named after its largest settlement, the town of Chorley.-Creation:...
, South Ribble
South Ribble
South Ribble is a non-metropolitan district and borough of Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Leyland.In May 2007, the council was officially declared "Excellent" by the Audit Commission, gaining its place among the best 5 district councils in the country,-Overview:On 4 October 2007, a...
, Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen is a unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England. It consists of Blackburn, the small town of Darwen to the south of it, and the surrounding countryside.-Formation:...
, Hyndburn
Hyndburn
Hyndburn is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. Its council is based in Accrington. The district is named after the River Hyndburn....
and Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
to the south.
The River Hodder
River Hodder
The River Hodder is a river in Lancashire, England. The river is a County Biological Heritage Site.It rises on White Hill and flows for approximately 23 miles to the River Ribble, of which it is the largest tributary...
, and its tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
the River Loud
River Loud
The River Loud is a river of Lancashire, England.Starting out on Parlick, the Loud meanders mainly through the parish of Chipping, tracing its course first southwest, then southeast and, at Gill Bridge by Withinreap Farm, east before veering northeast, on a similar alignment to Longridge Road,...
, flow eastward along the north side of the fell, before turning south at the end of the fell to join the River Ribble
River Ribble
The River Ribble is a river that runs through North Yorkshire and Lancashire, in northern England. The river's drainage basin also includes parts of Greater Manchester around Wigan.-Geography:...
which runs westward along the south of the fell. Cowley Brook, a tributary of Stydd Brook
Stydd Brook
Stydd Brook is a watercourse in Lancashire, England.Rising on Gannow Fell south west of the Forest of Bowland, the river flows southward, meeting the River Ribble at Ribchester....
, begins its course near the fell. The village of Hurst Green
Hurst Green, Lancashire
Hurst Green is a small village in the Ribble Valley district of Lancashire, England, connected in its history to the Jesuit school, Stonyhurst College...
and the adjoining Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
lie on the south side of the fell.
The town of Longridge lies at the southeast end of the fell. There were extensive stone quarries at Tootle Heights and there are still two small reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s, adjacent to a road from Longridge which runs along the top of the western end of the fell, which is also known as Jeffrey Hill.
Longridge Golf Course is located on the fell's Forty Acre Lane. Its clubhouse doubles as the home of the Preston Wheelers Cycling Club.