Longridge Fell is the most southerly fell in England, near the town of Longridge, Lancashire.[1] It lies at the southern end of 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 north-easterly direction from within 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 an example of a cuesta; the ridge has a sharp drop or escarpment on its northern side, and a gentler, more varying slope on its southern side.[2] These features make it a popular takeoff for hang-gliders and paragliders on the relatively infrequent occurrences of a northerly wind.

Longridge Fell
The east end of Longridge Fell, with Pendle Hill behind, to the left
Highest point
Elevation1,148 ft (350 m)
Prominence794 ft (242 m)
Parent peakWard's Stone
ListingMarilyn
Coordinates53°51′51″N 2°31′09″W / 53.8643°N 2.5193°W / 53.8643; -2.5193
Geography
Longridge Fell is located in Lancashire
Longridge Fell
Longridge Fell
Location in Lancashire
Longridge Fell is located in the Borough of Ribble Valley
Longridge Fell
Longridge Fell
Location in Ribble Valley Borough
Longridge Fell is located in the Forest of Bowland
Longridge Fell
Longridge Fell
Location in the Forest of Bowland
LocationLancashire, England
OS gridSD658410

From the fell's 1,148-ft (350-m) summit, views are afforded of Preston to the south-west; the Fylde Coast to the west; the Vale of Chipping and 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 north-east (including, most notably, Pen-y-ghent); Clitheroe, Pendle Hill and Whalley, to the east and south-east; and Winter Hill and the West Pennine Moors and the BAE Systems factory at Samlesbury Aerodrome. On clear days, the Lake District and sometimes the Isle of Man can be seen to the north-west, and the Snowdonia mountain range to the south-west.

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.

Longridge town lies at the south-west end of the fell. There were once extensive stone quarries at Tootle Heights, now mostly built on apart from a deep rocky water-filled remnant off the Tan Yard bridlepath, and the reservoirs. The Dilworth Upper Reservoir between the roads where Forty Acre Lane branches off Higher Road, leading from Longridge up the fell. Forty Acre Lane leads towards Jeffrey Hill, the name for a small part of the western section of the fell, via Longridge Golf Club, whose clubhouse doubles as the home of the Preston Wheelers Cycling Club. Below Tootle Heights are the Spade Mill Reservoirs.

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ (14 December 2011), "Longridge’s Mr Heritage", Longridge News, accessed 14 November 2014
  2. ^ Freeman et al, p.12

References

edit
  • Freeman, T. W., Rodgers, H. B., and Kinvig, R. H., (1966), Lancashire, Cheshire and the Isle of Man, Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd, London
edit