Pendle Hill and George Fox's Well

Today’s walk starts from Barley Car Park, where we’ll head east up to Heys Lane Plantation before doubling back over Thorny Bank to Newchuch In Pendle. From there we’ll head up to Saddlers Height skirting the side  of Fell Wood and onto Cock Dole.

We’ll then carry onto Spence Moor then onto Deerstones, Badge Wells Hill and Black Hill onto the top of the Pendle Hill plateau, where we’ll head to the Carin on Mearley Moor, from we turn north-east onto Pendle Moor with spectacular views over the Ribble Valley and onto the Yorkshire Dales.

'As I went down, on the hill side I found a spring of water and refreshed myself, for i had eaten little and drunk little for several days.' - as recorded in George Fox's journal.

Before reaching Big End, we will make a small descend to George Fox's Well, where he quenched his thirst after his vision at the summit and we'll then head south to the trig point (557m). Following the obligatory ODL flag photo, we'll head down the steps the farms below Pendle Hill before passing Black Moss Reservoir on are way back to Barley.

At the end of the walk, we can visit the Pendle Inn for a pint or return back to the car park for tea and cake at The Cabin.

Pendle Hill is famously associated with Witches, however, two other 17th-century events also took place on the Hill, Richard Towneley's barometer experiment in 1661 and in 1652, George Fox had his vision which led to the foundation of the Quaker movement:

‘As we traveled we came near a very great hill, called Pendle Hill, and I was moved of the Lord to go up to the top of it; which I did with difficulty, it was so very steep and high. When I was come to the top, I saw the sea bordering upon Lancashire.  From the top of this hill the Lord let me see in what places he had a great people to be gathered.’ - George Fox

This itinerant preacher from Leicestershire showed extraordinary courage of conviction in dangerous times. His vision on Pendle Hill led to the founding of the Quakers. The word spread swiftly through England and the American colonies during the Civil War, and today the Quakers are a global movement. 

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