The ceaseless stream of time that we call life trickles past, does it not, carrying us ever further downstream toward the great ocean before us.
I’ve turned thirty.
Does this mean that hangovers last longer? Yes.
Does it mean that I go to garden centres at the weekend? Yes.
Does it mean that I am in bed before 10pm? Regularly, yes.
But does it mean that I am old and no longer in love with life?
Absolutely not!
In fact, turning thirty gave me a chance to look back at my first three decades on planet Earth, and appreciate just what a fantastic, magical life it’s been – and what better (and age-appropriate) way to celebrate, than a weekend away to walk the Tolkien Trail on the edge of the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire.
J.R.R. Tolkien and his Middle Earth masterpiece has had a huge impact on my life, ever since Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings epics were released during the peak of my childhood, and continue to have an influence today (Beth also loves it, and we watch it every Valentine’s day) – hence our decision to take this trip. The area has a strong connection to the renowned author and his famous trilogy, with large parts being written in the local college and much of the surrounding scenery said to have inspired parts of the story.
Staying in Little Wren Shepherds Hut for three nights a few miles down the road (which was perfect for the two of us, not wanting to leave come Monday morning – would definitely recommend, and not least because of the hot tub!), we were fortunate enough for the finest of the weekend’s sun and blue skies to appear on the crucial day, Sunday, as we put on our boots, and walked in the footsteps of a legend.
Starting off in the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley, the popularity of the trail became quickly evident, as across the first few fields of sheep we encountered a fair amount of wide-spread mud, full of boot prints from fellow enthusiasts. This is not something we often encounter on our walks, and there were certainly a lot of people on the route on this fine spring day – a testimony to the legacy Tolkien left the world, although I dare say he would shudder at the impact the footfall had had on the quiet little footpaths and tranquil riverbanks on which he found peace during lifetime.
Anyhow, these muddy conditions did not last long and after the first few fields, we found ourselves on firmer grounds as the trail led us past Stonyhurst College itself, an impressive 18th-century building, looking out onto the ever-present view of Pendle Hill. As you walk out into the countryside away from the edges of the village, a steep, small valley falls away to the left, and as the sun shone, the birds sang and the sounds of hidden water trickled away below, the magic began.
A set of steep steps soon appear, descending down into the valley below, leading you through a beautiful woodland and into a green world aglow with mosses and wild garlic, the stream meandering through the middle. As the light shines down onto the forest floor, you can almost see the fairies dancing whilst elves glide serenely on their way to the Grey Havens.
Following the water through the trees, the path then turns to walk along the much larger river Hodder, into which the stream runs. The trail then turns into a well-established riverside path, leading out of the trees to follow its course, through a green land which could be the Shire itself. Pausing on the inside of a sweeping meander, we dip our hands in the cool water and throw a couple of stones (shout-out to Pippin), before Beth skips away down the bank.
A short distance further along, the trail deviates away from the river and runs briefly along a roadside pavement, before another footpath appears to the left back across farmland. It is in these specific spots that the mud caused by Tolkien’s popularity is most evident, but it was no trouble to navigate, and passing by a few young lambs made it well worth it.
The sun continued to shine as we climbed up a short hill and through a long green arable field. The trail then arrives at a long, tree-lined driveway, leading down through a farmyard before re-joining the riverbank, at the impressive point where the Hodder meets the river Ribble. The shimmering water reflected the blue sky above was lined with the fresh green of spring, as lambs explored their new surroundings on the opposite bank. This idyllic setting made up a very large proportion of the remainder of the walk and, humming the Lord of the Rings score as we went, it was easy to see just how Tolkien had once been inspired by such surroundings.
After pausing to have a little lunch along the bank shortly before an old aqueduct crosses the river, the trail eventually turned right and away from the water for the final time. It then ran up through a short, but steep patch of woodland, and having been spoilt by flat, river walking for several miles, this sudden, sharp incline caught us somewhat off guard, and hips and thighs were aching two minutes later. Fortunately, this proved to be nothing more than the final push to make those post-walk-pints even sweeter, and after walking the final part of the trail through one last sheep field (one of which stomped their hoof at us) up a path lined with a stream on either side, we eventually found ourselves back in Hurst Green. The Shireburn Arms is, conveniently, located right at walks end, and after ordering a couple of cool ciders (it comes in pints!) from the bar, we made our way out into the sun-soaked beer garden, where my hobbit-sized partner-in-crime proceeded to get tiddly off three-quarters of a pint.
This trail, in fact the whole weekend, was perfect in every way and I can’t think of a better way of celebrating such a milestone. I am pleased to say that turning thirty didn’t leave me feeling ‘like butter that has been scraped over too much bread’, but rather ‘quite ready for another adventure’.
Matthew G. Huggins 
This walk sounds idyllic and I love the little nods to LOTRs
LikeLike