Our Community Projects and Activities Officer Helen has been racking up some miles this year testing our circular River Walk routes and leading them as guided walks. Below she tells us more about some of the highlights of the series of guided walks and her walk recommendations for getting out and enjoying the Ribble catchment.

Some walkers enjoying one of our circular walks over some stepping stones, led by Helen.

As part of our Ribble Life Together project, we had a target of 15 circular River Walks to create. We are pleased to say that all 15 routes are now available to download from our Ribble Life Together website. This summer and autumn, we also ran all of the routes as guided walks. For the majority of the routes, we organised guest speakers to provide information along the walk. Some of our guest speakers included the Ghillie for Darwen Moor, volunteers from Chipping Local History Society, Andrew Newsham (former Ribble Pilot Skipper) and Chris Hudson (Chartered Civil Engineer).

Our walk routes vary in length and difficulty and are dotted throughout the catchment. Our shortest walk is Riversway Docklands, a 2.2 mile stroll round the Docks in Preston. This route is also on well-surfaced paths and pavements, so is suitable for people with limited mobility and families with prams and bikes/scooters. Other routes are more challenging and feature inclines, uneven terrain and stiles. Fantastic views of the Ribble catchment can be enjoyed on all of the routes. I can particularly recommend the Darwen Tower, Stainforth and Sabden routes on clear, bright days.

Where possible, we have engineered the routes to pass Ribble Trust project sites such as fish passes and woodlands. These are highlighted in the walk leaflets along with other points of interest such as local landmarks. The Hyndburn Brook route visits Dunkenhalgh and Oakenshaw, two of our Ribble Life Together fish passage projects. Some hidden gems I have discovered whilst testing and writing the routes are Catrigg Foss near Stainforth (a waterfall in a wooded gorge), the ruins of Hollinshead Hall on the Darwen Tower route, the vaccary walls above Sabden and the fairy bridge over Bashall Brook.

Walkers enjoying our circular walks.

My favourite route is the Darwen Tower walk as it passes through the peaceful woods of Sunnyhurst and Tockholes before climbing to Jubilee Tower to take in the panoramic views. I also really enjoy the Calder and Brun route though the countryside surrounding Burnley. The Stainforth walk route allows views of the Yorkshire Three Peaks on a clear day and offers the opportunity to visit two waterfalls. Please note, if you do this route, I recommend having access to an OS map whilst walking as there are so few landmarks, it’s easy to stray from the suggested route.

Walking off the indulgences of the Christmas period is the perfect excuse to explore somewhere new in the Ribble catchment. We hope you enjoy the routes as much as we’ve enjoyed creating them!

To download the walk leaflets, please visit our circular walks webpage :

Circular River Walks

Over the summer our Ribble Life Together home learning content featured lots of information about invasive species, and this year they’ve yet again proved to be a serious problem across the catchment.

Many of us have spent a lot more time than usual outside, discovering new places, and looking towards nature and the outdoors to provide stability, peace, and calm in the troubled times we’ve been facing. Here at Ribble Rivers Trust we hope that everyone can continue their new outdoor adventures into next year safely. That’s why we’re already in the process of planning how we’re going to tackle invasive species in spring and summer 2021.

Invasive species only step into the stoplight once they become visible, harming people, habitats, and wildlife; but by then it’s often too late to start properly tackling them! This autumn and winter we’re looking to raise awareness of invasive species, and our new INNS Free Ribble campaign.

Raising funds for invasive species control is really difficult and is the hardest activity to find funding support for, as such we are seeking funds from a range of sources, including the public. You can click here for more information about the project and how you can help to fund this work.

We’re hoping to raise £5,000 to help us to plan and tackle invasive species and raise awareness of staying safe around these plants.

What is an invasive species?

A species that has been brought into an area, either on purpose or by accident, that has then spread to other areas. These species threaten ecosystems, habitats, other species, the environment, and human health. They are the second biggest threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction and cause huge, and usually irreparable, damage to biodiversity around the world, including the UK.

The three main invasive species that we deal with at Ribble Rivers Trust are giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, and Japanese knotweed. All of these species are found in the UK, but they are not native and have spread across the country, damaging habitats and harming wildlife and people in the process.

Giant hogweed was originally imported from central Asia in the 1800’s to be planted in ornamental gardens. However, it soon spread to the wild. It can now be found across the UK, and the seeds are commonly spread by rivers. Giant hogweed sap can cause severe burns which, if exposed to sunlight, blister badly. This can continue for many years after the initial contact.                                                                                                                                                                       .

Himalayan balsam is another plant imported for decorative gardens, with the plant thought to have arrived in the country in 1839. This plant thrives on riverbanks, ponds, lakes, ditches, and boggy fields. The plant’s explosive seed dispersal method means that Himalayan balsam can spread far and wide quickly.

Japanese knotweed is our third problem invasive species. Again, this plant was brought from Japan to the UK in the 1800s and has continued to spread since then. This plant is very quick growing, and despite dying back to ground level in winter, it can easily reach over 3 meters tall in summer. By doing this is outcompetes other plants for sunlight, water, and food. The plant is so strong it can grow through concrete!

Have you heard of ‘Geocaching’?

If not, you’ve been missing out! Geocaching is an exciting treasure hunt, which takes place in a hidden outdoor world that is literally all around us. Anyone can take part in geocaching, and it’s a fun, free, and family friendly way to get outside and discover new places whilst looking at the world around you in a whole new way.

Geocaches, the treasure you are hunting, are containers that can be found in parks, cities, woodlands, up hills and, of course, near rivers. There are millions of them hidden across the globe.

A stretch of the River Ribble running through countryside.

But this is more than an adventure and a treasure hunt, it’s a chance to get outside and enjoy all that the area has to offer, from urban parks to wild rivers. Along the way you’ll get to learn more about the area, see places that you didn’t know existed, and look at the world from a whole new angle.

Plus, as we know, spending time outdoors and in nature goes hand in hand with good mental and physical health. Geocaching will help you stay healthy whilst having fun, and guide you to places filled with beauty, peace and calm.

As part of our Ribble Life Together project we’ve hidden seven geocaches around the Ribble Catchment for you to find. You can find out more by visiting our profile page at geocaching.com and signing up for free. What are you waiting for!

Accrington

Burnley

Clayton-Le-Moors

Dunsop Bridge

Lower Darwen

Stainforth

Waddington

A view of Pendle Hill in the distance from farmland.

If you’d like to share them, please send us photos of your river walk and geocaching expeditions to [email protected]

Salmon and trout can swim in a stretch of Lancashire river where they’ve not been seen for 200 years, thanks to an ambitious Ribble Rivers Trust project.

Work has just been completed on a fish pass at Dunkenhalgh Weir, allowing salmon and trout to swim as far as Accrington for the first time in two centuries and increasing their breeding habitats.

The £160,000 scheme is the Trust’s 14^th new fish pass delivered through the Ribble Life Together project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

The Dunkenhalgh Weir fish pass has taken more than five years to plan, design, fund and build and was constructed in tandem with a similar project completed at Oakenshaw Weir in 2017.

“Identifying sites that will maximise benefits for the river and delivering fish pass projects has been one of our specialities over the last ten years,” said Harvey Hamilton-Thorpe, RRT’s programme manager.

“This latest fish pass is one of our biggest and most expensive because it was a major civil engineering project installed on a very large weir. These projects make a huge difference in improving the river and they’re also fascinating for local people. We’ve had groups of school children down to visit the site and lots of interest from residents and people using the public footpath.”

The Dunkenhalgh Weir is a popular recreation spot on Hyndburn Brook between Rishton and Clayton-le-Moors, a site chosen for a pass because the weir was preventing fish from migrating naturally.

Rivers, like those on the Ribble catchment, can become fragmented when structures in their channels prevent natural movement of river wildlife.

These structures can include weirs, culverts and dams, mostly built during the Industrial Revolution to power mills or divert watercourses. On one side of Dunkenhalgh Weir is the disused Holt Corn Mill and more recently, the weir provided water for Rishton Paper Mill.

The Ribble Life Together project has delivered the fish passes to modify some of these structures, enabling wildlife to move more freely.

Dunkenhalgh Weir required a ‘pool and traverse’  fish pass with small ‘steps’ and resting pools for the fish to ‘climb the ladder’ between the river downstream and upstream of the weir.

“This fish pass was quite challenging in terms of construction because of the large excavation involved, the issue of stability of the weir and preserving the historic structure of the river but the work went smoothly,” said Adam Walmsley, RRT’s capital works officer.

Dunkenhalgh Weir is 2.2m high and 16.5m wide and the new fish pass has enabled 2.1km of river to be opened up.

Once the fish passes are completed, scientific monitoring continues to gauge how much the river environment improves as a result.

More details about the Ribble Life Together project, which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, can be accessed via RRT’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RibbleTrust or visit www.ribblelifetogether.org or contact Ribble Rivers Trust on 01200 444452.

Dunkenhalgh Weir before and after photograph.

A new project encouraging people to share their favourite places along the River Ribble and its tributaries has been launched.

Ribble Rivers Trust (RRT) want people to photograph the beauty and variety of the Ribble catchment for their Wish You Were Here project.

With people spending more time at home and exercising in their local area, there are more chances to take pictures of favourite spots along our beautiful Lancashire rivers.

But it’s not only new photographs that can be submitted. The Trust also welcomes images of the catchment in years gone by which bring back memories of happier times.

“We know that people love taking pictures of the river. In these difficult times, Wish You Were Here is a great opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty that’s nearby,” said RRT Programme Manager, Harvey Hamilton-Thorpe.

“We want people to share with us their favourite locations, especially those which hold happy memories. It could be a place where they played as a child, the site of a marriage proposal, or a family picnic spot by the river.”

Anyone of any age can submit photographs of anything that’s river-related such as the rivers themselves, wildlife or people enjoying the rivers.

The photographs must have been taken within the Ribble catchment which covers more than 700 square miles and, as well as the Ribble, also includes the Rivers Calder, Hodder, Darwen and Douglas.

If you are planning to take any new photos, please ensure you always follow current government guidance to ensure you and others remain safe and always stay safe when close to rivers.

Wish You Were Here will run throughout the spring and summer. Submit as many photographs as you like to https://ribblelifetogether.org/wishyouwerehere where you can also see those images already shared.

Wish You Were Here is part of the Trust’s Ribble Life Together project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which can be accessed via RRT’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RibbleTrust

For further information about  Ribble Life Together, visit www.ribblelifetogether.org or contact Ribble Rivers Trust on 01200 444452 or via [email protected]

There’s been something fishy going on in local schools recently, thanks to the Ribble Rivers Trust.

Hundreds of schoolchildren have been hooked on Trout In The Classroom, part of the Trust’s Ribble Life Together project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

School children involved in Trout in the classroom.

Since December, Key Stage 2 pupils at Worsthorne, St Stephen’s CE, Springfield Community Primary  and Ightenhill Schools in Burnley; Balderstone School in Blackburn; Oswaldtwistle’s White Ash School,  and Stonyhurst St Mary’s Hall have been following the progress of trout from when they were delivered to their schools as eggs until their release into local rivers.

“At the age of 10 and 11, children are more receptive to environmental messages and take them home so the learning is extended to their families,” said education officer, Neil Ashworth who was a firefighter for 27 years before joining the Trust six years ago.

Neil delivers about 100 fish eggs to each school which also receives a tank, chiller and filter to keep the water clean.

He talks to the children about the project which involves learning about river habitats and food chains and then he leaves the eggs for them to watch develop over the weeks ahead.

Trout eggs.

Once the eggs hatch out, the trout start looking for food and the children are able to feed them.

“Trout can develop personalities,” said Neil.  “This year, Springfield School had a trout they named Tina who was a real bully and ate so much, including some of the other fish, that she nearly outgrew the tank!”

The children can get so attached to the fish that they talk to them, sing them songs and read them poems.

One year, at Stonyhurst, the school gave a blessing for the trout and toasted them with lemonade when they were released.

Unfortunately, owing to the Coronavirus outbreak which led to school closures, the children were unable to watch the trout being released recently but the process was filmed and videos will be sent to the schools.

It’s hoped that once the pandemic is over, the children can visit the river and participate in pop up labs to learn about sampling and water safety as they would have done under normal circumstances.

The Trout In The Classroom programme began several years ago and is growing in popularity thanks to its links with many subjects in the school curriculum including science, literacy, geography and art.

School children getting involved with tree planting.

The activities have worked particularly well for autistic children attending Oswaldtwistle’s White Ash School where the programme was sponsored by the town’s Rotary Club.

The environmental aspect of the project has also inspired children in Burnley to take part in a littler pick in Towneley Park and change their attitude towards dropping litter there.

Now word about Trout In The Classroom is spreading from the Trust’s immediate area with schools from Lancaster and Bolton already booked in for the 2021 cycle.

Since the Ribble Rivers Trust began their river education programme, more than 7,000 pupils have participated and enjoyed sessions which are interactive, educational and fun.

Capturing the beauty of the River Ribble on camera over the course of a year is the focus of a new community photography project.

A Year on the Ribble is an art installation by Ribble Rivers Trust (RRT) as part of Ribble Life Together, a project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Photography stands designed and produced by Lancashire designer, Philippe Handford, have been installed along the river at Stainforth near Settle; Edisford in Clitheroe; Avenham Park in Preston, and Lytham Green near the windmill.

A snapshot taken at the Avenham Park photography stand

RRT hope that locals and visitors alike will take a photograph of the view every time they pass the stands which are in situ until April 2021.

The images will capture the changing views along the river throughout the seasons and people will be encouraged to share the photographs with RRT via social media.

This kind of art installation is a first for RRT and is a celebration of the final year of Ribble Life Together which began in 2017 with the aim of delivering a healthier river system for the benefit and enjoyment of local communities and local wildlife.

It’s hoped that by photographing the river during the year, more people will discover its beauty.

RRT Programme Manager, Harvey Hamilton-Thorpe, said: “For this community photography project, we’ve tried to span the Ribble from the top to its estuary and choose places along the river which a lot of people pass. We hope they will enjoy taking pictures throughout the year and sharing them with the world.”

“We want to encourage people to use the river and become more aware of the many other RRT activities and events which they can be involved with all year round.”

Photographs can be shared via social media #ayearontheribble on the Ribble Rivers Trust Facebook, Twitter: @RibbleTrust and Instagram: ribbleriverstrust. Pictures can also be emailed to [email protected]

For further information about Ribble Life Together, visit ribblelifetogether.org or contact the Ribble Rivers Trust on 01200 444452 or via [email protected]