67_Beautiful Lancashire and Ancient Coke Ovens

17th September 2019

​Leaving Rishton, we pass over the M65 motorway and we soon find ourselves in rural Lancashire with some stunning views, with the motorway following the line of the canal to Burnley.  Keep an eye out for the historic coke ovens,locally known as ‘fairy caves’ which converted coal from the nearby Aspen Colliery into coke for the steelworks as a smokeless fuel, the canal being used to transport the coke to the steelworks.  
The canal now weaves its way to Church which is the centre point of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. We now pass back under the M65 motorway and through the urban district known as Clayton-le-Moors. The navigation continues to run eastwards along the beautiful  Calder Valley, high ground rises on each side and in the distance the summit of Pendle Hill, the motorway remaining uncomfortably close throughout.