Ornithology and wildlife around East Lancashire, Pendle hill and the Forest of Bowland, by Neil Mitchell

Saturday 11 April 2009

Pendle hill again

Its probably too early for dotterel, but I'm using "hill hill hill" as an exercise-machine these days.
Its cheaper than joining a gym. 2 birds to lose one stone eh? OK I need to get some more exercise and lose a few pounds, so I may as well get out birding.
For those of you wondering what the "hill hill hill" reference means ...... Well, pendle hill has even merited a mention on QI (the tv show) as a place that is named 3 times.

eg The phrase Pendle Hill is unusual in that it combines the word for hill from three different languages. In the thirteenth century the hill was mentioned as Pennul or Penhul; apparently from Cumbric pen and Old English hyll, both meaning "hill". The modern English hill was appended later, after the original meaning of Pendle had become opaque.

Hence "hill hill hill". Anyway, I've started tackling the "hill hill hill" from the Downham side. I cant stand saying "hello" to zillions of folks just because it's before 8 in the morning.
There are no dog-walking, hill-running, loud-talking idiots on the Downham side.

Anyway, I got to the top without a defibrillator or having to say "hello", only to be greeted with this.......!!!!!!



















The bleedin christians had got there before me!!!!! Interestingly, they had to chain the cross up so that it didnt get nicked.

Anyway, all I saw was lots of mipits, skylarks and no dotterel.

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