Drive and Stroll - this week Ron Freethy takes in Settle and Giggleswick

AS the Ribble leaves the upper Dale it slices between two ancient settlements.

On the north bank is Giggleswick, with its ancient church and famous public school, while on the south bank stands the market town of Settle.

The two were once only linked by stepping stones over a ford, but these were replaced centuries ago by a bridge.

The twin townships have produced a goodly number of famous sons and one famous daughter. Ladies first! The parish church at Giggleswick is dedicated to St Alkelda, a Saxon Christian who was strangled for her faith by the heathen Danes.

Giggleswick was probably the hub of local life until the railway came to the Settle side of the river. If you wish to see Settle at its bustling best, then visit the Tuesday market which was first granted at the request of Henry Percy in 1249. Avoid Wednesday which is early closing.

The side of the square is graced by the Shambles, one time slaughterhouse of the town in the days when hygiene laws were non existent.

A walk around the square and the church will reveal Settle's famous men, including Birkbeck, the founder of the Workers Educational Association, and the London college which takes his name.

The composer Elgar is commemorated by a plaque on the wall of a bank, which was once the home of his friend Dr Buck. The two walked the local countryside and it is said that Elgar was inspired by the Ribblesdale scenery, especially around Scaleber Beck. You can buy a leaflet at the tourist information centre describing their walks, called the Elgar Trail.

The next large market town downstream is Clitheroe with the river passing through or close to Long Preston, Wigglesworth, Gisburn (once itself a market town and still having a livestock sale), Sawley, which was the site of a Cistercian abbey, and then on to Chatburn.

There is a delightful riverside path from Brungerley Bridge upstream from Clitheroe and another on the downstream side at Edisford.

Both these footpaths are well used, but local people do not make as much use of the river as they once did. This is a great pity, but the modern day tourist industry, linked in with the local councils, are now rectifying the situation.

In the early years of this century, rowing boats could be hired from Brungerley Bridge, which replaced the famous "hipping stones" which once crossed the ford. It was here that King Henry VI was captured by his enemies.

Following his defeat at Hexham during the 15th century Wars of the Roses, Henry had been sheltered at Waddington Hall, but was betrayed.

Sleet was blasting down from a heavy sky as I followed the Ribble from Brungerley to the disused quarries upstream. Goosanders dived for fish in the icy water and I thought of the contrast to the weather last July when I picnicked in the sunshine near to a clump of bee orchids. As I turned to return towards the bridge, I almost came face to face with a fox, its whiskers and long brush-like tail flecked with the snow which was now falling fast.

Areas such as these old quarries are ideal for foxes, which have lots of sheltered places to rest up, and there are plenty of rabbits for them to hunt.

Clitheroe is dominated by its castle, said to be the smallest Norman keep in England, and set on a limestone knoll. This is now the focal point of an excellent museum. On display is one of the old rowing boats which ferried passengers across the Ribble.

From the castle there are views over the Ribble Valley which from Clitheroe leads down to Preston via the old Roman fort at Ribchester. I shall describe this area next week.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.