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Well, what a journey! Georgina and Helen adventured across Lancashire, travelling along the Lancashire Witches Way, to raise money for The Pendle Witch, a new opera based on the famous story of the 1612 witch trials in Lancashire. The 51 mile journey began in Barrowford and ended at Lancaster Castle, with stops near Clitheroe, Slaidburn and Caton along the way.

Monday Oct 23

Tuesday Oct 24

Wednesday Oct 25

To donate to their fundraising efforts, please use the PayPal link below.

https://paypal.me/OutreachOpera?locale.x=en_GB

Here is the Schedule for the walk:

Day 1 – we will start at Pendle Heritage Centre in Barrowford to Read Old Bridge at Read Hall – 14.5 miles

We will be staying at the 1823 Spinning Block in Clitheroe.

Day 2 – Read Old Bridge to Slaidburn – 13.7 miles

We will be staying at Clerk Laurie Lodge in Newton

Day 3 – Slaidburn to Deep Clough – 12.2 miles

We will be staying at The Fenwick Steak and Seafood Pub in Claughton

Day 4 – Deep Clough to Lancaster Castle – 10.6 miles

We aim to leave each start of the hike by 9am prompt - giving us 9 hours until sunset to reach our destination. Good walking boots, waterproofs, warm layers, food and fluids will be needed. You do not have to walk the full route - day 1 is probably the best day to join us as it’s the least remote and we pass many small towns and villages. Remember you will need to sort our transport back to your car as we are not doing a circular route. 

We are also looking for transportation from the end of each day’s routes to our accommodation. If anyone is able to help us please do get in touch.


The Pendle Witches – An Opera

Outreach Opera are delighted to announce that they are commissioning a brand new Lancashire opera.

Audiences are invited to immerse themselves in the famous tale of the Pendle Witches through a remarkable opera crafted by the talented composer, Ben Crick. This haunting narrative unfolds during the tumultuous early 17th century when fear and suspicion ran rampant, resulting in the brutal persecution of an innocent group of individuals.

This new opera endeavours to vividly resurrect the stories of those who faced trial and execution. Outreach Opera will intricately weave together the narrative and the stunning landscape, in this heart-wrenching tale of a grave miscarriage of justice.

Throughout the 2023/24 season, Outreach Opera embarks on a mission to raise £15,000 to realise this production. The goal is to stage this extraordinary opera for audiences in the Autumn of 2025, coinciding with Outreach Opera’s 10th Anniversary celebration!

The fundraising efforts begin in October 2023 when co-founders Georgina Rosanna Crowe and Helen Latham will embark on a 51 mile journey on foot, which mirrors that of the witches themselves in 1612. Named The Lancashire Witches Way, this walk stretches from Barrowford to Lancaster Castle traversing the villages of Pendle and the desolate yet breathtaking Forest of Bowland. As they journey, Outreach Opera will seek to connect with individuals who can offer insights into the trials of witches, all while embracing the stark beauty of Lancashire’s moorlands. Through music and words, they aim to express their firsthand experiences along the way.

This opera is a true Lancashire community effort, funded by the people who call Lancashire home and performed by our dedicated Lancashire-based opera company. We invite you to be a part of this epic chapter in the Outreach Opera story by contributing any donation you can.

Your support will play a vital role in bringing this compelling tale to life, and we are deeply grateful for any contributions that can help us achieve our artistic vision

The Walk Itself: 23rd – 25th October 2023


Day 1 – Barrowford to Clitheroe
Day 2 – Clitheroe to High Salter
Day 3 – High Salter to Lancaster Castle


Along the way, Helen and Georgina will pass the 10 beautiful cast iron waymarkers – one for each of the 10 executed. At each of these points, they will offer creative treats in the way of song, poetry and prose.

How to Donate…..
To make a donation please follow this link to the Outreach Opera PayPal account.

https://paypal.me/OutreachOpera?locale.x=en_GB


As they travel, Georgina and Helen will be documenting their adventure on Social Media and will be recording a podcast of guest speakers and performances at each of the waymarkers. For anyone who wishes to join them for a leg of the journey or meet them at the end for a celebratory drink and a meal, they will have more details about the journey online very soon!


Georgina and Helen would like to thank you all in advance for your help and support.


For more information:
Ben Crick – https://www.bencrickmusic.com/
Long Distance Walkers Association – https://ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Lancashire+Witches

Last Night of the Proms 2023