During this “vacation” the herd cattle over rough terrain all the while being tormented by their guide/cowboy Curly, played by Jack Palance. If you haven't seen the movie, you should go and rent it. It is absolutely hilarious and in my opinion one of Crystal's best performances in a comedy.

My friend talked me into going one of these types of vacations. Prior to the trip I was never on a horse, so you could imagine what a culture shock it was for me. Out west we headed to Lozier's Box “R” ranch. I was sized up for my horse and over the course of the next 7 days I learned how to ride a horse and round up cattle.

I can honestly say it was one of the most fun and entertaining vacations I have ever been on. I keep telling my wife when my son gets old enough I am taking him out there. It was the vacation of a lifetime.

Beyond the rounding up cattle you really get to know the family that runs the ranch as well as the other guests staying there. Since the number of guests staying there is held to be under 20, you get that close family type of bond with everybody.

If you are looking to do something different for your next vacation, a working cattle ranch vacation may be a good way to go. Not only do you really enjoy yourself, but the money you pay to go on this vacation goes to the ranches themselves and from what I learned they really need our support.

West Pennine Moors

The scenery is breathtakingly beautiful and there's a timelessness about the moors that gives you the impression that you could have slipped back a century. It's so quiet and peaceful, with just the odd cry of birds circling overhead, enjoying the wind.

View of Darwen

The surrounding towns seem far away and less significant. In this shot you can see the town of Darwen nestled between the hills. If you look closely on the opposite hilltop, you can just see Darwen Tower, which up closer looks a bit like a rocket ready for launching, according to my grandson!

Standing stone

You come across some unexplained things on the moors. This standing stone has always puzzled me. What was it put there for? There are no other stones like it for miles. It has an air of pagan mystery about it.

Mound

This is another mystery to me. What can this large mound be for? It's quite large and looks a bit like a slag heap, but there are no mines around here. Where did it come from?

Farmhouse built from local stone.

I love the moorland stone houses and farms. Sadly, they're way beyond my means to buy. Still, I can dream…

The whitewashed building with the conservatory is a licensed Italian restaurant. I once had a meal there. It was very pleasant to eat whilst enjoying the marvelous views.

Drystone wall.

Another of my favorite things is drystone walls. There's something about rocks and stones that appeals to me. It's hard to explain what it is. I love the way the lichen grows on the stone. I didn't realize how skilled a job it was to build these walls until I once tried to build one in my garden.

A different viewpoint.

I like experimenting with the camera. Lately I've had a thing about taking shots through holes like this. Usually they turn out badly, but I quite like this one.

Cattle grazing on moorland.

There are always cattle to be found grazing on the lower slopes. The masts you can see in the background are on Winter Hill.

Moorland sheep.

Higher up you get sheep. This one was unusually inquisitive!

More sheep.

Whereas these three were off on a jaunt somewhere.

Farm cat.

I didn't expect to come across this animal in the fields. He watched me for a good ten minutes before slinking off.

Ramsbottom

I finished off my day's shooting in the village of Ramsbottom. After a much needed coffee I did a bit of charity shopping - another of my favorite pastimes. I picked up a real bargain of a jumper for £4.

Hand-knitted jumper.

My daughter thought it was “naff “ but I love it!