TACKLERS TRAIL 9.5 Miles (Moderate Wi
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Tacklers Trail Walk No.3 9.5 miles (A walk with a couple of short steep slopes and some rough moorland paths) WALK3 TACKLERS TRAIL 9.5 miles (moderate wi The Warpers Trail forms part of the long distance Witton Weavers Way. This walk combines woodlands, moorland and spectacular views to make this trail well worth the effort! You are strongly advised to use these walk details in conjunction with OS Explorer map No. 287, West Pennine Moors. Stout boots are recommended, as parts of this walk can become muddy in wet weather. START: Sunnyhurst Wood Visitor Centre, a short walk down from Earnsdale Road, Darwen PUBLIC TRANSPORT: 1 mile from Darwen town centre, alight at Hollins Grove Street PARKING: On Earnsdale Road, off A666. 1 mile from junction 4 M65 ALTERNATIVE PARKING AND START POINTS (SEE OS MAP FOR EXACT LOCATIONS): • Slipper Lowe car park- 1km from Roddlesworth GR 664203 • Car park off Belmont Road, A675 - 2km from Roddlesworth GR 665191 • Sunnyhurst car park - at top of Earnsdale Road GR 679225 R 3. Spot the birdlife amidst Sunnyhurst Wood was acquired 17–18 eservoir country by public subscription in 1902 to commemorate the coronation Turn right up the track eventually of King Edward VII. emerging onto Tockholes Road, The Visitor Centre1, in the built by Eccles Shorrock in the former gamekeeper's cottage 1840s to link the village with offers exhibitions, activities and Darwen. Eccles Shorrock is best information. known today for the 300 foot Venetian campanile chimney of The charming Olde England India Mill, Darwen. Turn left and Kiosk (refreshments available) after 100 yards take the footpath In about 100 yards a footpath was built in 1911 to on the right down into the wood. crosses the track, turn right here commemorate the coronation of As the Roddlesworth Upper and left at the reservoir. Follow King George V Reservoir2 comes into view, the path round by a fence then follow the path round to the left. a wall to cross the bridge over Rocky Brook, the local name of 16–17 the River Roddlesworth. From the Visitor Centre walk up into the wood, following 18–19 Sunnyhurst brook, past the stone bridges, and on past the Continue alongside the brook bandstand. Continue up the keeping to the lower path at a valley, emerging from the wood fork. Go through the iron gate by an iron gate, at the corner of and cross the stone bridge, known as Halliwell Fold Bridge4. Earnsdale Reservoir. 2. Roddlesworth Upper Reservoir Continue up the track with the Centre 1. Sunnyhurst Visitor brook now on your right. Mallard and goldeneye ducks This junction of lanes was once can be seen on the reservoirs, a busy road linking Abbey with the occasional great crested Village, Tockholes and grebe or tufted duck in winter3. Hollinshead Hall with many The coniferous plantations have dwellings. The ruins of rowan, oak and birch saplings Halliwell Fold Farm once along their edges to provide supplied chain horses to help varied wildlife habitats. ith a couple of short steep inclines &some rough m To Blackburn A 6 & M65, Junct. 4 6 Crown copyright. All rights reserved. 6 B L Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. A C K B Licence number L.A. 077178/00/02 U R AD N RO R E O L A DA D NS VISITOR EAR CENTRE 16 A 6 6 SUNNYHURST START 6 WOOD D U C To Tockholes K W O Village R T TO H C S K TR H E OL E P Sunnyhurst ES T RO LYCHGATE AD HOTEL 17 To Darwen BOLD VENTRE To Abbey PARK Village 18 ROYAL ARMS DARWEN Roddlesworth TOWER P 24 RODDLESWORTH CAFÉ & INFO POINT BUS TERMINAL SLIPPER LOWE P Whitehall 23 Park 19 LORD’S RUINS OF HALL HOLLINSHEAD HALL A 67 5 Darwen Moor B E L M O N T P R O A D 20 2 21 RUINS OF HIGHER PASTURE BARN FARM RUINS OF TOP O’ TH’ BROW To Turton Moor Belmont moorland paths) WITTON WEAVERS WAY R 4. oddlesworth dedicated to Vic Ryan, former Halliwell Fold Bridge, 19–20 president of Blackburn Rambling Continue ahead, following the Association who often led walks track down the hill alongside the through this countryside. wall. Great Hill is prominent to the right. Go straight through the Miners built most of the tracks ruins of Hollinshead Hall, over Darwen Moor and the climbing the track to the left of plateau has the remains of many the wooden fence. filled-in mine shafts, spoil heaps Hollinshead Hall was the and even the bed of an old steam manor house of Tockholes and engine. There were no less than what remains are the ruins of 21 pits with a further dozen or so the 18th century hall, stables scattered around the moor where and farm buildings. There has poor grade coal was mined for pull the heavy loads of coal up been a hall on the site since the over 300 years. In the the steep gradient to Tockholes 14thcentury. The last owner 19thcentury the coal was used to from Withnell railway station was Eccles Shorrock who to fuel the local mill. allowed the buildings to fall into disrepair. The site was Wild flowers to look out for 5 demolished in 1911 by include bluebells and lesser Liverpool Corporation who celandine in spring, wood needed the stone to build a wall sorrel, pignut, golden saxifrage to keep sheep out of the newly and clumps of wood rush, the planted woods around the blue devil's bit scabious, wood reservoir. sage and red campion. Birds to spot include grey wagtail and The wellhouse6 (Wishing Well chaffinch. or Holy Well) still stands. Five springs of water meet here and The track climbs steadily as it they have legendary healing leaves the brook, eventually 6. Hollinshead Hall: Haunted Wellhouse properties for eyes. levelling off at a clearing. Go straight on here through a gate. On joining Tockholes Road turn The road to the left here is right. After 500 yards take the fire the steam engines of the two known as Slipper Lowe and green lane that carries straight village mills. From these pits leads to the main road that on where the road bends sharply originates the local folklore of passes through Tockholes from to the right. (The car park to the "treacle mines". The treacle being Blackburn to Bolton. At the end right is another possible starting the sticky tar often found in the of Slipper Lowe is a picnic site, point) coal seam when the coal is young a convenient place for parking and not yet solid. and an alternative start point. 20–21 21–22 When the wall on your left ends, turn left up an unfenced track. Cross the wall and continue 2 You climb steadily, going over a straight ahead along the track, stile by a gate, with the ruins of keeping a low wall on your right. Cadshaw Higher Pasture Barn Farm on The track swings right then left Valley the right. As the track climbs and you will meet a stream on sharply to the left, take the your right, which soon becomes a rough path that continues culvert. Continue down the valley climbing straight ahead. At the and in approximately 11/2 miles crest of the hill you may wish to you will pass the ruined Top o’ th’ rest a while, on the bench Brow farm on your right. 5. Bluebells This is the Cadshaw Valley, in 23–24 which up to 200 people lived and worked in the 19th Turn right down the drive and century, before the land was take the path on the left just taken over by Liverpool before the gateway. Continue up Corporation for water supply along the fence. Darwen Tower7 works. In the distance look out will come into view then take for Peel Tower on Holcombe the left fork of the path. Shortly Moor, standing at 128 feet afterwards, take the right fork high. The monument was and continue onto the tower. 8. Rambling over the Moors from the erected in 1852 in honour Sir Lychgate Hotel Robert Peel, a local townsman, The Jubilee Tower, to give its at a total cost of £965. correct name, was built in 1897 Take the first right through the by public subscription. It Lychgate9 into the wood and commemorated Queen then the right-hand fork. 22–23 Victoria's Diamond Jubilee and Continue down the hill turning Follow the track and in a short also celebrated the opening of right at the bandstand. Keep to while you will see a ruin and a Darwen Moor to the public the path on the right bank of solitary tree up on your left. after a long fight for access. the stream to return to the Climb up the field to cross the From the top of the tower on Visitor Centre. stile next to the ruin. Carry clear days you can see as far as straight on to climb a stile in a the Fylde coast, the Lake wall. Cross the field diagonally, District and North Wales. keeping both walls equally distant. The India Mill chimney 24–16 will appear in the distance. This is now your line. Darwen Tower Turn right at the tower's will be seen to your left. triangulation point, taking the Climb the stile at the top of the wide track that goes over the conifer plantation, and follow rounded hill, in the direction of the footpath down, alongside distant Pendle Hill. Go over the the fence.