Warpers Walk Trail No. 4

8.5 miles (Easy with a few, short steep ascents) WALK4 WARPERS TRAIL 8.5 miles (easy with a few, short steep ascents)

To Cranberry Moss The Warpers Trail forms part of the long distance Witton Weavers Way. This walk combines history, both ancient and modern, water and wildlife, to produce a fascinating walk for everyone. You are strongly advised to use these walk details in conjunction with OS Explorer Map 6 6 No. 287 , on which the Witton Weavers Way is clearly marked. 6 Stout footwear and waterproofs are recommended. A D Entwistle OA R N 32 Batridge Barn Car Park, off Greens Arms Road, off A666 (GR 721 172) R START: U B Alight at Entwistle Railway Station, on the to Manchester K PUBLIC TRANSPORT: C line and start the walk at point 31. LA B STRAWBURY DUCK PUB 25–26 strategically sited for use by the Home Guard in the Second At the far end of the car park, To 33 World War to protect access to 31 with your back towards the the largest reservoirs in the 30 reservoir, observe two small area and keep watch over R gullies. Take the path towards O Horrobin Mill, used for wartime M GR A the right-hand gully and climb EE N storage. N A R the path to the stile seen on the RMS O RO P AD Climb the stile down through the AD right (just before a tiny B 6 STARTS 25 reservoir). Follow the path up wood and cross the bridge over 391 the hillside. Cross the road, go 2. At this through the gate and continue point you are within Jumbles

Country Park, and there is an D up the path. Turn right at A O Greens Arms Road then left excellent information centre R N BARLOW along side the reservoir. O along a track at the bend in the The T INSTITUTE L O road. You pass Clough House reservoir was built in 1971 as a B Farm on your left and eventually 1. Turton Tower. Perfect stopping place compensation reservoir to ensure BLACK 29 go through a kissing gate next with tea shop and picnic area an adequate flow of water into BULL to a large gate. to keep the river road bridge was restored and system scoured downstream. If

B re-erected by Turton Local History you are lucky you will glimpse U 26–27 R birds including the Grey Wagtail, Y

Society. ENCLOSURE & R Dipper or Kingfisher. O Continue along the track as it STONE CIRCLE A curves down to the left with a Turton Tower originated in the 28 D stream on your right to cross 15th century as a Pele Tower and over the Blackburn to Bolton was then converted into a Tudor Turton Bottoms Railway line. Note the decorated Hall and later as a Victorian railway bridge built when the line country house, set in nine acres of Chapeltown gardens. It now houses many fine was constructed in 1848. It is a TURTON legacy of James Kay, a textile treasures with regular exhibitions, 26 TOWER events and a tearoom. For B 6391 entrepreneur and once owner who Jumbles insisted on their style, to be in opening hours (01204) 852203. keeping with the rest of the estate. After the Tower you will reach You then pass an old the B6391 Chapeltown Road. waterwheel on your left, just Turn left, then at the point 27 before Turton Tower1. The where the road curves to the wheel, originally from Black Rock left take the footpath on the Corn Mill near the TurtonBottoms right that passes the wartime pillbox. The pillbox was 2. Jumbles Reservoir and Sailing Club JUMBLES VISITOR To CENTRE & CAR PARK Bolton P P WARPERS TRAIL 8.5 miles (easy with a few, short steep ascents) clad moors and woodland Wonderful views across heather To Cranberry Darwen Moss

6 6 6 A D Entwistle OA R N 32 R U B K C LA B STRAWBURY DUCK PUB

To 33 Bolton 31 30

R O M GR A EE N N A R RMS O RO P AD AD B 6 STARTS 25 391

D A Edgworth O R N BARLOW O T INSTITUTE L O B BLACK 29 BULL Horrobin Mill Bleachworks was demolished to make way

B for the reservoir, whose history U R went back at least to the early Y ENCLOSURE & R O

‘bleach crofting’ days of the STONE CIRCLE A early 1700’s. 28 D Turton 27–28 Bottoms Turn left along the path, Chapeltown following the reservoir as it TURTON narrows into Bradshaw Brook. 26 TOWER On emerging from the woods at B 6391 Jumbles Turton Bottoms, as this steep- sided valley is called, cross the cobbled bridge. From 1800 there was much industrial 27 development in the vicinity including Springside Spinning Mill, Black Rock Bleachworks, Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Turton Colliery and Stone Mill in Borough Council. Turton Vale. Licence number L.A. 077178/00/02 JUMBLES VISITOR To CENTRE & CAR PARK Bolton P P To Cranberry Darwen Moss Continue along the road, after Go through the gate to the left two gateposts where the at the top of the field, and cobbles end take the track that continue along the path. Cross forks down to the right. After the footbridge and veer right to crossing the Packhorse bridge cross a second footbridge. Turn

6 with its associated ford right along past the waterfall 6 6 A alongside you emerge onto and follow the path by the D Entwistle OA another cobbled road. This early stream. After climbing the hill, R N 32 cross the track and walk up to R bridge was replaced in 1796 by U B the road bridge when the road the Barlow Institute playground K C and on past the bowling green LA system was re-aligned on both B STRAWBURY sides of the brook. to reach the main Bolton Road. 4. The Black Bull at Edgworth on the DUCK PUB West Pennine Moors The Barlow Institute was 28–29 dedicated to James and Alice To 33 Barlow who purchased 80 acres of aside as wildfowl refuges. Wayoh Turn right down Birches Road Bolton 31 land plus buildings in the also has a variety of plants like 30 and go straight ahead with Broadhead Valley to form Hemp Agrimony. Globe Flower R Printers Court cottages on your O M Crowthorne, a branch of the and Water Avens. GR A right. Turn left at the end of the EE N National Children's Homes. Note N A R RMS O cottages. Houses now replace RO P AD the attractive sundial on the side AD the bleaching and printing works 30–31 B of the building which is set to 6 STARTS 25 391 of the Walker family, although the Cross the lane, go through the 3 British summertime. square stone chimney remains gate following the reservoir above, as does the lodge, given edge and cross a footbridge

D the local name of Old Russia 29–30 over Broadhead Brook. A Edgworth O Lodge. Turn right through the R Turn left along Bolton Road to N BARLOW new houses and take the steps O T INSTITUTE Brandwood Fold on the left. This upper part of the reservoir L that go straight up the hill to the O B Brandwood Fold Farm was the can boast sightings of 148 left out of Vale. Join a BLACK 29 birthplace of both James Barlow different species of bird, including track at the top of the steps BULL and his brother Thomas, great crested grebes and winter and pass the chimney on the physician to Queen Victoria, King visitors such as Whooper swans, right. Go through a kissing gate Edward VII and King George V. tufted duck and pochard.

B into an open field and continue U The Fold, a listed group of Woodland birds including tits, R along the path up the field. Y buildings, is typical of early Folds goldcrest and finches also inhabit ENCLOSURE & R

O Below on the left, are lodges

STONE CIRCLE A in the area. the areas around the reservoir. 28 D including Old Russia. Cross Bolton Road and continue Shortly afterwards cross a Turton down the hill to the Black Bull second footbridge and take a Bottoms public house4. Take the narrow path that leaves the Chapeltown footpath at the side of the pub main track off to the right. TURTON to . As you Climb this path up through the 26 TOWER approach the reservoir climb woods, ignoring the stile on the B 6391 Jumbles the path by the rails and right. You may notice the iron continue ahead. Keep to the gantry which crosses the path by the side of the reservoir footpath. This was part of the and you will eventually reach framework which carried a pulley 27 Hob Lane. system used to carry materials between Entwistle railway station Various sections of the reservoir and Know Mill Bleachworks. have been designated national Conservation areas and are set

JUMBLES VISITOR CENTRE & CAR PARK 3. Old Russia Lodge Chimney – a remnant To of the Industrial Revolution Bolton P P WITTON WEAVERS WAY

Climb the stile into an open field On your right you are passing Broadhead Brook (feeding Wayoh to reach Edge Lane. Turn right Yarnsdale and Fairy Battery, an reservoir). The Reservoir was along this road and cross the outcrop of rock popular with completed in 1834 by the railway. You may like to enjoy a climbers. The site was the secret bleachers and mill owners along drink at the walker's popular meeting place of non-conformist Bradshaw Brook, to ensure haunt, the Strawbury Duck5. worshippers in the 17th century. adequate water flow in the dry Opposite the outcrop on the seasons to their industrial other side of the stream is a operations. Later it was used to quarry complex with extensive supply the growing water needs of mine caverns, now filled in. Bolton. Subsequently Wayoh and Follow the track down and when then Jumbles Reservoirs were you reach two ruined parallel built as the requirements walls veer right, dropping down escalated. the field diagonally for a point As you approach the end of the between the conifers on the left reservoir take a path on your and the deciduous trees on the right, up some steps to return right. A gully soon appears; to the car park. 5. The Strawbury Duck – good menu, good drop down it keeping to the beer (also accommodation) right, and climb the stile in the bottom corner of the field. USEFUL INFORMATION

31–32 Blackburn Visitor Centre (Entwistle Station is the 33–25 (01254) 688040 or alternative start for the walk) Turn left, cross the footbridge www.visitblackburn.co.uk/visitor-centre Turn right up Edge Lane, and turn left again. Follow the or [email protected] passing New House Farm on stream down to Turton and Turton Tower (01204) 852203 the right. Eventually when the Entwistle reservoir6 and track forks three ways take the continue along the banking. Jumbles Information Centre left fork. After passing The name Entwistle is thought to (01204) 856999 farmhouses at Edge Fold, a stile come from ‘twisla’ meaning a Black Bull, Edgworth (01204) 852811 is climbed, the track levels off tongue of land in the fork of a and the view opens up. The river - here the land between Strawbury Duck, Entwistle reservoir and Turton Heights Brook (feeding (01204) 852013 can be seen on your left and, in Entwistle Reservoir) and the distance, the skyline of Bolton. 32 -33 In approximately 3/4 of a mile you will pass a scattered group of trees on the right. A short wall appears on your left just before the track levels out. Climb the stile at the end of the wall and take the grassy track down the field. You pass between two gateposts, and then after dropping down the hill you reach a point where two stone gateposts stand along on the right. 6. Entwistle Reservoir: A centre for nature, history and leisure

Photo credits: Mike Tattersall, Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Entwistle circa 1903 - Photo courtesy of and Yorkshire Railway Society

ENTWISTLE STATION

Entwistle Station came into being on The station catered for passengers, goods, 1st August 1848 when Whittlestone parcels, livestock, horses and prize cattle Head Station was relocated from its site vans. The goods yard was also served by immediately south of the Sough Tunnel an overhead pulley driven ropeway, which portal to the present site seven and three transported materials to and from the quarter miles from Blackburn. railway yard to Know Mill Bleachworks. The Bleach works was demolished when The station remained somewhat of the reservoir was formed. A large wooden a country outpost until 1902 when goods shed was erected, served by a fi ve- major refurbishment took place during ton crane. The station was vastly reduced the quadrupling of the track between in size in the 1960s following Beeching’s Entwistle and Waltons’ Sidings. The recommendations. Wholesale demolition station was totally rebuilt, the up platform of the station infrastructure followed was removed, the down platform became leaving a request stop, served by a single the up platform and a new line was built track and a small solitary platform shelter. round the back forming a new platform for down trains. A new gantry mounted Today the station is an ideal gateway to signal box was built spanning the two fast the stunning West Pennine Moors and lines and a lattice footbridge was provided is only a 30 minute train journey from for passenger use. Manchester. Entwistle 3rd July 1971 - Photo courtesy Dr John Sagar

Entwistle 17th August 2007 - Photo Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council

ENTWISTLE STATION

DOWN SLOW

PLATFORMS

UP SLOW To To Darwen DOWN MAIN DOWN FAST UP MAIN UP FAST

Signal Box

GOODS YARD © N. Kirby

Entwistle track diagram circa 1953 THE COUNTRY CODE

• Enjoy the countryside and respect its life and work. • Guard against all risk of fire. • Fasten all gates. • Keep dogs under close control. • Keep to paths across farmland. • Avoid damage to fences, hedges and walls. • Leave livestock, crops and machinery alone. • Protect wildlife, plants and trees. • Leave no litter. • Go carefully on country roads. • Help to keep all water clean. • Make no unnecessary noise. NOTES FOR WALKERS Essential Kit National Rail Enquiries. Tel: 08457 48 49 50 The OS Explorer Map No. 287 www.nationalrail.co.uk (West Pennine Moors) provides Traveline. Tel: 0871 200 22 33 excellent aid and information on www.traveline.info all areas covered in this guide. (Ordnance Survey : Map shop, For information on local attractions, events, mobile apps and OS getamap places of interest and accommodation, enquiries telephone: 03454 56 04 20 please contact Blackburn Visitor Centre. or visit www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk) Tel: 01254 688040. Email: [email protected] Further Information www.visitblackburn.co.uk/visitor-centre If you are travelling to the start of the walk www.blackburn.gov.uk using public transport, please contact Blackburn Visitor Centre. Blackburn with Darwen Countryside Blackburn Market 25 Church Street, Services Office. Tel: 01254 666966 Blackburn BB1 5AF [email protected] Tel: 01254 688040. for countryside information and events.

Please note that every effort has been taken to ensure details are correct at the time of printing. Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council cannot accept responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor any consequence arising from use of the information.

Reprinted June 2015 by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council Tourism Development and Countryside Services. www.bwdconnect.org.uk www.communityraillancashire.co.uk