Rawtenstall and Cribden Hill Explore Pennine Lancashire and Visit the Halo Panopticon up on Top O’ Slate
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1 Rawtenstall and Cribden Hill Explore Pennine Lancashire and visit the Halo Panopticon up on Top O’ Slate START: The Whitaker museum and gallery (GPS waypoint SD 805 226) DISTANCE: 5 miles (8km) DIFFICULTY: HEIGHT GAIN: APPROX. TIME: 2 hours 30 minutes PARKING: Available at The Whitaker museum off Haslingden Road and also at the north end of the park off Haslingden Old Road. ROUTE TERRAIN: Tarmac paths, tracks, hillside grass paths FACILITIES: Toilets and refreshments available at Whitaker Park SUITABILITY: Not suitable for prams or wheelchairs, dogs allowed but must be kept under control around livestock OS MAPS: Landranger 103 (Blackburn and Burnley), Explorer OL21 (South Pennines) David Turner LANCASHIRE WALKS RAWTENSTALL AND CRIBDEN HILL as a cattle farm and combines George Hardman was a trader If you’re looking to travel to The East Lancashire Railway also the Old English ‘ruh’, meaning in the wool industry, having Rawtenstall by public transport, runs between Rawtenstall, Bury ‘rough’ and ‘tun-stall’, meaning become a partner at the Hoyle there are regular buses from and Heywood, but this service The walker’s view ‘the site of a farm’. and Ashworth New Hall Hey nearby Rawtenstall bus station, doesn’t run at all times during the Mill. In 1849 the company which is on Bacup Road. week, so it’s best to check before David Turner tests out this route The earliest settlement at became George Hardman and Destinations served include you travel via the East Lancashire It was only last month that I was singing the Rawtenstall is said to have been Son, after the old company was Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Railway website – praises of our Helmshore walk just a few during the medieval period, dissolved. In 1852, following the Rochdale, Bury and Bolton. www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk miles from this particular route, so I was glad when it formed part of the Forest death of George Hardman, the to be back around the area this month for a walk up and around of Rossendale, and consisted company was taken over by his Cribden Hill. of simple dwellings for servants three sons, and Oak House and Where to visit Beginning from The Whitaker museum in Whitaker Park, there’s and animals. More substantial estate were eventually sold on in certainly no shortage of things to keep you amused. As well as the buildings then followed in the 1896 to the Whitaker family. The Whitaker 15th and 16th centuries with the museum there’s also a gallery and a small café, and the park features Whitaker Park Haslingden Road, Rawtenstall, corn and flour mills. Richard Whitaker came from a bowling green, basketball court and children’s play area, along Rossendale, Lancashire, BB4 6RE Rawtenstall and was a self-made with numerous other facilities. Although it was quiet in the morning As with many towns in East man who had entered work at We’d definitely recommend popping into The Whitaker museum and as I began my walk, by the time I returned the place was buzzing Lancashire, Rawtenstall entered the age of six. For a time he had art gallery while you’re in the vicinity for this walk. The route starts and with activity in all corners. It was great to see so many people a major period of growth during worked at George Hardman’s ends here, so it’s ideally located if you fancy having a look around. enjoying the park on this hot summers day. the Industrial Revolution, with mill and rose through the ranks The museum displays include interesting local history, paintings and The track at the base of new mills built to process cotton. to managerial level. Richard Victorian natural history collections, plus there is also a very active Cribden Hill is where I got During this period, a man Whitaker never forgot his contemporary art gallery with changing exhibitions. my first big views of the called David Whitehead and background though, and bought surrounding hills and towns. The art gallery covers two of the main rooms on the first floor of the his brother became important the Oak House estate with the In the distance, the wind farm house. These are impressive rooms with views across the valley entrepreneurs in the town, intention of creating parks and on top of Scout Moor rose and, having been recently upgraded, they now provide a light, constructing a number of mills, playgrounds for the people of up behind Cowpe Lowe, contemporary space, suitable for exploring and exhibiting the best including one of the earliest mills Rossendale. and the towns of Rawtenstall new art. in the valley, at Lower Mill, and and Helmshore can be seen the still existing Ilex Mill. In 1902 his plans came to below. fruition, with a grand opening The brothers also built houses for the people of Rossendale, A short walk down the track for themselves at Holly Mount, who were able to enjoy the leads to Top O’ Slate and as well as large numbers of playgrounds, ornamental another of the Lancashire terraced houses for their gardens and paths, including the Panopticons, Halo. Having workers. The population of fountain that still stands in front already visited Atom in Rawtenstall quadrupled in the of the museum. The museum Wycoller and Singing Ringing Tree on the hills above Burnley, I first half of the 19th century, and opened later the same year. was glad to get the chance to bag a third Panopticon. This unusual Starting from The Whitaker museum, this walk takes other industries active in this structure resembles a tubular flying saucer and is quite a sight when you through Rossendale and Haslingden, via the Halo – a period included quarrying and The museum now has you first round the corner towards it. It was an excellent place for a spot of geocaching and I spent some time hunting around the striking Panopticon that can be seen from miles around. small scale coal mining, as well as diverse collections, including an expanding commercial sector. fine art, decorative art and area for a cache I knew to be close by. After taking more than a few There are stunning views most of the way around this The population declined in the furniture, ceramics, glassware, photos for what was fast becoming small collection of Panopticon walk and especially from Cribden Hill, so make sure you town during the 20th century, archaeology, geology, natural images, I continued on towards the side of Cribden Hill. stop from time to time and really take them in. with the 1911 census stating that history, costumes and textiles, There are two tracks along the spine of the hill and, while I was sure there were 30,000 inhabitants, local social history, arms and Dogs are permitted along this route, but four-legged Once you’ve explored the collections in the gallery and museum, it’s I was following the path on the ‘correct’ side of the wall according with this number falling to weaponry. to the OS map, I did notice another path on the other side. If you friends must be kept on a lead around livestock. There bound to be time for something to eat and drink at the café! Whether 21,500 in the 1971 census. it’s hearty soups, gourmet sandwiches or indulgent cakes, everything’s do find yourself on this path then not to worry, it appears to lead to are also stiles to navigate, which may prove difficult for freshly made at the café – and you can enjoy your food while taking in exactly the same place as the one I was following and you shouldn’t This walk starts and ends at The larger pets. Getting there the wonderful views out across the valley. go wrong. Whitaker, which is a museum The Whitaker museum, formerly There are two theories when and art gallery set in beautiful Rawtenstall is never far from a The team at The Whitaker also host a number of workshops and There are great views to be had from the top of Cribden Hill, Rossendale Museum and Art it comes to where the name parkland. The Whitaker was motorway connection and it is learning projects throughout the year, all delivered by experts with especially over to the numerous wind farms that sit on the distant Gallery, is located in the town Rawtenstall came from. One originally built as a residence easy to get to and from by car. the aim of developing people’s skills and knowledge around a diverse hills. Take care on the descent though, the path is steep for a short of Rawtenstall at the centre of of them is that the name is a for former mill owner, George Set in the centre of a triangle range of topics and specialisms. while but soon evens out for the return journey back to Whitaker the Rossendale Valley. The town formed by the Lancashire towns combination of the Middle Hardman in 1840. This home, The Whitaker is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10am until 4pm, and Park. is to the north of Manchester of Blackburn, Burnley and Bury, English ‘routen’, meaning to roar named Oak House, sat among you can find out more about the exhibitions by visiting and east of Preston, and or bellow, and the Old English the M66 is around six miles anDavid estate Turner of more than 28 acres, www.thewhitaker.org nearby towns include Bacup, ‘stall’, meaning ‘pool in a river’. with cottages and farms in the away, the M65 is 10 miles away Haslingden and Ramsbottom. The other more recent reason is grounds.