The Witton Weavers Way

Posted: 05.06.2009, 09:12 The Witton Weavers Way

If like me you've ever wondered how long the Weavers Way is then this should explain it. It seems like every way you run in Darwen you come across the Weavers Way. If anyone fancies running the full 32 miles then contact me, we could do it slow and take all day. All we need is someone who’s good at reading maps! Embarassed

The Witton Weavers Way Full Distance 32 Miles

The Witton Weavers Way is a long-distance 32 mile trail of discovery!
Along the way you’ll be exploring Lancashire’s history, passing weavers cottages, Tudor halls, Victorian estates, historic villages and even Roman Roads.
This industrial, agricultural and religious history is complemented by surprisingly beautiful scenery.
See the curlews soaring above the wild West Pennine Moors, explore beautiful woodlands, remote reservoirs, hidden valleys and enjoy spectacular views from the Jubilee tower.
A walk of real contrast and surprise!

What’s in a name?
Lancashire was the centre of the cotton industry in Victorian times and the mill town of Blackburn and Darwen were known throughout the world. However, a hundred years before handloom weavers had worked from home. Their stone built cottages are now the nucleus of the beautiful hamlets and villages we find today, throughout the West Pennine Moors.

The individual circular walks of the Witton Weavers Way are names after jobs within the cotton industry; which turned raw cotton into fine cloths.

What you will need
In order to complete the full circuit of the Witton Weavers Way you will need:
o Leaflets
1 Beamers Trail (6 miles)
2 Reelers Trail (7.5 miles)
3 Tacklers Trail (9.5 miles)
4 Warpers Trail (8.5 miles)
5 The Witton Weavers Way (this leaflet)
o OS Explorer map number 287 (West Pennine Moors) (Ordnance Survey telephone: 08456 050505 / www.ordsvy.gov.uk)

The full Witton Weavers Way circuit can be completed in two days however, within the 32 miles there are also four shorter circular walks that can each be completed during one day, these are: the Beamers; Reelers; Tacklers and Warpers trails.
Although the official start point is Witton Country Park the way can be joined at many alternative points along the way.

Walk directions
Section 1 – 5
Follow the Beamers Trail from the start at Witton Country Park to Hoghton Bottoms.

Section 5 – 9
Cross the footbridge over the River Darwen next to the ford and turn right up through the hamlet of Hoghton Bottoms.
Turn left at the post box down Viaduct Road and continue along the lane past Hill End cottage on your right.
With the Old Counting House on your right follow the lane signposted alongside Higher Mill.
As the lane veers off down to the left follow the footpath straight ahead, to go under the impressive 108 foot high railway viaduct.
Look out for the mason’s marks on the stone archways and also the white stalactites which have formed over the last 160 years as rainwater has dissolved out the lime mortar. You are now entering an impressive gorge that leads up to the weir that once fed the mill race.
Follow the river upstream alongside the old mill race until you eventually emerge into an open field via a stile.
Continue to follow the river bank along, until another stile is reached. Climb it and follow the path straight ahead up through the wood.
Emerge from the wood over a stile and head left up towards the mill chimney of the Sun paper mill, that is visible over the hill behind a farm gate.
Climb the stile just below the gate and continue along the fence line until you see a stile on your right. Climb it and follow the path to a farm gate, passing Hillock Farm on the left.
Emerge onto the farm track and turn down right to meet the main road (A674).
Turn left past the row of houses as far as the bus stop, then cross the main road to follow the footpath opposite, down through the mill site.
On reaching the mill take the path uphill to the right to join the canal and also the Reelers Trail at point 9.

Section 9 – 12
Follow the Reelers Trail directions from 9 to 12

Section 12 – 18
The Reelers trails turns off the track up to the left but remain on the track as it first climbs then drops down to Upper Roddlesworth Reservoir.
This is the last of the chain of three picturesque reservoirs stretching down the valley as far as Abbey Village. From there, they are linked to the much bigger Anglezarke and Rivington reservoirs. The whole system supplies Liverpool with drinking water.
As you approach the head of the reservoir, just after a track comes in from the left, a large conduit passes underneath the route. Leave the track here, dropping down the rough steps to the right.
Follow the footpath and cross the footbridge to the head of the reservoir.
Follow the path around the reservoir edge, alongside first a fence then a wall to cross a bridge over the brook.
Join the Tacklers Trail at point 18.

Section 18 – 20
Follow the Tacklers Trail directions from 18 to 20.

Section 20 - 26
This next section is 4km in length along a moorland track.
Go down the track along Catherine Edge, passing the lone Lower Pasture Barn Farm on the left. On your right you will pass Belmont Reservoir, popular for sailing and a base for Bolton Sailing Club.
The Reservoir was built in 1826 by the Great and Little Bolton Waterworks to supply domestic water to Bolton.
Continue past Higher and Lower Pasture House farms on the right. You will then pass the Stones Bank conifer plantation on the left before eventually reaching a road.

Turn left along the road through Longworth Hall conifer plantation and after 100m go through a gate on the right into the field.
Follow the path downhill to cross the wooden footbridge over Stones Bank Brook and continue along the path uphill.
Climb the stile by the gate; continue through the plantation and out the other side.
Follow the track to reach a stile next to a gate. Once over the stile and at a track junction take the left fork to the main Blackburn Road at Dimple.
Dimple is an ancient hamlet within Turton Township through which the old Bolton to Blackburn Road (now Cox Green Road) passed. This old road crossed the new 1796 turnpike, the current main Bolton to Blackburn road. The line of the old highway continues past the rear of Moss Cottage.
The village has convenient bus links to Bolton and Blackburn.

Cross the road, turning left.
As you approach the conifer plantation, climb the stile on your right into a field.
Proceed up the line of trees; continue along the wall, heading for the crest of the hill ahead.
Go through the gate and climb the stile to your left.
Continue up the rough track directly in front of you, gradually climbing away from the fence on the right, heading for Turton Heights - the high ridge between the Eagley and Bradshaw Valleys.
As you approach a gully, continue up its left hand side.
On approaching the crest of the hill cross the small stone bridge. Following the same gully, continue on ahead, now with a ditch either side of you.
After about 75m look out for a small embankment and ditch on your right. Turn right along the embankment on a faint path, to a stile that can be observed 300m away.
Climb the stile, and continue along the now well-defined path, passing two boundary posts towards the top of the hill.
Climb a stile at a stone wall. Continue ahead and as you pass Cheetham Close, the site of a prehistoric stone circle is passed on the left.
The circle once included standing stones of nearly 5 feet in height, but now little more remains than small stumps in a circle approximately 52 feet in circumference.
Continue onto and then past the triangulation point. Eventually you drop down to a fence and wall, climb the stile by the gate on the left, and follow the wall downhill.
Holcombe Tower, built in celebration of Robert Peel’s repeal of the Corn Laws, can be seen ahead on the horizon.
Follow the path ahead down through the trees towards a barn.
Climb the stile to the right of the barn and follow the path straight down the field, climbing another stile and passing a pond on the left.
When you reach a farm track that crosses the path, turn right along the track and go through a kissing gate by a farm gate to join the Warpers Trail at point 26.

Section 26 - 32
Follow the Warpers Trail directions from 26 to 32.

Section 32 – 22
Continue all the way along the track until you reach the main Blackburn Road (A666).
Turn left along the road, passing the house and farm at Cadshaw, and turn up the track on the right just past the farm entrance.
Around 1800 Cadshaw was quite a well populated valley with numerous farms and coal pits on the higher ground.
The farms included Cranshaws, Sugar Leach, Whitehall, Smith’s Height and Whewell’s. There were extensive coal workings at the head of the valley in the area known as Old Lyons. One of the last coal pits operating in the last century was to the south of Turton Moor summit, supplying both coal and clay to the pipe works by Blackburn Road, near the junction with Stones Bank Road.
Before the current Blackburn to Bolton road was built in 1796, the previous highway ran almost parallel and to the west of the present road. Evidence of this old road can still be seen particularly leading to and from the old stone arched highway bridge still standing over Cadshaw Brook.
After 200m of walking along the track take the left fork to pass in front of a ruined building.
Follow the track as it winds up the hill.
At the top of the hill (the site of the former Smith’s Height Farm) continue along the track to the left. Ignore the track that leads off down to the left and continue along the rough track until it enters a field.
Follow the wall on your right for approximately 250m to find a stile and join the Tacklers Trail just after point 22.

Section 22 – 24
Follow the Tacklers Trail directions from 22 to 24.

Section 24 – 17
With your back to the tower facing the triangulation point, take the wide gravel track down to the right.
After 50m take the left hand fork downhill.
After 500m go through a gateway at a path junction, after 45m turn down the track to the left that can be seen between two stone walls.
Continue straight ahead along the track to first climb a stile and then to find a concrete road. Turn right down the road then left at the t-junction.
Take the right hand fork by the stone-built Waterman’s cottage (date stone 1897).

Continue down the track, keeping left at the fork to find Earnsdale Reservoir.
The reservoir was constructed circa 1850 for Darwen’s water supply.
As you walk, admire the valley to the left, called Earnsdale (old Norse for valley of eagles).

Section 17 -13
Walk along the reservoir embankment and take the left fork uphill.
As you approach the top of the hill (locally known as Donkey brow) take the path sharp right.
The track widens and then meanders for approximately 1km, leading into Weasel Lane and eventually meeting Tockholes Road.
For walkers requiring refreshments the Victoria and Rock public houses can be observed, one in each direction.
Turn right along the road to pass the village hall.
The village hall was built in 1899 as a meeting room and Sunday school for the chapel, (at the bottom of Long Lane) using stone from the demolished Bethesda Chapel (at the bottom of Old School Lane).
Turn immediately left after the hall down a lane, looking out for the grade II listed Silk Hall on the left.
This hall, the oldest part of the village, was where villagers made their living by weaving silk on hand looms. You are at the back 'service area' of the hall as the front faces south with a fine three-storey gabled porch
At the bottom of the lane go through the gate into the field and follow the wall on your right down the field to a stile.
Another stile can be seen in front of you. Climb both stiles and continue down to a stone stile next to a gate.
Turn right along the lane, then left down the unmade lane that runs along the top side of the church, to join the Reelers Trail at point 13.

Section 13 – 8
Follow the Reelers Trail directions from 13 to 8.

Section 8 -1
Carry on down past Livesey library to meet the A674. Cross this main road, turn right and take the first left down The Crescent.
Follow the road round to the right to reach a narrow path also on your right.
Turn down the path to cross the Blackburn to Preston railway line.
Take the path straight ahead, ignoring any paths leading off to either side.
On reaching Pleasington playing fields and Tower Road turn right along the road until you reach the Sustrans cycleway on the left.
Follow the track down to the River Darwen.
Do not cross the bridge but take the path to the right to follow the river footpath upstream, eventually leading back to Witton Country Park main car park.