Lancashire Way Day 5

Withnell to Preston 

Distance 17 miles 

Ascent 300m

Hare, reed bunting, curlew 

We left the hotel and walked back along the lane to rejoin the route. The walk this morning seemed to be mostly through farmland, Grassy sheep fields and around the edges of some crop fields. As it had been dry the going was good, although many of the stiles today were very rickety. 

We stopped for some camera battery faffing, five days without charge too much to ask, under watchful gaze of a horse. We crossed Chorley Road and walked though the village, complete with a bungalow with battlements and back into farmland. 

We saw a sign warning us to Beware of the... something, possibly the badly tied handle on the electric fence. 

At Hough Hill we went up to the top of the hill to visit the trig point and then followed a narrow path between cliff edge and barbed wire and gorse around the old quarry at Denham Hill. A bit of scrambling back down to the road, this bit probably isn't part of the official route. 

There was a section of road walking around fairly quiet lanes to get back to the canal towpath, to see a flight of 7 locks. Unusually there were benches on the towpath here, so we had a sit down and some tea. 

Farther along the towpath we saw Grey wagtails, a buzzard, snoozy ducks and reading about boat rollers while Bailey the dog rolled in something disgusting. 

A low tunnel took us under the M61, then into the pretty village of Whittle Hills with olde cottages complete with peacock. We walked along their newly refurbished path, and admired the handy work of the residents who had rebuilt the dry stone wall. 

Then into Cuerden Valley Country Park where we had another sit down and then had (a massive) lunch at the visitor centre which had been built by volunteers in 2018. 

Leaving the park we went over some land which is being developed, there was a massive hole in the ground and loads of fences everywhere, thankfully the path.was still accessible and there was a way through onto another disused railway line. This led to the Old Tram Road which took us into town and the railway station where our walk ended.

Lancashire Way Day 4

Adlington to Withnell
Distance 20.3 miles 
Ascent 600m
Weather: warm and sunny, breezy on tops
Woodpecker, skylarks, wheatear, nuthatch 


We left the hotel after breakfast, snaffling some fruit and a pastry as we weren't sure where lunch would be coming from. We walked to the reservoir the way we'd walked back yesterday evening. The train was only about 30 seconds late this time. 


We walked around Anglezarke and Upper Rivington reservoirs, observing their No Dancing with Fish signs. At Rivington village we had tea and cake at the village tearoom and got sandwiches to take away. Then we walked with the masses up to the Pigeon Tower and Rivington Pike, admiring the work they are doing on restoring the gardens. And having a breather, it's a steep hill on a hot day with a big bag. As we approached the top we overheard a warning that it was like the Antarctic at the top. It was a bit breezy. 


We didn't stop with the crowds long and carried on over the moor to Winter Hill, still recovering from the fire last year. We heard a couple of skylarks near the top. Passing a red rose emblazoned trig point we stopped for lunch on the hillside and ate our sandwiches, but we didn't have any tea as we'd not drunk it the first two days as it was so warm and neither of us fancied any. It would have been appreciated today. 


A steep descent and then across moorland, which was dry and spongy underfoot, nicer to walk on than paving, then along white sandy paths with a few trees dotted around above the source of the River Yarrow. 


We followed a typical pennine paved path over the moors along Spitlers Edge to Great Hill. Here we had a sit in the shelter, which was pretty great. Would have been better if we'd had some tea. It was then that we made the alarming discovery that we'd only walked 10 miles. 


We were headed to Darwen Tower, but it didn't seem to be getting any closer. Our route was rather circuitous, but eventually we got there and went up to the top to see the view. It was very windy, but looked as though the new metal top section would stay put, unlike the old wooden top that blew away in 2010. The tower itself was built in 1897 to celebrate Queen Victoria's silver jubilee. 


There was much yelling, some at dogs and some at kids who were being warned not to vandalise things that that stood for a thousand years. 


Coming down off the moor we took advantage of the facilities at the visitor centre and then crossed the road into pretty beech woods, with bluebells and daffodils. The path led along a stream with rocky cliffs and tall trees down to the banks of the reservoir, where some people were hanging out. There was an alarming smell of lighter fluid. 


Leaving the woodland we followed a Disused railway line and nature reserve, the path annoyingly zigzagging up and down and then across some fields to the Oak Royal Hotel. We had a good meal and nice stay, although had arrived a bit too late to take full advantage of the very impressive shower. 

Lancashire Way Day 3

Wigan to Adlington (twice) 
Distance 23.5 miles
Ascent 400m
Weather warm and sunny

Dog related things: walkers, barking, poo, poo bags and hair of.
Canal side hippy camp, ducklings, dippers, tufty ducks, man carrying a brick, stocks. 
Bells: optional 


We left Wigan along the canal towards Haigh Hall, quite a few other people were out for a walk and there were lots of fishermen along the banks.


The lane into Haigh Hall Estate was filled with a steady stream of people all headed towards the park, and people everywhere inside it. The queue for posh ice creams was worth it. Leaving the park we rejoined the canal, and were treated to a rousing chorus of Mary's  Boy Child by Boney M that well known Easter song.


We dropped down on to a disused railway for a short time which was shader but the air was not as fresh so we went back to the towpath.




At Aberdeen Bridge we left the official route and followed a footpath though some woods, with wild garlic and bluebell carpet and also mud, which is something we've not had a lot of.
We reached the hotel at about 2.30pm, dropping our bags and stopping for a coffee and easter eggs and also wash feet and put on clean socks. 




After our break we were back out to finish off the days. We went off route again to walk up the brook-side footpath rather than busy road under the M61 and off route again on to Heapey Fold Lane towards Anglezarke Reservoir. There were lots of sheep and lambs, a blackcap and we did not go to Mouldy House Farm. 




The path goes around the top of the reservoir, through a cricket pitch and along a rocky track through heathland then through grassy sheep fields to the road and along the causeway which was a popular socialising spot on a warm evening.


A footpath along the waters edge and through bluebell woods took us back to the motorway, where we crossed with a police presence.


A massive new bridge took us over the railway line, a fast train coming 2 minutes too late. Them we were at the canal again and retraced our steps to the Yarrow Bridge Hotel. A quieter night tonight, just the chickens in the farm next door. 

Lancashire Way Day 2

Rufford to Wigan
Distance 18 miles
Ascent 330m
Weather warm and sunny
Hares, wandering narrow boats, slow pony trekkers, fast cyclists, hordes, religious cottages, ice creams.

Well fed and rested, we left the hotel and joined the canal, walking along behind  Rufford Old Hall.

We left the canal and walked through some massive potato fields of bare soil on to grassy  bank alongside a ditch, which had lots of insects and butterflies. There were some lapwings in the fields but not much else.

We walked through Mawdesley, where there was a lot of road walking, some with pavements, most not. Also some interesting bungalows to assess. Then we walked up a road up a hill. At the top there was a bench so we sat on it. A lady came and sat with us. Some cyclists stood nearby.

We met some sheep and lambs on a pretty tree lined  footpath between fields and in neat parkland. The landscape now much hillier with small woods and ponds. We saw a buzzard and met a friendly spaniel called Rosie.

At the view point on Sparrow Hill we had an ice cream, then walked down the hill and up the other side to Ashursts Beacon. It was hot.

A path that was dry but would have been horrendous in anything other than this dry weather led under the M6 motorway and on to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which was very popular. We followed the canal into Wigan having rest near B and Qs yard, and through town to the Mercure Hotel.

Lancashire Way Day 1

Preston to Rufford
Distance 18.3 miles
Ascent 30m

Long tailed tits, Buzzard, Wigeon, Shelduck, Black headed gull, Black backed gull, Oyster catcher, Redshank, Lapwing, Skylarks, Pheasant, bunnies

We travelled to Preston by train yesterday after work, ready to set off first thing on the southern loop of the Lancashire Way. The walk starts near the railway station and goes through a couple of quite grand Victorian parks, with lots of dog walkers and cyclists out in the morning sunshine.  

We joined the Ribble Way path following the banks of the river for several miles. In town the river was wide and low, with rocks and muddy banks.

The tide was coming in, creating a current which the gulls and ducks were surfing on. We also saw a large log and a big metal container, which thankfully the sailing boat was able to avoid.

We stopped for a sit down at a handy bench and met a local lady who comes here every weekend and said she'd never seen the river flowing so fast. Then her dog nearly weed on my rucksack.

A bit farther on we met a couple of walkers and had a chat, with the roar of the motorbikes whizzing around on the circuit on the other side of the river. Then there were sheep. And flies.

There were sign warning of explosive gas, poison death and electricity on a tiny boat landing. Then there were blue bells, pink bells, whitebells and a kitchen sink.

We walked beside a busy road and it was hot, before turning up a lane with lovely shade under some trees.

In Croston we bought ice-creams and sat on a bench in the sunshine. Then we walked along a straight road followed by a straight lane over the railway line. Back in the mai  road did  it stop to buy any small rockery stones, then crossed the canal and into Rufford where we are staying at the Rufford Arms Hotel