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.