7th January 2018
Coach Trip to Hollingworth Lake
The Country Park Visitor Centre, off Rakewood Road.is close to the town of Littleborough. In Victorian times Hollingworth Lake was known as the "The Weighvers' Seaport". Now once again visitors can enjoy many outdoor attractions and an excellent Visitor Centre. Spanning 118 acres with the dramatic backdrop of Blackstone Edge. The wider country park has plenty of walking routes, from easy strolls around the lake shore to sturdier trecks in the surrounding hills.
On the Day
Due to very low bookings for today we will have a feeder coach on the Colne to Clayton Le Moors route meeting up with the bigger coach at Darwen services. This one coach will then take us all to Hollingworth Lake and on the return journey will meet the feeder coach again at Darwen services. If you are intending to come to Ingleton on 4th February please book as early as possible to make the arrangements for the day so much easier to plan.
Please make sure you join the correct walk and will independent walkers leave details of your names and routes with your courier on the coach and a mobile phone number if available. We welcome a new leader – at least to the coach rambles – today Michael Bates has joined the “gang” of leaders and we all say a big Welcome and Thank You.
A Walk Leader Anthony Fleetwood 12 miles Moderate
We alight the coach by Hollingworth Lake, following the Rochdale Way until we meet the Pennine Bridleway. That takes us past the Windy Hills, Hanging Rocks and Great Withens Reservoir up to Dog Hill. Returning with a bit of a yomp to the Old Packhorse Road and Roman Road. Time permitting we take in Blackstone Edge (472 metres) with good views towards Manchester. Good pathways and no great gradients.
B Walk Leader Chris Thornley. 9 miles Moderate
From the coach we head off towards Rakewood and go under Rakewood Viaduct to follow the bridleway to Tunshill Lane and then join the Rochdale Way for a short while. We continue to Windy Hill to meet the Pennine Bridleway at Rook Stone Hill and follow this route along the southern flank of Blackstone Edge. We reach the summit of Aiggin Stone and then take the roman road to Lydgate, on to Owlet Hall then down to Lanefoot and back to the coaches.
C Walk Leader Barbara Sharples and Tony Culverhouse 8 miles, moderate
We begin at the Visitor Centre and follow the lakeside towards Bear Hill. On this walk you will cover sections of the Rochdale Way, sample the local Leisure and Riverside footpaths, follow the Pennine Bridleway to a junction with an old pack horse route/Roman Road (allegedly), descend to two reservoirs and Summit Quarry and then pass locks on the Rochdale Canal towpath before returning through the country park to the visitor centre. If the weather allows you will have views of several (seven) peaks and a few valleys. We have yet to enjoy these as visibility was down to 200m during very foggy conditions when the recce was done! No stiles, some mud, a couple of steady climbs and a steep downhill. The route has been chosen to take advantage of better terrain after so much rain!
D Walk Leader Michael Bates 6 miles Easy
We leave the lakeside in a north easterly direction through the Country Park towards Lydgate eventually passing through an attractive wooded area (path likely to be boggy in areas). The path takes us right at Owlett Hall alongside a golf course reaching the Pennine Bridleway where we turn southwards eventually crossing over and then under the M62 motorway. There are nice views from the higher parts looking across to Rochdale and Greater Manchester. We then return to the lake via Longden Brook and complete the walk by walking around the lakeside. No stiles on this walk. Uphill gradients are fairly gentle on mainly broad tracks.
Pick up time for return journey. Returning Home: 5.00pm from the coach park. Please do not ask the driver for extra stops on the way home as this can be dangerous and make the return journey longer for everyone.
Morning (Outward) Pick-Up Points
Blackburn Coach
08:00 Clitheroe : York Street
08:05 Whalley : King Street
08:10 Harwood : Nightingales Garage
08:20 Clayton : Hare and Hounds
08:25 Accrington : Victoria Hospital
08:30 Accrington :Whalley Rd, Kwik Fit
08:35 Oswaldtwistle : The Civic Theatre
08:40 Oswaldtwistle : Black Dog
08:50 Blackburn : Penny Street
08:50 Ewood : Empire Theatre
08:55 Darwen : Lynwood Avenue
09:00 Darwen : Boots Duckworth St
Burnley Coach
08:00 Nelson : Walton lane, Leeds Road
08:02 Colne : Colne Bus Station
08:05 Colne : Library
08:10 Colne : Alkincoates
08:15 Barrowford : Heritage Centre
08:20 Nelson : Bus Station
08:30 Brierfield : Town Hall
08:35 Burnley : Brennard Street
08:40 Burnley : Bus Station
08:40 Burnley : Tim Bobbin
08:45 Padiham : Whitegates
08:50 Padiham : Town Hall
09:00 Clayton : Hare and Hounds