Darwen Tower
Walk 1
A West Pennine
Moors Trail
A walk of 2 miles,
Approx. 1.5 hours –
steep ascent/descent
WALK
?
Darwen Tower Walk No. 1 A walk of 2
On a clear day the Isle of Man and the hills of North Wales can be
seen from Darwen Tower. The Tower celebrates Queen Victoria’s
Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and to many local people it also celebrated
the freeing of Darwen Moor in the previous year.
You are strongly advised to use these walk details in conjunction with OS Explorer map
No. 287, West Pennine Moors.
1
With Darwen Town Hall behind
you, start walking to your right
along Croft Street to its junction
with Market Street, the main
road. Cross over the road at
the crossing and continue up
the road immediately in front of
you (Borough Rd).
BOLD VENTURE PARK
The park, constructed from a
number of quarries and
cloughs, is well known for its
magnificent floral displays and
specimen trees. The park was
opened in 1887 and extended
in both 1898 and 1914 to
reach up to the foot of Darwen
moor.
2
Follow Borough Road up the
hill to enter the main gates of
Bold Venture Park on your
right.
As you walk through this
beautiful park note the following:
THE WAR MEMORIAL
1
This memorial was unveiled in
1921 in the honour of over
1,200 citizens of Darwen who
gave their lives in the 1914-18
was. The memorial stands
symbolically on five steps for
the five years of WWI. It is also
inscribed in memory of those
who died in World War II. In
this picturesque setting, it makes
for one of the most attractive
war memorials in the area.
THE LAKE
2
The ornamental lake, the
centrepiece of the park is
populated by breeding mallards
and was know as Bold Venture
Reservoir.
THE WATERFALL
A 70-foot cascade which creates
a dramatic sight after heavy
rain, forming a small lake at its
base.
3
1. Bold Venture Park (War Memorial)
Take the path to the right
following the edge of the lake
round, past the waterfall,
making your way up the park to
emerge onto Manor Road.
2 miles, Approx. 1.5 hours – steep ascent/descent
DARWEN
TOWER
O.S.
MARKER
7
HIGHER
CONEY
8
6
9
KISS
GAT
SNIDDLE HI
QUARRY
(Disused)
L A NE
SNIDDLE HILL
FARM
HIGHER
TREES
LL
KISSING GATE
LOWER
CONEY
10
KISSING
GATE 5
HOLLY TREE
FARM
RD
BOLD
VENTURE
PARK
3
WAR
MEMORIAL
LAKE
MA
4
N OR
POND
BELGRA
VE ROAD
4
2. Bold Venture Lake, populated by
breeding mallards
Cross Manor Road to enter
upper Bold Venture Park
through the gate. Take the
right fork of the path to follow
the arrow on the stone way
marker. Keep Bold Venture
Brook to your left all the way
up the wooded paths, which
are bordered by holly,
rhododendron, lime and ash
trees.
To Bolton
PUNS
2
11
KISSIN
BOROUGH GATE
ROAD
ON
OLT
6B
A 66
A WEST PENNINE MOORS TRAIL
5
6
Emerge from the top of the
park through the kissing gate
and follow the track slightly to
your left, up past the disused
quarry, leading onto the open
moorland.
Continue up the track as it
bends round to the right
climbing all the way up to the
Tower.
Darwen Tower3 stands
overlooking the town at a
height of 1225feet and is
86feet tall. It is the most
prominent landmark in the
area and is open to the public
free of charge. It has a circular
viewing platform on the way
up as well as the parapet walk
at the top. It’s history is
written on the shield on the
front of the tower.
9
7
SING
TE
After visiting the Tower, retrace
your steps down the hill to the
Ordnance Survey triangulation
point. Take the path on the
right and at the next junction
carry straight on ahead along
the wide path downhill.
TURN LANE
0
KISSING GATE
Blackurn
Town Centre
STOCK ROAD
8
Part way down the hill look out
for a kissing gate on your right
at the end of a wall. Pass
through the gate and straight
down the field to Sniddle Hill
Farm.
9
Go through a kissing gate by a
farm gate to pass Sniddle Hill
Farm on your right.
10
Carry on straight down the
path, crossing over Turn Lane
via the stile and kissing gate to
pass Holly Tree Farm on your
right. You are now on Punstock
Lane which leads down to
Punstock Road, through a
kissing gate.
11
Turn left out of Punstock Road
at the T-junction to join
Borough Road, which leads you
back to Darwen town centre.
NG
E
RO
AD
CR
OF
TS
T.
1
START
DARWEN
TOWN HALL
3. Looking up to the Tower
THE VIEW FROM THE TOWER
To the south nearby are Winter
Hill (1,498 ft) with its TV and
radio masts and also Great Hill,
these merge with the distant
Snowdonia and Great Orme’s
Head, with the Irish Sea
beyond. Out at sea an
exploratory oilrig is clearly
visible, and on a clear day the
Isle of Man can be seen.
Further along the coast
Southport, Preston and the
Ribble Estuary, Blackpool and
its Tower lead to the River
Lune and Black Combe in
Cumbria.
The hills of the Lake District
beyond grace the northern
skyline and join the Forest of
Bowland and the Yorkshire
Dales, where the three giants,
Whernside, Ingleborough and
Pen-y-ghent tower beyond
Pendle and the Ribble Valley.
The Hills of Rochdale and the
nearer Holcombe with its Peel
Tower are framed by the south
Pennines of Yorkshire which
Darwen Moors – wonderful walking country.
Darwen Town Centre at Dusk
Directly below you can see the
local features of Earnsdale and
Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoirs,
then Sunnyhurst Wood,
Darwen golf course, Hoghton
Tower and the densely wooded
Billinge Hill.
join the Derbyshire Peak
District to complete the
panoramic view.
A splendid view of Darwen can
also be obtained. Note the
300 foot India Mill Chimney
which was modelled on the style
of a Venetian campanile. Taking
14 years to complete at a cost
of £14,000 it was opened in
1868. In recent years peregrine
falcons have successfully nested
on the chimney.
At the foot of Darwen Tower
USEFUL INFORMATION
Blackburn Tourist Information
Centre (01254) 53277 or
www.tourism.blackburnworld.com
Travel Centre (01254) 681120
A popular area for outdoor action.
Photo Matt Donnelly
THE COUNTRY CODE
•
Enjoy the countryside and respect its life
and work.
•
•
•
•
•
Guard against all risk of fire.
•
Leave livestock, crops and machinery
alone.
•
•
Fasten all gates.
Keep dogs under close control.
Keep to paths across farmland.
Avoid damage to fences, hedges and
walls.
Leave no litter.
Help to keep all water clean.
•
•
•
Protect wildlife, plants and trees.
Go carefully on country roads.
Make no unnecessary noise.
NOTES FOR WALKERS
ESSENTIAL KIT
The OS Explorer Map No. 287
(West Pennine Moors) provides
excellent aid and information on
all areas covered in this guide.
(Ordnance Survey tel: 08456
050505 / www.ordsvy.gov.uk)
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you are travelling to the start of the walk
using public transport, please contact
Blackburn Travel and Local Information
Centre. Tel: 01254 681120.
Blackburn Central Railway Station
(Enquiries). Tel: 08457 484950.
For information on local attractions, events,
places of interest and accommodation,
please contact Blackburn Tourist
Information Centre. Tel: 01254 53277.
Email: [email protected]
Alternatively visit the Blackburn with
Darwen website at:
www.tourism.blackburnworld.com
Blackburn with Darwen Countryside
Services Office. Tel: 01254 691239
for countryside information and events.
Please note that every effort has been taken to ensure
details are correct at the time of printing. Blackburn
with Darwen Borough Council cannot accept
responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor any
consequence arising from use of the information.
Reprinted March 2004 by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Marketing & Tourism Unit and Countryside Services.
Photos: Mike Tattersall, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council,
Matt Donnelly
Darwen
Tower Walk 2
A West Pennine
Moors Trail
A walk of 2 miles,
1.5 hours –
one short steep ascent
Darwen Tower Walk No. 2 A walk of
This circular walk takes in some fantastic views of the surrounding
countryside from Darwen Moors.
You are strongly advised to use these walk details in conjunction with OS Explorer map
No. 287, West Pennine Moors.
1
Start from Sunnyhurst Wood
Lychgate car park. Brown
tourist signs off the A666 direct
you up Earnsdale Road to this
car park.
2
Turn right out of the car park
up the lane leading past
Waterman’s Cottage. At the
fork keep left, climbing up the
hill. Below to the right is
Earnsdale Reservoir
constructed in 1854 to supply
Darwen water. Now sheltered
by trees it provides a haven for
waterfowl in the winter. Note
also Sunnyhurst Wood nestling
in the valley bottom and
Darwen Golf Course on the
hillside beyond.
The Lychgate at Sunnyhurst Woods
3
Continue along the farm track
passing Higher Wenshead Farm
on your left going through a
farm gate. Keep ahead and go
through a second farm gate.
Carry on along the track until it
bears to the right. Here climb
the stile on the left by the farm
gate. Bear immediately left
and climb the steps up the
hillside. Note the stone
waymarker with the carving of
Darwen Tower and direction
arrow as you pass over the
stile. This is the first of several
markers you follow on your
route to Darwen Tower.
4
Sunnyhurst Visitor Centre
Turn right at the top of the
steps following the path in front
the remains of Stepback
Cottage better know as ‘Owd
Aggies’. The name derives
from the owner who was
murdered in 1860 by thieves
who burgled the cottage and
stole £5. It later became a
refreshment house serving teas
of oatcakes and buttermilk
which became a favourite
rendezvous for local picnickers.
It fell into disrepair earlier last
century.
5
Carry on up the path to the top
of the hill. Turn left at the
wooden bench which overlooks
Stepback Clough. This is typical
of the small wooded valleys to
be found on the fringes of the
high moorland in this area.
Stepback is also steeped in local
history. It is believed to have got
its name when Oliver Cromwell,
on the moor with his troops in
bad weather said, ‘step back, go
no further’. How true this is, no
one can really be sure! There is
however some evidence to
suggest that opposing forces
2 miles, 1.5 hours – one short steep ascent
Sunnyhurst Wood
SUNNYHURST
PUBLIC HOUSE
10
Sunnyhurst Wood P
Car Park START
WATERMAN’S 1
Earnsdale
Reservoir
To
A666 /
Darwen
Town Centre
LYCHGATE
HOTEL
COTTAGE
2
KISSING
GATE
9
Sunnyhurst Hey
Reservoir
STONE
MARKER
LANE
SNIDDLE HILL
KISSING
GATE
8
O.S. MARKER
DARWEN
TOWER
7
HIGHER
WENSHEAD
FARM
6
3
KISSING
GATE
STILE
STEP
BACK
BROO
K
To
Ryal Fold
STONE
MARKER
STONE
MARKER
4 ‘OWD
AGGIES
STILE
STONE
MARKER
STONE
MARKER
STILE
5
Stepback
Clough
At the foot of Darwen Tower.
An ideal spot for a picnic stop.
A WEST PENNINE MOORS TRAIL
9
skirmished not far away in
Tockholes. As you turn left at
the bench note the stone
waymarker again as you
continue along the path.
With the kissing gate on your
right continue down the track.
To the left you can see the
Water Treatment Plant adjacent
to Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoir.
Along this path your can enjoy
fine views to your left. Note
Ryal Fold, a small group of
farmhouse and whitewashed
cottages. Amongst the trees is
Roddlesworth café and
information centre (Tel: 01254
704502)
10
6
Continue along the path,
forking right past a stone
waymarker. To your left is
Sunnyhurst Hey Reservoir
completed in 1875. At one
time, during dry weather when
levels were low, water was
pumped out of old flooded
mine workings to replenish the
reservoir.
7
Ahead a short path on the right
leads up to Darwen Tower.
DARWEN TOWER
Darwen Tower stands
overlooking the town at a
height of 1225feet and is 86
feet tall. It is the most
prominent landmark in the
area. It has a circular viewing
platform on the way up as well
as the parapet walk at the top.
Its history is written on the
shield on the front of the
tower.
WILDLIFE ON THE MOOR
If walking early in the
morning, look out for the
occasional fox out hunting.
Family Walking on Darwen Moor
Red Grouse can be seen all
year round on the moor, with
Curlew and Meadow Pipit in
the rough pasture. Peregrine
Falcons can sometimes be
spotted circling overhead.
Alongside the drystone walls in
the spring look out for
Wheatear. The walls are also
home to mice, weasels and the
Common lizard.
8
After visiting the Tower, retrace
your steps down the hill to the
Ordnance Survey triangulation
point. Take the path on the
right and at the next junction
carry on straight ahead down
the broad path. As you follow
the path down note the kissing
gate on your right. This is
NOT the route back but is the
top of Sniddle Hill Lane as it
winds downhill to Darwen
town centre. A separate leaflet
‘Darwen Tower Walk No 1’
covering this route was devised
in 1996 to commemorate the
granting of public access to the
moors a hundred years earlier.
Continue on passing through a
farm gate and on down the
track. As the path splits into
two, take the fork to the left.
At the end of the path turn left
(opposite the Sunnyhurst Pub)
along Tockholes Road back to
Sunnyhurst Wood Lychgate car
park.
THE VIEW FROM THE TOWER
To the south nearby are Winter
Hill (1,498ft) with its TV and
radio mast and also Great Hill
merging with distant
Snowdonia and Great Orme’s
Head, with the Irish Sea
beyond. On a clear day the
Isle of Man can be seen.
Further along the coast,
Southport, Preston and the
Ribble Estuary, Blackpool and
its tower lead to the River
Lune and Black Combe in
Cumbria.
Abundant Wildlife.
The hills of the Lake District
beyond grace the northern
skyline and join the Forest of
Bowland and the Yorkshire
Dales, where the three
statuesque giants, Whernside,
Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent
towering beyond Pendle and the
Ribble Valley in the foreground.
A splendid view of Darwen can
also be obtained. Note the 300foot India Mill chimney, which
was modelled on the style of a
Venetian campanile.
SUNNYHURST WOOD
Adjacent to the car park is a
Lychgate giving access to the
woods.
Sunnyhurst Wood was
originally planted in the early
1800’s to provide cover for
game birds, but was purchased
by public subscription in 1902
and developed as a woodland
park. Covering some 85 acres
the wood lies in an attractive
valley which is rich in both bird
and plant life. Over 280 species
of flowering plants can be seen
together with a variety of
woodland birds including the
great spotted woodpecker,
nuthatch, tree creeper, tawny
owl and the very shy jay. Along
the stream the grey wagtail,
kingfisher and dipper can also
sometimes be glimpsed.
Information on walks, wildlife
and local history can be
obtained free from the Visitor
Centre. The centre houses an
exhibition gallery for local
artists and also childrens’
environmental activities.
The centre is open Tuesday,
Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
and Bank Holidays 1pm –
4.30pm. For more
information (01254) 701545
during opening times.
Along the banks of Sunnyhurst
Brook in Sunnyhurst Woods is
the picturesque Olde England
Kiosk, erected in 1911 –12 by
public subscription to
commemorate the Coronation
of King George V.
Red Grouse
The Kiosk serves drinks and
snacks, is fully licensed and is
also registered for marriage
ceremonies. For opening times
contact (01254) 701530.
Ramblers at the Lychgate Hotel
USEFUL INFORMATION
Blackburn Tourist Information
Centre (01254) 53277 or
www.tourism.blackburnworld.com
Travel Centre (01254) 681120
Roddlesworth Café & Information
Centre (01254) 704502
Sunnyhurst Woods Visitor Centre
(01254) 701545
Sunnyhurst Woods Bridge. Photo: Lancashire Evening Telegraph
Lychgate Hotel (01254) 775632
Sunnyhurst Pub (01254) 873035
THE COUNTRY CODE
•
Enjoy the countryside and respect its life
and work.
•
•
•
•
•
Guard against all risk of fire.
•
Leave livestock, crops and machinery
alone.
•
•
Fasten all gates.
Keep dogs under close control.
Keep to paths across farmland.
Avoid damage to fences, hedges and
walls.
Leave no litter.
Help to keep all water clean.
•
•
•
Protect wildlife, plants and trees.
Go carefully on country roads.
Make no unnecessary noise.
NOTES FOR WALKERS
ESSENTIAL KIT
The OS Explorer Map No. 287
(West Pennine Moors) provides
excellent aid and information on
all areas covered in this guide.
(Ordnance Survey tel: 08456
050505 / www.ordsvy.gov.uk)
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you are travelling to the start of the walk
using public transport, please contact
Blackburn Travel and Local Information
Centre. Tel: 01254 681120.
Blackburn Central Railway Station
(Enquiries). Tel: 08457 484950.
For information on local attractions, events,
places of interest and accommodation,
please contact Blackburn Tourist
Information Centre. Tel: 01254 53277.
Email: [email protected]
Alternatively visit the Blackburn with
Darwen website at:
www.tourism.blackburnworld.com
Blackburn with Darwen Countryside
Services Office. Tel: 01254 691239
for countryside information and events.
Please note that every effort has been taken to ensure
details are correct at the time of printing. Blackburn
with Darwen Borough Council cannot accept
responsibility for any errors or omissions, nor any
consequence arising from use of the information.
Reprinted March 2004 by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
Marketing & Tourism Development and Countryside Services.
Photos: Mike Tattersall, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council