Monthly Saturday walks in the North West - for more info click --- Kay Street Country Striders

Walk Reports - Winter and Spring 2023

Monday 13^th March 2023

Monthly Long Walk: Due to the weather forecast and conditions on the morning, the planned route up to Hog Lowe Pike had to be changed. Note that walks will take place during inclement weather but the routes may be changed for walker safety.

The walk started as planned, at the bottom of Spenleach Lane, with six walk leaders and two brave walkers. We continued along the proposed route up to the Range House and through the very muddy fields until we reached Holcombe Hey Fold Farm. From here we joined the steep footpath that reaches Moor Road at Lark Hill. Turning left we headed for Longshaw Head and down to Crowthorn, at which point we deviated from the planned route, with Hog Lowe Pike to be climbed on a drier day.

The top of Spenleach Lane

Very muddy path

Holcombe Hey Farm

Lark Hill

We then continued down Plantation Road to its junction with Broadhead Road, where we turned left and after a short distance we joined a track on our right, and headed down to Blackburn Road, Edgeworth. Once across the road we walked down Hob Lane as far as Wayoh Reservoir and followed the footpath down to Edgeworth and the shelter of The Barlow for morning coffee.

Wayoh Reservoir

Coffee stop

After taking the footpath at the back of The Barlow we headed down through the woods and across the footbridge, climbed through the fields up to Bury Road, which we crossed, and made our way along the track up to Higher Barn Farm. Once through the farm we followed the paths to Top of Quarlton and joined our more familiar route through New Hoyles Farm and back to Spenleach Lane, having covered 9 very wet miles.

Top of Qualton

Back to Spenleach Lane

Monday 6^th March 2023

Monthly Short Walk: Greenmount, Red Earth Farm and Boardman’s Farm

From Greenmount Old School, twenty-two walkers headed towards Greenmount Golf Club and turned left along Whipney Lane before turning right, passed Hollymount School. After climbing over a stile, we followed a muddy footpath down to Bottoms Hall Cottages and across the footbridge, carefully avoiding the collapsed culvert on our right. Once we had made our way around a couple of abandoned cars, we climbed up a steep footpath where Bottoms Hall Farm could be seen in the valley below.  After climbing over another stile we headed across the fields towards Burnt House Farm, which is slowly being renovated and passed two mill lodges, now used for fishing.

Bottoms Hall Cottages

Climbing passed Bottoms Hall Farm

Burnt House Farm

Once passed the lodges the footpath descends back down onto Two Brook Lane, where we turned left, at Hawkshaw Tennis Club. From the lane we were able to see the large lodge on our left that was used by the Whowell family, who owed Croichley Hey House, to entertain friends and family by boating on the lake. Charles Whowell was also the owner of Two Brook Mill.

Heading for Hawkshaw

After crossing Bolton Road, we headed up Hawkshaw Lane for a short distance before joining the first footpath on our left, which after crossing over a footbridge, follows the brook, passed Calf Hill, on the left and Hawkshaw Wood on the right. Once reaching the woods at Clough Bottom, we enjoyed our morning coffee whilst discussing the potential origin of The Big Stone, a large rock on the other side of the brook.

Calf Hill

The Big Stone

Our next challenge was to cross the fields, of Red Earth Equestrian Centre, without being accosted by their horses, we made it. The track then heads up to Boardman’s Farm, built in 1783 as both a farm and public house called Peel’s Arms. Towards the end of the nineteenth century the building was converted into cottages, one of them being the home of Ralph Rooney, a famous local rambler.

Heading for Boardman's Farm

Our route then turned left off, Hawkshaw Lane, then joined a footpath on the right taking us down through High Ash Farm and on to High House Farm and over to The Range House.

Redisher Wood

Holhouse Farm Greenmount

From here we followed familiar footpaths back to Greenmount having covered 6.5 historic miles.